The Persian EmpireThe Conquerors of Everyone

Start of the Persian Empire• Starts with Indo-European

migrations– Came to Persia around 1000 BCE– Known as modern day Iran

• Land was farmable and had precious minerals for trading– Made empire rich with traded

products

Leaders of the Persian Empire• 3 major leaders to the Persian

Empire– Cyrus the Great– Cambyses– Darius I

• Other famous Persian Leaders– Xerxes- famous from ‘300’ movie

• Fights against Greeks in Persian Wars

Persia Under Cyrus & Cambyses• Rules from 550-530 BCE

– Expanded empire from Anatolia to Indus river in only 12 years

• Considered a military & political genius– Practiced religious tolerance

• Prayed at the statues of a city’s gods• Allowed Jews to return to their homeland

– Kept tight rules over his soldiers• Did not allow looting or burning; shows respect

• Cambyses takes over when father dies– Conquers Egypt– Does not practice religious tolerance

Persia Under King Darius• Comes to power after Cambyses

death– Not related to the previous leaders– Used the Ten Thousand Immortals to help

• The king’s bodyguards (Darius was one)

• Created an efficient government– Split empire in 20 sections; used satraps

• Satraps- governors of a province

• Expanded empire further– Could not defeat the Greeks

• Built the Royal Road – Used to unite Persia for trade and travel– Also used metal coins like in Asia

ROYAL ROAD

Persian Religion-Zoroastrianism• Zoroaster- Persian prophet

– Taught that 2 armies were fighting for a person’s soul

• Army of good and light• Army of darkness and evil

– Believed that people’s decisions determined their fate in the afterlife

• Developed the ideas of heaven, hell and a final judgment day– Similar to the ideas of Christianity,

Islam and Judaism

• Religion named- Zoroastrianism

Persian Story Assignment• You will write a childrens story • Your story must have the following

info– Must include all 4 leaders and what they

are famous for– Must have at least 3 hand drawn pictures– Must tell where the empire was located– Must discuss Zoroastrianism and its

beliefs– Must have the Royal Road

• It should start once upon • It needs to be able to be read by

children