Ancient Persia - from tribe to empire. Persia Former Persian Empire

At the end of the VI century. BC. The Achaemenid power became the largest state in the Middle East, uniting the territories of Mesopotamia, the Eastern Mediterranean, Egypt, and the northeastern part of India as a result of successful wars of conquest. It was headed by the Persian king Cyrus II (558-530 BC) from the Achaemenid family.

To manage such a huge state, which included many countries with different levels of socio-economic development, a special structure of the state apparatus and the organization of internal life were necessary, which was created as a result of the end of the 6th century. BC. administrative and financial reforms of King Darius I (522-486 BC).

The entire state was divided into 20 administrative and tax districts called satrapies. Each district was headed by a satrap who performed civil functions. The army of each district was under the authority of a military commander who reported directly to the king. There were also remote provinces in whose daily life the Persian administration rarely interfered, administering it with the help of local rulers. Darius introduced a new system of state taxes: all satrapies were obliged to pay in silver the tax established for each of them, which was determined taking into account the valuation of the cultivated land. To govern the country, a large central apparatus was created, headed by the royal office, and the city of Susa (the former capital of Elam) became the administrative center of the state.

In the VI century. BC. Even before the Persian conquest, the world's first coins began to be minted in the Lydian kingdom, and Darius I introduced a common monetary unit for the entire power - the darik. However, outside of Asia Minor, Persian coins played a secondary role in trade, mainly ingots of unminted silver were used.

During the existence of the Achaemenid state, international trade developed very widely, since one state included countries with different natural and climatic conditions, between which regular contacts were established, sea and caravan routes were established.

In the first half of the 5th century. BC. The Achaemenids are trying to expand their expansion to the west - the Greco-Persian wars are underway. However, the small Greek city-states managed to resist the huge power and expelled the Persians from the Balkan Peninsula.

In 334 BC. Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), having achieved dominance over Greece, begins a campaign against Persia and in 329 BC. takes over all of her possessions. The Achaemenid state ceases to exist, having become part of the power of Alexander the Great.

The Persian power had a huge impact on the history of the Ancient World. The Achaemenid state, formed by a small tribal union, existed for about two hundred years. Mention of the splendor and power of the Persian country is in many ancient sources, including the Bible.

Start

The first mention of the Persians is found in Assyrian sources. In an inscription dated to the 9th century BC. e., contains the name of the land Parsua. Geographically, this area was located in the Central Zagros region, and during the mentioned period the population of this area paid tribute to the Assyrians. The unification of tribes did not yet exist. The Assyrians mention 27 kingdoms under their control. In the 7th century the Persians apparently entered into a tribal union, since references to kings from the Achaemenid tribe appeared in the sources. The history of the Persian state begins in 646 BC, when Cyrus I became the ruler of the Persians.

During the reign of Cyrus I, the Persians significantly expanded the territories under their control, including taking possession of most of the Iranian plateau. At the same time, the first capital of the Persian state, the city of Pasargadae, was founded. Some Persians were engaged in agriculture, some led

The emergence of the Persian Empire

At the end of the VI century. BC e. The Persian people were ruled by Cambyses I, who was dependent on the kings of Media. Cambyses' son, Cyrus II, became ruler of the settled Persians. Information about the ancient Persian people is scanty and fragmentary. Apparently, the main unit of society was the patriarchal family, headed by a man who had the right to dispose of the lives and property of his loved ones. The community, first tribal and later rural, was a powerful force for several centuries. Several communities formed a tribe, several tribes could already be called a people.

The emergence of the Persian state occurred at a time when the entire Middle East was divided between four states: Egypt, Media, Lydia, Babylonia.

Even in its heyday, Media was actually a fragile tribal union. Thanks to the victories of King Cyaxares, Media conquered the state of Urartu and the ancient country of Elam. The descendants of Cyaxares were unable to retain the conquests of their great ancestor. The constant war with Babylon required the presence of troops on the border. This weakened the internal politics of Media, which the vassals of the Median king took advantage of.

Reign of Cyrus II

In 553, Cyrus II rebelled against the Medes, to whom the Persians had been paying tribute for several centuries. The war lasted three years and ended with a crushing defeat for the Medes. The capital of Media (Ektabani) became one of the residences of the Persian ruler. Having conquered the ancient country, Cyrus II formally preserved the Median kingdom and assumed the titles of the Median rulers. Thus began the formation of the Persian state.

After the capture of Media, Persia declared itself as a new state in world history, and for two centuries played an important role in the events taking place in the Middle East. In 549-548. the newly formed state conquered Elam and subjugated a number of countries that were part of the former Median state. Parthia, Armenia, Hyrcania began to pay tribute to the new Persian rulers.

War with Lydia

Croesus, the ruler of powerful Lydia, realized what a dangerous enemy the Persian power was. A number of alliances were concluded with Egypt and Sparta. However, the Allies did not have the chance to begin full-scale military operations. Croesus did not want to wait for help and acted alone against the Persians. In the decisive battle near the capital of Lydia - the city of Sardis, Croesus brought his cavalry, which was considered invincible, onto the battlefield. Cyrus II sent soldiers riding camels. The horses, seeing unknown animals, refused to obey the riders; the Lydian horsemen were forced to fight on foot. The unequal battle ended with the retreat of the Lydians, after which the city of Sardis was besieged by the Persians. Of the former allies, only the Spartans decided to come to the aid of Croesus. But while the campaign was being prepared, the city of Sardis fell, and the Persians subjugated Lydia.

Expanding the boundaries

Then it was the turn of the Greek city-states, which were located in the territory. After a series of major victories and suppression of rebellions, the Persians subjugated the city-states, thereby acquiring the opportunity to use them in battles.

At the end of the 6th century, the Persian power expanded its borders to the northwestern regions of India, to the cordons of the Hindu Kush and subjugated the tribes living in the river basin. Syrdarya. Only after strengthening the borders, suppressing rebellions and establishing royal power did Cyrus II turn his attention to powerful Babylonia. On October 20, 539, the city fell, and Cyrus II became the official ruler of Babylon, and at the same time the ruler of one of the largest powers of the Ancient World - the Persian Kingdom.

Reign of Cambyses

Cyrus died in battle with the Massagetae in 530 BC. e. His policy was successfully carried out by his son Cambyses. After thorough preliminary diplomatic preparation, Egypt, another enemy of Persia, found itself completely alone and could not count on the support of its allies. Cambyses carried out his father's plan and conquered Egypt in 522 BC. e. Meanwhile, discontent was brewing in Persia itself and a rebellion broke out. Cambyses hurried to his homeland and died on the road under mysterious circumstances. After some time, the ancient Persian power provided the opportunity to gain power to the representative of the younger branch of the Achaemenids - Darius Hystaspes.

Beginning of the reign of Darius

The seizure of power by Darius I caused discontent and grumbling in enslaved Babylonia. The leader of the rebels declared himself the son of the last Babylonian ruler and began to be called Nebuchadnezzar III. In December 522 BC. e. Darius I won. The rebel leaders were publicly executed.

Punitive actions distracted Darius, and meanwhile rebellions rose in Media, Elam, Parthia and other areas. It took the new ruler more than a year to pacify the country and restore the state of Cyrus II and Cambyses to its former borders.

Between 518 and 512, the Persian empire conquered Macedonia, Thrace and part of India. This time is considered the heyday of the ancient kingdom of the Persians. The state of world significance united dozens of countries and hundreds of tribes and peoples under its rule.

Social structure of Ancient Persia. Darius' reforms

The Persian state of the Achaemenids was distinguished by a wide variety of social structures and customs. Babylonia, Syria, Egypt long before Persia were considered highly developed states, and the recently conquered tribes of nomads of Scythian and Arab origin were still at the stage of a primitive way of life.

Chain of uprisings 522-520. showed the ineffectiveness of the previous government scheme. Therefore, Darius I carried out a number of administrative reforms and created a stable system of state control over the conquered peoples. The result of the reforms was the first effective administrative system in history, which served the Achaemenid rulers for more than one generation.

An effective administrative apparatus is a clear example of how Darius ruled the Persian state. The country was divided into administrative-tax districts, which were called satrapies. The size of the satrapies was much larger than the territories of early states, and in some cases coincided with the ethnographic boundaries of ancient peoples. For example, the satrapy of Egypt territorially almost completely coincided with the borders of this state before its conquest by the Persians. The districts were led by government officials - satraps. Unlike his predecessors, who looked for their governors among the nobility of the conquered peoples, Darius I appointed exclusively nobles of Persian origin to these positions.

Functions of governors

Previously, the governor combined both administrative and civil functions. The satrap of the time of Darius had only civil powers; the military authorities were not subordinate to him. Satraps had the right to mint coins, were in charge of the country's economic activities, collected taxes, and administered justice. In peacetime, satraps were provided with a small personal guard. The army was subordinate exclusively to military leaders independent of the satraps.

The implementation of government reforms led to the creation of a large central administrative apparatus headed by the royal office. State administration was carried out by the capital of the Persian state - the city of Susa. The large cities of that time, Babylon, Ektabana, and Memphis also had their own offices.

Satraps and officials were under the constant control of the secret police. In ancient sources it was called “the ears and eye of the king.” Control and supervision of officials was entrusted to the Khazarapat - the commander of a thousand. State correspondence was conducted on which almost all the peoples of Persia owned.

Culture of the Persian Empire

Ancient Persia left its descendants a great architectural heritage. The magnificent palace complexes in Susa, Persepolis and Pasargada made a stunning impression on contemporaries. The royal estates were surrounded by gardens and parks. One of the monuments that has survived to this day is the tomb of Cyrus II. Many similar monuments that arose hundreds of years later took the architecture of the tomb of the Persian king as a basis. The culture of the Persian state contributed to the glorification of the king and the strengthening of royal power among the conquered peoples.

The art of ancient Persia combined the artistic traditions of the Iranian tribes, intertwined with elements of Greek, Egyptian, Assyrian cultures. Among the items that have come down to the descendants, there are many decorations, bowls and vases, various goblets, decorated with exquisite paintings. A special place in the finds is occupied by numerous seals with images of kings and heroes, as well as various animals and fantastic creatures.

Economic development of Persia during the time of Darius

The nobility occupied a special position in the Persian kingdom. The nobles owned large land holdings in all conquered territories. Huge areas were placed at the disposal of the tsar’s “benefactors” for personal services to him. The owners of such lands had the right to manage, transfer the plots as an inheritance to their descendants, and they were also entrusted with the exercise of judicial power over their subjects. A land tenure system was widely used, in which plots were called allotments of a horse, bow, chariot, etc. The king distributed such lands to his soldiers, for which their owners had to serve in the active army as horsemen, archers, and charioteers.

But as before, huge tracts of land were in the direct possession of the king himself. They were usually rented out. The products of agriculture and livestock breeding were accepted as payment for them.

In addition to the lands, canals were under direct royal authority. The managers of the royal property rented them out and collected taxes for the use of water. For irrigation of fertile soils, a fee was charged, reaching 1/3 of the landowner's harvest.

Persian labor resources

Slave labor was used in all sectors of the economy. The bulk of them were usually prisoners of war. Bail slavery, when people sold themselves, did not become widespread. Slaves had a number of privileges, such as the right to have their own seals and participate in various transactions as full partners. A slave could redeem himself by paying a certain rent, and also be a plaintiff, witness or defendant in legal proceedings, of course, not against his masters. The practice of hiring hired workers for a certain amount of money was widespread. The work of such workers became especially widespread in Babylonia, where they dug canals, built roads, and harvested crops from royal or temple fields.

Darius' financial policy

The main source of funds for the treasury was taxes. In 519, the king approved the basic system of state taxes. Taxes were calculated for each satrapy, taking into account its territory and land fertility. The Persians, as a conquering people, did not pay tax, but were not exempt from the tax in kind.

Various monetary units that continued to exist even after the unification of the country brought a lot of inconvenience, so in 517 BC. e. The king introduced a new gold coin, called the darik. The medium of exchange was a silver shekel, which was worth 1/20 of a darik and served in those days. The reverse of both coins featured the image of Darius I.

Transport routes of the Persian state

The spread of the road network facilitated the development of trade between the various satrapies. The royal road of the Persian state began in Lydia, crossed Asia Minor and passed through Babylon, and from there to Susa and Persepolis. The sea routes laid by the Greeks were successfully used by the Persians in trade and for the transfer of military force.

The sea expeditions of the ancient Persians are also known, for example, the journey of the sailor Skilak to the Indian shores in 518 BC. e.

To the east of Mesopotamia lies the vast Iranian Plateau, surrounded on all sides by mountains. In the east it borders the Indus River valley, in the north it reaches the Caspian Sea, and in the south it reaches the Persian Gulf. Most of it is covered by the sun-scorched desert plains of Dashte Lut and Dashte Kevir (Great Salt Desert). There was always very little rain here, and the few rivers had little water, many of them dried up during drought, so water was of great value here. Agriculture here could only be practiced in the west, in river valleys, but there were good conditions for the development of cattle breeding: in the hot season, cattle were driven to rich mountain pastures. In addition, the mountainous areas were rich in forests and natural minerals such as copper, iron, silver and lead. Numerous tribes inhabited the Iranian plateau, some of which are mentioned in Mesopotamian chronicles. The largest tribal association inhabiting this territory were the Elamites, who conquered the ancient city of Susa located on a fertile plain and founded the powerful state of Elam there. In the Assyrian chronicles one can also find references to those who inhabited these lands in the 9th century. BC e. large alliances of the Medes and Persians. In the 7th century BC e. on this territory a strong state of Media appeared, and then the Persian kingdom, headed by King Kurash (Cyrus) Achaemenid. It should be noted that the Persian rulers considered the legendary leader Achaemen, who lived in the 8th–7th centuries, as their ancestor. BC e. The Persian state reached its greatest power under Kurash’s successor, Cyrus II the Great.

Birth of an Empire

Cyrus II the Great (558–529 BC)

Cyrus the Great (Fig. 4) was one of the largest leaders of the Persians. None of the rulers had previously possessed such a huge state or won as many brilliant victories as Cyrus II.

Rice. 4. Cyrus II the Great

It is believed that he is the true creator of the Persian state, who united the Persian tribes - the Medes and Pasargadians - under his rule. There are many legends telling about the childhood and youth of this great ruler, but in almost all of them, genuine historical information is intricately intertwined with fairy tales. Some legends say that Cyrus was a foundling who was raised by shepherds, while others say that he, like Romulus and Remus, was suckled by wild animals.

According to the information left by Herodotus, Cyrus's mother was the daughter of the Median king Astyages - Mandana, who was predicted that she would give birth to a son who would become the ruler of the world. King Astyages, frightened by the prophecy, ordered the noble Mede Harpagus to kill the baby, but he gave the baby to a shepherd and his wife, and they, instead of leaving the child to be devoured by wild animals, raised the boy as their own son. When Cyrus was ten years old, for a minor offense he was brought to King Astyages, who recognized him as his grandson, forced his adoptive father to tell the truth, and severely punished Harpagus for his deception. The boy was sent safe and sound to his real parents in Persia.

When Cyrus grew up, he became a brave warrior, and in 558 BC. e. - the king of the Persians, whose state during this period was dependent on the kings of Media. The new ruler decided to put an end to this and in 550 BC. e. captured the Median capital Ecbatana and annexed Media to his state. According to Babylonian historians, “the silver, gold and other treasures of Ecbatana were plundered and taken to Anshan.” On the site of the decisive battle with the Medes, the first capital of the Persian kingdom was built - the city of Pasargadae. Cyrus did not stop there: he dreamed of creating a great and powerful Persian state.

In the VI century. BC e. The ancient Persian calendar arose. It consisted of twelve lunar months of 29 or 30 days, which totaled only 354 days, so an additional thirteenth month was added every three years.

Continuing his policy of conquest, Cyrus the Great captured Armenia, Parthia and Cappadocia. Having defeated the troops of the Lydian king Croesus, who was known throughout the ancient world as the owner of untold wealth, Cyrus annexed this country to his possessions. The historian Herodotus reported how the Lydian king Croesus asked the oracle in Delphi whether he should start a war with Persia, and received the answer: “If the king goes to war against the Persians, he will crush the great kingdom.” And when Croesus, defeated and captured, reproached the Delphic priests for deception, they declared that a great kingdom had really been destroyed in the war, but not the Persian, but the Lydian.

It should be noted that not only the Persians were interested in creating a huge power: almost the entire population of Western Asia had long been in need of a strong state capable of ensuring the security of trade routes and relative stability for the activities of Phoenician and Asia Minor merchants interested in expanding their trade and opening a single market between West and East. On the way to the creation of such a powerful state stood Babylon, which, despite its powerful, almost impregnable walls, Cyrus the Great managed to take in the fall of 539 BC. e. Then he showed himself to be the greatest politician and diplomat: when wealthy citizens and priests opened the city gates to the Persians without a fight, the residents were promised immunity, and some independence was preserved for the Babylonian kingdom itself - Babylon became one of the residences of Cyrus the Great.

The peaceful entry of the Persian army into Babylon is described in the manifesto of Cyrus, in which he reports that the capture of the city was a necessary measure, and the king’s desire was only to protect it from other enemies: “Concern for the internal affairs of Babylon and all its sanctuaries touched me. And the inhabitants of Babylon found the fulfillment of their desires, and countless yokes were lifted from them... Marduk, the great lord, blessed me, Cyrus, the king who honors him, and Cambyses, my son, and all my army with mercy...” After Babylon, Persian troops moved further to the Mediterranean coast. Having annexed the lands of Palestine and Phenicia to his possessions, King Cyrus restored Jerusalem and many Phoenician cities and allowed the Jews to return from Babylonian captivity to their homeland. A theocratic state was created in Palestine, headed by a high priest who was both a military leader and a judge.

By annexing the conquered lands to their power, the Persians did not destroy the conquered cities, but, on the contrary, respected other people's traditions, faith and culture. The conquered lands were only declared a satrapy (province) of Persia and were subject to tribute. Cyrus proclaimed himself "king of the universe, a great king, a strong king, king of Babylon, king of Sumer and Akkad, king of the four countries of the world." A huge territory stretching from Iran and Central Asia to the Aegean Sea came under the rule of the Persians. Only Egypt remained the last independent state in the Middle East.

However, Cyrus did not dare to go to distant Egypt, since the east was very turbulent. Numerous tribes of the Sakas and Massagetae lived there, attacking the Persian possessions from Central Asia, and continuous wars with them were waged until 529 BC. e., until Cyrus died in one of them. According to the testimony of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus (484–425 BC), his entire army was defeated: “Most of the Persian army fell at the site of the battle, Cyrus himself was killed.” In his “History” he tells the legend that the Queen of the Massagetae, Tomiris, vowed to give Cyrus his fill of blood, so after the victory over the Persians, she ordered his body to be found, and, having cut off his head, to put it in a leather skin filled with human blood. Cyrus the Great never completed the construction of the capital of the Persian state, Pasargadae. But already during his reign, houses of cut stone and brick, lined with light sandstone, were built on a high terrace, and in the center of the city a magnificent royal palace was erected, surrounded by beautiful four-level gardens and fenced with a high battlemented wall. The entrance to the palace was guarded by majestic statues of bulls with human heads, and inside there were magnificent royal chambers and an apadana - a hall for ceremonial receptions with many columns. The tomb of Cyrus the Great has survived to this day. Built like a stone house with a gable roof and a small door, it is located on a stone terrace reached by seven wide steps. The entrance to the tomb was decorated with the image of the symbol of the supreme god Ahura Mazda - a winged solar disk. The Greek author Strabo claimed that even under Alexander the Great there was an inscription on the tomb that read: “Man! I am Cyrus, who left the rule of Persia and was the master of Asia."

Cambyses II (529–523 BC)

After the death of Cyrus the Great, his eldest son Cambyses ascended the throne. With his coming to power, unrest began in the multi-tribal and multilingual Persian state. Having dealt with them, Cambyses decided to take a trip to Egypt. In 525 BC. e. Thanks to his huge army and fleet of the Phoenicians, as well as the betrayal of the commander of the Greek mercenaries and the commander of the Egyptian fleet, Cambyses managed to conquer Egypt and was proclaimed its pharaoh, thus founding a new, XXVII dynasty.

The defeat of the strong Egyptian army so frightened some tribes of North Africa that they voluntarily submitted to the Persians. “The fate of Egypt frightened the Libyans living next door to Egypt, who surrendered to the Persians without a fight, imposed tribute on themselves and sent gifts to Cambyses. The Cyreans and Barkians acted like the Libyans, being also frightened,” wrote the Greek historian Herodotus.

Croesus became a household name thanks to the legendary wealth of the last king of Lydia (560–547 BC). Croesus became famous not only for his enormous fortune, but also for his generous sacrifices to Apollo of Delphi. According to one legend, Croesus asked the Greek sage Solon, when he once visited the capital of Lydia, Sardis, whether the owner of such great wealth could be considered truly the happiest of mortals, to which Solon replied: “No one can be called happy before his death.”

Having become the pharaoh of conquered Egypt, Cambyses also dreamed of conquering powerful Carthage. But he failed to fulfill his plans, since the Phoenicians refused to provide him with a fleet for the war with their compatriots, and it was extremely dangerous to make a trip through the scorching sands of the desert. The king, obsessed with victories, did not stop and decided to go deep into the African continent to conquer gold-rich Nubia and the western oases. However, the expedition he sent to search for oases disappeared without a trace in the desert sands, and the warriors sent to conquer Nubia died - some from Nubian arrows, some from the sweltering heat. The failures of the Persians provoked an uprising of the Egyptians, but the Persian ruler, returning to Memphis, dealt harshly with the rebels - all the instigators were executed. While Cambyses was in Egypt, unrest began in Persia itself. During his absence, power in the country was seized by his younger brother Bardiya, although later Darius I claimed that power in the country, under the guise of Bardiya, was seized by the magician and impostor Gaumata. Having learned about this, Cambyses hastened to return to Persia, but on the way he died under mysterious circumstances. A great turmoil began in Persia: the country began to disintegrate, the states previously conquered by the Persians began to regain their independence. Egypt was one of the first to secede.

Thus, it took the Persians only about thirty years to develop a great military empire. Like other similar empires, the Persian was created with the help of weapons and retained its supremacy as long as ambitious and courageous leaders were in power.

At the peak of power

Darius I the Great (522–486 BC)

In the autumn of 522 BC. e. As a result of the struggle for power, Darius I, who was a distant relative of Cyrus the Great, became the ruler of the Persian kingdom. He inherited rebellious Persia. Relying on his army, Darius was able to once again subjugate the seceded territories to his power and keep them in obedience through fear. During twenty battles, in which about 150,000 rebels died, the power of the Persian king was restored throughout the territory of the state. Unable to conduct punitive operations simultaneously in all directions, Darius pacified one uprising, and then threw the same army with which he suppressed the first uprising against other rebels.

As a sign of his successes, Darius I ordered a giant inscription to be carved on a steep cliff in Behistun, reporting on the first years of his reign and the victories he won, in the three main languages ​​of the state: ancient Persian, Akkadian and Elamite. The inscription said that before Darius came to power, turmoil and chaos reigned in the state, people killed each other, and he “pacified everyone, putting both rich and poor in their place.”

The inscription was located at a height of more than 100 m above ground level, its height together with the relief was 7 m 80 cm, and its width was 22 m. Above the text was an image of the supreme god Ahura Mazda, holding out a ring to Darius - a symbol of power. The king himself was depicted in full height - 172 cm, and behind him stood a spearman and an archer. Darius trampled with his left foot the magician Gaumata, who was trying to seize the royal throne; nearby stood nine kings chained together who opposed the king. In the east, Persian power extended all the way to the Indus River, in the north Darius enslaved the regions of Central Asia, and in the west he reached the Aegean Sea and captured the islands; Egypt and Nubia were reconquered by him. Thus, the Persian Empire covered vast territories in Asia and Africa.

“Gaumata was a Persian king who reigned in 522 BC. e. According to the official version, set forth by Darius I on the Behistun Rock, Gaumata, a Median magician (priest), took advantage of the absence of Cambyses II, who was at the head of his army in Egypt, and seized power into his own hands. To justify his rights to the throne, Gaumata pretended to be Bardia, the younger brother of Cambyses, who was killed by the latter even before his campaign in Egypt. Gaumata's reign lasted less than seven months. In September 522 BC. e. the magician was killed." (Encyclopedic Dictionary).

Having restored the great empire created by Cyrus and Cambyses, significantly expanding its borders, the young ruler of the Persians began to organize it: the state under Darius I was divided into twenty satrapies, at the head of each of which was a ruler appointed by the king - a satrap (“guardian of the kingdom”). The borders of the satrapies almost coincided with the borders of the former independent states. The satraps reported on their affairs to the king and had to monitor the prosperity of the provinces entrusted to them and the timely payment of taxes to the royal treasury. Each satrap had his own court staff, no less magnificent than the royal one, with the same positions and ranks. In order to protect the king from betrayal, each satrap was looked after by a chief overseer, called the “royal eye,” as well as secret spy envoys. In addition to the satrap, a military leader was also appointed to the province, who was obliged to protect it from enemies, fight robberies and robberies, and guard the roads. The satrap had to monitor the military leader, and the military commander – the satrap. Darius established a new national tax system. All satrapies were obliged to pay strictly fixed monetary taxes for each region, established taking into account the area of ​​cultivated land and the degree of its fertility. For the first time, taxes were also imposed on churches in conquered areas.

Persian army

Since the Persians' power rested on military force, they needed a well-trained and organized army. The Persian army consisted of infantry, cavalry and chariot troops; later it began to include Greek mercenaries. Even under Cyrus, horse regiments were formed, in which light military chariots were replaced by more durable ones, the drawbars and wheels of which were equipped with sickles. The warriors who fought on them were dressed in durable armor. The Persian light cavalry was equipped with canvas shells, scale armor and armed with swords, bows and shields. Heavy horsemen wore armor that covered the entire body of the warrior. In addition to swords, bows and shields, she was armed with long spears. Infantry was also divided into light and heavy. Light infantry were armed with spears, swords, bows and shields and dressed in light armor; heavy infantry used sabers, axes, axes and wore heavy armor. Many Greek historians wrote about the fighting qualities of Persian warriors and the technical equipment of their battles. Thus, the ancient Greek writer and historian Xenophon in his “Greek History” described the battle of the famous Spartan king Agesilaus with the Persian military leader Pharnabazus: “Once, when his warriors (Agesilaus), scattered across the plain, carefree and without any precautions took supplies, since Before this incident they had never been in danger, they suddenly encountered Pharnabazus (a Persian military leader), who had with him about four hundred horsemen and two war chariots armed with sickles. Seeing that the troops of Pharnabazus were rapidly approaching them, the Greeks ran together, numbering about seven hundred. Pharnabazus did not hesitate: putting his chariots forward and positioning himself with his cavalry behind them, he ordered an advance. Following the chariots, which crashed into the Greek troops and upset their ranks, horsemen rushed and killed up to a hundred people on the spot; the rest fled to Agesilaus, who was nearby with heavily armed soldiers.”

The privileged part of the Persian army consisted of the so-called “immortal” troops, formed only from the Medes, Persians and Elamites. They included 2,000 selected horsemen, 2,000 foot spearmen and 10,000 foot soldiers. The king's personal guard, consisting only of representatives of the Persian nobility, numbered a thousand soldiers.

The distinctive signs of the “immortals” were gold and silver balls mounted on the blunt ends of spears. During the march, the troops in front carried a golden image of an eagle - the military sign of the Achaemenids. The training of these warriors began in childhood; they had to be proficient in wielding weapons. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus in “History in Nine Books” (5th century BC) wrote about the education of future warriors: “The valor of the Persians is courage. After military valor, it is considered a great merit to have as many sons as possible. The king sends gifts to the one who has the most sons every year. After all, they attach the main importance to numbers. They teach children from five to twenty years of age only three things: horse riding, archery and truthfulness. Until the age of five, the child is not shown to his father: he is among women. This is done so that in the event of the death of a child in infancy, it does not cause grief to the father.” It is believed that the name “immortals” appeared because the number of warriors in these units was unchanged: if one of them died or was killed, his place was immediately taken by another.

The bulk of the army were Persians, who began to serve at the age of twenty, as well as Medes. Soldiers in service received monthly payment in food and everything necessary. Those who retired received small plots of land and were exempt from paying taxes. In case of war, the king collected a huge militia from the entire state: all the peoples inhabiting the huge Achaemenid empire were obliged to allocate a certain number of warriors for this. The Persian kings stationed military garrisons in the conquered lands; for example, in Egypt there was always an army of 10,000-12,000 people. According to Xenophon (no later than 444 BC - no earlier than 356 BC), the king annually reviewed his army, which was located around the royal residence. In satrapies, reviews were carried out by specially appointed officials. The tsar rewarded the satraps for good maintenance of the troops; for bad maintenance, he removed them from office and severely punished them.

Under Darius, a fleet appeared in Persia and the Persians began to use Phoenician and later Egyptian ships for naval battles.

Images of Achaemenid royal standards are preserved on the wall paintings of the Apadana Palace in Persepolis. During excavations in the capital of the Achaemenids, archaeologists discovered a standard depicting a golden eagle with outstretched wings, holding one golden crown in each paw. The standard was red and had a border of red, white and green triangles around its perimeter. The Achaemenid standard is mentioned by Xenophon in Anabasis (I, X) and Cyropaedia (VII, 1, 4) as “a golden eagle raised on a long spear.”

Good and safe roads were of great importance for the development of trade and economic life of the country. Such roads were built between Persian cities. Regular mail was also organized on them: every 1.5–2 km a rider with a horse stood ready. As soon as he received the package, he rushed at full speed to the next post to deliver the message to its destination. In addition to the post office, hotels were built on the roads every 15–20 km for travelers to rest, and special guard units guarded the roads, making them safe. Those guilty of highway robbery were severely punished. According to Herodotus, people with severed legs and arms could often be seen along the roads - these were robbers robbing travelers.

The high-grade gold coin introduced under Darius became the basis of the monetary system of the Achaemenid state. Its weight was 8.4 g. Only the king had the right to mint gold coins, called “dariks”, satraps had the right to mint silver ones, and copper money could also be minted in cities. In addition, Darius was engaged in extensive construction activities. During his reign, numerous roads, bridges, palaces and temples were built. Darius's most ambitious construction undertaking was the construction of a canal that was supposed to connect the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea. Such a canal had already been dug during the reign of the Egyptian queen Hatshepsut, but it had long since fallen into disrepair. Herodotus reported that the canal, built under Darius and connecting the two seas, had a length of 84 km, was laid east of the Nile, crossed the lake; and it took the ship four days to navigate it. Not far from the canal, by order of Darius, a stele was placed with the inscription: “I am a Persian from Persia... I conquered Egypt... I decided to dig this canal... And the ships went along this canal from Egypt to Persia as was my will.” The power of Darius was distinguished by its despotism. He surrounded himself with unheard-of luxury and even outwardly, in his attire, had to differ from his subjects: wearing purple robes and a crown was the exclusive privilege of the king. At his service were many servants and courtiers, as well as a huge army of officials involved in state affairs. Darius I continued the aggressive policy of Cyrus and Cambyses. In order to strengthen the power of the Persians, he undertook a large campaign against the Saks, and then against the Scythians. The Scythians did not fight the Persians in open battle - they used the “scorched earth” tactic: they destroyed wells and food along the route of the Persian army, and attacked lagging Persian troops. Darius tried to force a decisive battle on the Scythians, but they refused him. When the conquerors went deep into the steppes, the Scythians sent Darius an unusual gift - a bird, a mouse, a frog and five sharp arrows. The Persians wondered for a long time about the meaning of this gift, until Darius’ adviser explained it. It was a kind of ultimatum: “If you Persians do not fly into the sky like birds, or burrow into the ground like mice, or jump into a swamp like frogs, then you will not return back, struck by these arrows.” The Persian forces gradually melted away, the king had to stop this unsuccessful campaign and turn back.

Nevertheless, as a result of the aggressive policy of Darius, the Persians managed to capture the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula, capture the Greek colony of Byzantium and a number of islands. Macedonia also recognized the power of the Persians. Only Athens and Sparta dared to openly oppose the Persian army. In 590 BC. e. The Athenian army inflicted a crushing defeat on the Persians on the Marathon plain. Such unexpected resistance to the aggressive aspirations of the Persian king and defeat did not relieve Drius from the thought of a new campaign against the rebellious Greeks. But it had to be postponed - the uprising that broke out in Egypt against Persian rule prevented it, and Darius, without having time to restore his power in this country, died at the age of 64.

Persian culture

Culturally, the Persians lagged behind many of the peoples they conquered, who had a rich, centuries-old cultural heritage. For this reason, the Persians had to recognize their superiority. The Persians did not even have their own written language: first they borrowed the Assyrian cuneiform script, and then began to use the Aramaic language. The state religion of the Persians was Zoroastrianism, named after the legendary prophet Zarathustra. The sacred book of the Persians was called “Avesta”, and the supreme god was considered the god of light and goodness Ahura Mazda, who was depicted as a winged solar disk and personified every good principle - light, fire, goodness, agriculture and settled cattle breeding. He was opposed by the god of evil and darkness Angra Mainyu (Ahriman), who embodied evil, darkness, darkness and a nomadic way of life. By their actions and thoughts, the Persians were supposed to contribute to the victory of good over evil, light over darkness. It was believed that by doing this they would help the victory of Ahura Mazda over Angra Mainyu. According to the teachings of the Zoroastrian priests, the entire history of the world lasts twelve thousand years. The first three thousand years are the “golden age”. Then Ahura Mazda ruled. At this time there was no cold, no heat, no illness, no death, no old age. There were a lot of livestock on the land. But the "golden age" ended, and AnhraManyu caused famine, disease and death. However, soon a savior will come to the world. He will be from the line of Zoroaster, and then good will triumph over evil. Peace will come on earth in which Ahura Mazda will rule. The sun will shine forever, and evil will disappear forever.

The Persians also revered the ancient pagan gods - the patrons of the earth, sky and water, among whom the sun god Mithra enjoyed the greatest reverence. Subsequently, his cult was associated with a belief in an afterlife, which became widespread.

Since the Persian state was very large, it had several capital cities - Susa, Ecbatana, Babylon and Pasargadae. The kings lived first in one capital, then in another: in the spring Darius, along with his entire court, moved from Susa to cool Ecbatana, and in the winter he preferred to live in Babylon. Custom required that once a year the ruler visit the ancestral city of the Persian kings - Pasargadae. So, Darius decided not far from Pasargadae to build a new luxurious palace in a picturesque valley, which later became a symbol of the power and splendor of the empire. But Darius himself did not have to see the completion of its construction, and the palace was completed by his successors. The palace and other buildings of the city were erected from limestone on a gigantic, almost rectangular stone platform fifteen meters high and covering an area of ​​135,000 m 2. Greek writers spoke with admiration of its splendor, calling it Persepolis, meaning "City of the Persians." The city was protected by a triple fortification system.

Beyond Persepolis, on the slopes of the mountain, archaeologists discovered the tombs of the kings carved into the rock: Artaxerxes II and Artaxerxes III - and the unfinished tomb of Darius III. A few kilometers north, on the opposite bank of the Pulvara River, on a steep cliff are the tombs of Darius I, Xerxes, Artaxerxes I and Darius II. Currently, this place is called Nakshi-Rustem (“Drawings of Rustem”).

The front hall of the royal palace, with an area of ​​3600 m2, was square, and its ceiling rested on 72 twenty-meter stone columns. Next was another grandiose ceremonial room - the “Hall of a Hundred Columns”, which was erected by Darius’ son Xerxes. A wide staircase of two flights and seven meters wide, consisting of 110 steps, led to the high stone terrace on which the palace was built. Opposite the stairs was the main gate, decorated with giant sculptures of winged bulls carved from limestone. On the other side, the gate was guarded by majestic winged bulls with a human head, similar to the Assyrian shedu. An inscription was placed on the gate: “Thus said King Xerxes: by the grace of Agura Mazda I built this gate, called the Universal Gate.” The walls of the palace chambers were decorated with magnificent sculptural reliefs glorifying the king and telling about the luxurious court life. The palace at Persepolis embodied Darius's idea of ​​a unified state. So, on one of the stairs there was a bas-relief carved depicting a procession of representatives of 33 peoples inhabiting the state, who brought all kinds of gifts and taxes to the Persian king. Each nation was depicted in its national clothes, a variety of faces and hairstyles corresponded to their ethnic type: the leaders of the Sakas walked in high pointed hats and with long beards, the inhabitants of Babylon walked in long robes, and here you could see noble Syrian, Indian and Persian nobles, Thracians and Ethiopians. And they all carried expensive gifts: precious robes and gold jewelry, magnificent weapons, led horses, two-humped camels, wild lions and giraffes. The bas-reliefs that decorated the outside of the main staircase depicted the solemn procession of the royal guard.

The palace also housed living quarters and the royal treasury. Darius spared no expense in the construction of his magnificent palace; for its decoration, the necessary materials were delivered from different parts of the empire: precious Lebanese cedar wood, teak and ebony, gems and ivory, gold and silver. In biblical legends you can find a mention of its decoration: “White paper and yellow-colored woolen fabrics, attached with fine linen and purple cords, hung on silver rings and marble pillars... Gold and silver boxes were on a platform covered with green stones and marble and mother-of-pearl , and black stones." (Old Testament. Book of Esther. Chapter 1).

To the right of the apadana, the central large hall, was the residential palace of Darius I. In the palace itself there is an inscription: “I, Darius, the great king, king of kings, king of countries, son of Hystaspes, Achaemenides, built this palace.” The wooden doors were lined with thin bronze sheets and decorated with reliefs made of precious metals. During archaeological excavations, fragments of similar sheets were found. Persian craftsmen achieved amazing skill in metalworking: they created amazing things, amazing with their fine finish and originality of shape. A golden cup in the form of a horn, the lower part of which is made in the form of an animal, has reached our time of amazing beauty.

In addition to city palaces, the king owned country estates with luxurious and landscaped parks, orchards, and grounds for royal hunting. According to legend, the magnificent palace in Persepolis was destroyed and burned by Alexander the Great. As the famous Greek historian Plutarch says, in order to transport all the wealth captured by Alexander in the city, it took 10,000 pairs of mules and 5,000 camels. The death of the sacred city of the Persians - the city where kings were buried and where tribute was delivered from all subject lands - marked the end of the great Achaemenid Empire itself.

Decline of the Empire

Darius's dream of Persian domination over the whole world was also tried to be realized by his successor, his son Xerxes. Herodotus, who once described the Greco-Persian wars in his History, put the following words into the mouth of Xerxes: “If we conquer the Athenians and their neighboring people occupying the lands of the Phrygian Pelops, then we will expand the borders of the Persian land to the ether of Zeus. The sun will not look at any country outside ours: I will go through all of Europe with you and turn all the lands into one. If we conquer the peoples named here, then, as they say, there will no longer be a single city, not a single people left that would dare to fight with us. So we will impose the yoke of slavery both on those who are guilty before us and on the innocent.” Xerxes begins to energetically prepare for a new campaign against Greece. He enlisted the support of Carthage and decided to attack the Greeks from the sea. Xerxes used all the engineering experience accumulated before. By his order, a canal was built across the isthmus in Chalkidiki. Many workers from Asia and the adjacent coast were brought in for construction. Food warehouses were created along the coast of Thrace, and two pontoon bridges, 7 stadia long (about 1360 m) each, were thrown across the Hellespont. The reliability of the bridges allowed Xerxes to move troops back and forth as needed. And in the summer of 480 BC. e. a huge Persian army, numbering about 75,000 people according to the research of modern historians, began to cross the Hellespont. The many years of Greco-Persian wars (500–449 BC) ended in victory for the Greeks, who, united, managed to defend the freedom and independence of their homeland. History includes the battles of Marathon, Plataea and Salamis, the feat of three hundred Spartans led by King Leonidas. The Persian soldiers participating in the new battle were able to hold off superior enemy forces for two days, but all died in this unequal battle. On their mass grave was carved the inscription “Wanderer! Take the news to all the citizens of Lacedaemon. Having honestly fulfilled our duty, here we lie in our graves.” The defeat in this war showed the fragility of the Persian empire, whose power began to melt literally before our eyes.

According to the teachings of the Zoroastrian priests, the entire world history lasted 12,000 years. The first 3000 years are the “golden age”. Then Ahura Mazda ruled. At this time there was no cold, no heat, no illness, no death, no old age. But the "golden age" ended, and Angra Mainyu caused famine, disease and death. However, soon a savior will come to the world. He will be from the line of Zoroaster, and then good will triumph over evil.

Sensing the weakness of Persia, the former Persian provinces began to rebel and gradually secede: Babylonia, Egypt, Media, Asia Minor, Syria, etc. In 336, Darius III came to power; he would later be called the king who lost his empire. In the spring of 334 BC. e. Alexander the Great set out on a campaign against the Persians at the head of the united Macedonian Greek army (Fig. 5).

Rice. 5. Alexander the Great

His army consisted of 30,000 infantry: heavily armed and lightly armed warriors, as well as five thousand cavalry. The Persian army was several times larger than Alexander's army, but most of it was made up of soldiers recruited from conquered countries. The first major battle between the Macedonians and Persians took place on the banks of the Granik River. Macedonian troops led by Alexander defeated the Persians, and then captured Greek cities in Asia Minor and went inland. They captured the cities of Palestine and Phenicia, Egypt, and crossed the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. A decisive battle took place near the city of Gaugamela, from which the Macedonians again emerged victorious. Darius III (about 38–30 BC), who lost his composure, without even waiting for the outcome of the battle, fled with the pitiful remnants of his army to Ecbatana, where he was killed on the orders of the satrap Bessus, who hoped that this would slow down the advance of the troops Alexandra. Alexander ordered the murderers of Darius to be found and executed, then giving the Persian king a magnificent funeral. Darius III became the last king of the Achaemenid dynasty. Thus, the great Persian Achaemenid Empire completed its historical path, and all its possessions became part of the empire of Alexander the Great. After the death of Alexander the Great, the Iranian plateau became part of the Seleucid state, which received its name after one of its commanders, and then became part of the Parthian state.

Where is Persia

In the middle of the 6th century BC. That is, a hitherto little-known tribe entered the historical arena - the Persians, who, by the will of fate, soon managed to create the greatest empire of that time, a powerful state stretching from Egypt and Libya to the borders. The Persians were active and insatiable in their conquests, and only courage and bravery during the Greco-Persian Wars managed to stop their further expansion into Europe. But who were the ancient Persians, what was their history and culture? Read about all this further in our article.

Where is Persia

But first, let’s answer the question of where ancient Persia is located, or rather, where it was. The territory of Persia at the time of its greatest prosperity extended from the borders of India in the East to modern Libya in North Africa and part of mainland Greece in the West (those lands that the Persians managed to conquer from the Greeks for a short time).

This is what ancient Persia looks like on the map.

History of Persia

The origin of the Persians is associated with the warlike nomadic tribes of the Aryans, some of whom settled on the territory of the modern state of Iran (the word “Iran” itself comes from the ancient name “Ariana,” which means “country of the Aryans”). Finding themselves on the fertile lands of the Iranian highlands, they switched from a nomadic lifestyle to a sedentary one, nevertheless, preserving both their military traditions of nomads and the simplicity of morals characteristic of many nomadic tribes.

The history of ancient Persia as a great power of the past begins in the middle of the 6th century BC. that is, when, under the leadership of the talented leader (later the Persian king) Cyrus II, the Persians first completely conquered Media, one of the large states of the then East. And then they began to threaten itself, which at that time was the greatest power of antiquity.

And already in 539, near the city of Opis, on the Tiber River, a decisive battle took place between the armies of the Persians and Babylonians, which ended in a brilliant victory for the Persians, the Babylonians were completely defeated, and Babylon itself, the greatest city of antiquity for many centuries, became part of the newly formed Persian Empire . In just a dozen years, the Persians from a seedy tribe truly turned into the rulers of the East.

According to the Greek historian Herodotus, such a crushing success of the Persians was facilitated, first of all, by the simplicity and modesty of the latter. And of course there is iron military discipline in their troops. Even after gaining enormous wealth and power over many other tribes and peoples, the Persians continued to honor these virtues, simplicity and modesty, most of all. It is interesting that during the coronation of the Persian kings, the future king had to put on the clothes of a common man and eat a handful of dried figs and drink a glass of sour milk - the food of the common people, which symbolized his connection with the people.

But back to the history of the Persian Empire, the successors of Cyrus II, the Persian kings Cambyses and Darius, continued their active policy of conquest. So, under Cambyses, the Persians invaded ancient Egypt, which by that time was experiencing a political crisis. Having defeated the Egyptians, the Persians turned this cradle of ancient civilization, Egypt, into one of their satrapies (provinces).

King Darius actively strengthened the borders of the Persian state, both in the East and in the West; under his rule, ancient Persia reached the pinnacle of its power, and almost the entire civilized world of that time was under its rule. With the exception of ancient Greece in the West, which gave no rest to the warlike Persian kings, and soon the Persians, under the reign of King Xerxes, the heir of Darius, tried to conquer these wayward and freedom-loving Greeks, but it was not to be.

Despite their numerical superiority, military luck betrayed the Persians for the first time. In a number of battles they suffered a number of crushing defeats from the Greeks, however, at some stage they managed to conquer a number of Greek territories and even plunder Athens, but still the Greco-Persian wars ended in a crushing defeat for the Persian Empire.

From that moment on, the once great country entered a period of decline; the Persian kings, who had grown up in luxury, increasingly forgot the former virtues of modesty and simplicity, which were so valued by their ancestors. Many conquered countries and peoples were just waiting for the moment to rebel against the hated Persians, their enslavers and conquerors. And such a moment has come - Alexander the Great, at the head of a united Greek army, himself attacked Persia.

It seemed that the Persian troops would crush this arrogant Greek (or rather, not even a completely Greek - a Macedonian) into powder, but everything turned out to be completely different, the Persians again suffered crushing defeats, one after another, the united Greek phalanx, this tank of antiquity, crushes superior forces over and over again. Persian forces. The peoples once conquered by the Persians, seeing what was happening, also rebelled against their rulers; the Egyptians even met Alexander’s army as liberators from the hated Persians. Persia turned out to be a true ear of clay with feet of clay, formidable in appearance, it was crushed thanks to the military and political genius of one Macedonian.

Sasanian state and Sasanian revival

The conquests of Alexander the Great turned out to be a disaster for the Persians, who, instead of arrogant power over other peoples, had to humbly submit to their long-time enemies - the Greeks. Only in the 2nd century BC. That is, the Parthian tribes managed to expel the Greeks from Asia Minor, although the Parthians themselves adopted a lot from the Greeks. And so in 226 AD, a certain ruler of Pars with the ancient Persian name Ardashir (Artaxerxes) rebelled against the ruling Parthian dynasty. The uprising was successful and ended with the restoration of the Persian state, the Sassanid state, which historians call the “second Persian empire” or the “Sassanid revival”.

The Sasanian rulers sought to revive the former greatness of ancient Persia, which at that time had already become a semi-legendary power. And it was under them that a new flowering of Iranian and Persian culture began, which everywhere supplants Greek culture. Temples and new palaces in the Persian style are being actively built, wars are being waged with neighbors, but not as successfully as in the old days. The territory of the new Sasanian state is several times smaller than the size of the former Persia; it is located only on the site of modern Iran, the actual ancestral home of the Persians, and also covers part of the territory of modern Iraq, Azerbaijan and Armenia. The Sasanian state existed for more than four centuries, until, exhausted by continuous wars, it was finally conquered by the Arabs, who carried the banner of a new religion - Islam.

Persian culture

The culture of ancient Persia is most notable for their system of government, which even the ancient Greeks admired. In their opinion, this form of government was the pinnacle of monarchical rule. The Persian state was divided into so-called satrapies, headed by the satrap himself, which means “guardian of order.” In fact, the satrap was a local governor-general, whose broad responsibilities included maintaining order in the territories entrusted to him, collecting taxes, administering justice, and commanding local military garrisons.

Another important achievement of Persian civilization was the beautiful roads described by Herodotus and Xenophon. The most famous was the royal road, running from Ephesus in Asia Minor to the city of Susa in the East.

The post office functioned well in ancient Persia, which was also greatly facilitated by good roads. Also in ancient Persia, trade was very developed; a well-thought-out tax system, similar to the modern one, functioned throughout the state, in which part of the taxes and taxes went to conditional local budgets, while part was sent to the central government. The Persian kings had a monopoly on the minting of gold coins, while their satraps could also mint their own coins, but only in silver or copper. The "local money" of the satraps circulated only in a certain territory, while the gold coins of the Persian kings were a universal means of payment throughout the Persian empire and even beyond its borders.

Coins of Persia.

Writing in ancient Persia had an active development; there were several types of it: from pictograms to the alphabet invented in its time. The official language of the Persian kingdom was Aramaic, coming from the ancient Assyrians.

The art of ancient Persia is represented by the sculpture and architecture there. For example, skillfully carved stone bas-reliefs of Persian kings have survived to this day.

Persian palaces and temples were famous for their luxurious decoration.

Here is an image of a Persian master.

Unfortunately, other forms of ancient Persian art have not reached us.

Religion of Persia

The religion of ancient Persia is represented by a very interesting religious doctrine - Zoroastrianism, so named after the founder of this religion, the sage, prophet (and possibly magician) Zoroaster (aka Zoroaster). The teachings of Zoroastrianism are based on the eternal confrontation between good and evil, where the good principle is represented by the god Ahura Mazda. The wisdom and revelation of Zarathushtra are presented in the sacred book of Zoroastrianism - the Zend Avesta. In fact, this religion of the ancient Persians has a lot in common with other monotheistic later religions, such as Christianity and Islam:

• Belief in one God, which among the Persians was represented by Ahura-Mazda himself. The antipode of God, the Devil, Satan in the Christian tradition in Zoroastrianism is represented by the demon Druj, personifying evil, lies, and destruction.
• The presence of sacred scripture, the Zend-Avesta among the Zoroastrian Persians, like the Koran among Muslims and the Bible among Christians.
• The presence of a prophet, Zoroastrian-Zaratushtra, through whom divine wisdom is transmitted.
• The moral and ethical component of the teaching is that Zoroastrianism preaches (as well as other religions) renunciation of violence, theft, and murder. For an unrighteous and sinful path in the future, according to Zarathustra, a person after death will end up in hell, while a person who commits good deeds after death will remain in heaven.

In a word, as we see, the ancient Persian religion of Zoroastrianism is strikingly different from the pagan religions of many other peoples, and in its nature is very similar to the later world religions of Christianity and Islam, and by the way, it still exists today. After the fall of the Sasanian state, the final collapse of Persian culture and especially religion came, since the Arab conquerors carried with them the banner of Islam. Many Persians also converted to Islam at this time and assimilated with the Arabs. But there was a part of the Persians who wanted to remain faithful to their ancient religion of Zoroastrianism, fleeing the religious persecution of Muslims, they fled to India, where they preserved their religion and culture to this day. Now they are known under the name Parsis; on the territory of modern India, even today there are many Zoroastrian temples, as well as adherents of this religion, real descendants of the ancient Persians.

Ancient Persia, video

And in conclusion, an interesting documentary about ancient Persia - “The Persian Empire - an empire of greatness and wealth.”

(Achaemenid power) - an ancient state that existed in the VI-IV centuries BC. e. on the territory of Western Asia and northeast Africa, created by the Persian Achaemenid dynasty. By the end of the 6th century BC, the borders of the Achaemenid state extended from the Indus River in the east to the Aegean Sea in the west, from the first cataract of the Nile in the south to Transcaucasia in the north. The population of the empire ranged from 25 to 50 million people, which corresponded to half the world's population in the 5th-4th centuries. BC.

Persians- one of the Iranian-speaking tribes that came to Iran through the Caucasus or Central Asia around the 15th century BC. e.. At the end of the 9th century BC. e. a group of Persian tribes was located near the borders of Elam, then widely settling in Kerman and Fars.

The founder of the Persian Achaemenid dynasty is Cyrus II the Great(559-529 BC). He defeated his grandfather Astyages, ruler of Media, and united the two kingdoms (550 BC). He also captured the Lydian kingdom and Babylon. His son Cambyses II conquered Egypt and took the title "king of Egypt."

The most powerful king Darius I(522-485 BC) established a fair set of laws, divided the kingdom into regions (satrapies) led by satrap; and also streamlined the collection of taxes. Under him, a network of roads was built connecting all regions of Persia, including the famous Tsar's road .

Darius III could not defend the independence of Persia. Alexander the Great conquers the Persians and creates his own empire on their territory.

The state religion of the Persians was, formed on the basis of the revelation of the prophet Spitama Zarathushtra (Greek form of the name - Zoroaster), received by him from the god Ahura Mazda. Above all, Zoroastrianism places importance on rituals and ceremonies. The main goal of the rituals is the fight against all impurity, material and spiritual. Dogs and birds may participate in some cleansing rituals. It is believed that these animals have the ability to drive away evil spirits with their presence and gaze. Sacred fire plays an extremely important role in Zoroastrianism, since fire is the image of God on earth.

Chronology of events of the empire

• 550 BC e. - capture of Media.
• 549 - 548 BC e. - Parthia, Hyrcania, and, probably, Armenia submitted to the Persians.
• 547 BC e. - Cyrus II defeated the Lydian troops led by Croesus. As a result, Lydia, Lycia and Ionia become provinces of the empire.
• 539 BC e. - Babylonian troops were defeated by the Persians. Babylon became one of the residences of the Persian king. Cyrus II takes the title "King of Babylon, King of Countries." His son Cambyses II becomes the first Persian governor of Babylon.
• 525 BC e. - near the Egyptian city of Pelusium a major battle took place between Persian and Egyptian troops. As a result of this battle, the Egyptians were defeated. Cambyses II was officially recognized as the king of Egypt and took the title "king of Egypt, king of countries."
• 482 BC e. - in Babylon the uprising was suppressed by the Persian army. The statue of the idol of Bel-Marduk, cast from 12 talents of pure gold, is taken by the Persians from Babylon and melted down. Eliminate the autonomy of Babylonia.
• 480 BC e. - invasion of Greece by armies Xerxes. This campaign is known primarily for the battles of Thermopylae, Salamis and Plataea, which showed the superiority of Greek military art and the heroism of the warriors of Hellas. For example, these events formed the basis of the movie “300 Spartans.”
• 404 BC e. - separation of Egypt from the Persian Empire and restoration of independence with the indigenous pharaohs of the XXIX dynasty (404-343 BC).
• 401-400 BC e. - dynastic struggle in the Persian Empire.
• 334 BC e. - Macedonian king Alexander the Great invaded the Achaemenid state. As a result, King Darius III began to suffer defeats.
• 331 BC - the decisive battle of Gaugamela, after which the Persian state ceased to exist. As a result, the countries and peoples of the former empire submitted to Alexander the Great.

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