Assyrians: A Short-Lived Empire
• Military conquests made possible by their
use of iron weapons
• Established a large empire by 700 B.C.
• It included Mesopotamia, parts of the
Plateau of Iran and Asia Minor, Syria,
Israel, and Egypt as far south as Thebes.
• Lasted less than 100 years
• Weakened by internal strife and subjects'
resentment, it fell to a coalition of
Chaldeans and Medes in 612 B.C.
Strong Rulers
• Ruled by kings whose powers were
considered absolute
• Became well organized
• Local officials in provinces of the empire
were directly responsible to the king.
Effective Communication Systems
• A network of staging posts was established
throughout the empire
• Relays of horses, mules, and donkeys were
used to carry messages.
Overwhelming Military Force
• Assyrian army was an organized and disciplined
force of infantry
• Supported by auxiliary forces of cavalry and
horse-drawn war chariots
• Had the first large field armies equipped with iron
weapons and were skilled in a variety of military
tactics—especially siege warfare.
• Also used terror as an instrument of war to
overcome their enemies.
Guardians of Culture
• Viewed themselves as guardians of
Sumerian and Babylonian culture
• Established one of the world's first libraries
at Nineveh
The Rise of Persia
• Persians based their empire on tolerance
and diplomacy
• Relied on a strong military to back up their
policies
• Ancient Persia is where Iran is today.
Nebuchadnezzar II
• After the collapse of the Assyrian Empire,
he made Babylonia the leading state in
western Asia.
Babylon
• Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt the city of Babylon
as the center of the empire
• It became known as one of the great cities
of the ancient world
• The city was most famous for its Hanging
Gardens.
Short-Lived Splendor
• Despite its magnificence, the Chaldean
Empire was short-lived
• City of Babylon fell to Persian invaders in
539 B.C., and the empire ended.
Cyrus’s Empire
• 550 BC – Conquered several neighboring kingdoms
• Military genius
• Controlled an empire spanning 2000 miles
• Kindness toward conquered people
• Honored local customs and religions
• 538 BC - Allowed the Jews to return to their homeland, Jerusalem
• Considered by the Jews to be one of God’s anointed ones
Darius the Great
• Member of the king’s body guard
• Overthrew the king in 522 BC
• Took power and created a well-organized
efficient government
• Brought peace and stability
• Expanded the empire by 500 miles
• But could not conquer Greece
Transportation and Communication
• A system of well-maintained roads allowed
Persian officials to travel throughout the
empire
• The Royal Road led from Lydia in Asia
Minor to the capital of Susa
• Way stations along the road provided food,
shelter, and fresh horses for the king's
messengers.
The Royal Road
• 1,677 miles long with 111 relay stations
• Other smaller roads branched off the royal road
• Relay stations had rest areas and fresh horses.
• The entire royal road could be traveled in a week by a horsemen
• Caravans took about a month
Strong Army
• Much of the empire's power depended on
the military—a standing army of
professional soldiers from all over the
empire
• It included a cavalry force (men on horses)
of ten thousand and an elite force of ten
thousand
• Known as the Immortals because
whenever a member was killed, he was
immediately replaced
Fall of the Empire
• Emperors' luxurious lifestyles, a waning of
subjects' loyalty, and struggles for the
throne among the many children of the
emperors weakened the Persian Empire
• Alexander the Great conquered the empire
in the 330s B.C.
Alexander the Great
• Macedonian (Greek) King that laid the final
death blow to the Persian Empire and
conquered it.
Zoroastrianism
• According to tradition, Zoroaster, revered
as a prophet
• He was born in 660 B.C.
• His teachings were recorded in the Zend
Avesta, the sacred book of Zoroastrianism.
Monotheistic Religion
• Zoroaster believed that a supreme god,
called Ahuramazda, created all things but
that he is opposed by an evil spirit
Good Versus Evil
• Zoroaster taught that Ahuramazda gave
humans freedom to choose between right
and wrong
• At the end of the world, good triumphs
over evil
• If a person performed good deeds, he or
she will achieve paradise
• If a person performed evil deeds, the soul
will be thrown into an abyss to experience
torment and misery.
(Zoroaster taught that Ahuramazda
gave all humans the freedom to
choose between right and wrong. The
good person chooses the right way of
Ahuramazda.)
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