Hey, welcome back historians! I was just looking at this money. You ever take a close look at a
dollar bill? Think about what it can tell you? Like this bill, it has an image of our first
president, George Washington. You can also see where it was printed, when it was made,
the official seal of the treasury, even the bill's individual serial number, which makes it unique.
And that's just the front side. The back is filled with a lot of info,
too. But where did the concept of money come from? Which civilization was the first to create it?
What did it look like? Let's find out.
First, let's check our objectives. We will describe the geography of the Persian Empire,
describe their government and economic structures, explain religion in the Persian Empire,
and describe the influence of the empire on other civilizations. Are you ready, historians?
Now imagine if you woke up one day and you were ruling the biggest empire the world had ever seen.
That's what it was like to be a king in the Persian Empire. This mega empire was smack
in the middle of the Levant, but it stretched out so far, it touched three continents. Yep,
you heard it right. Asia, Africa, and Europe were all part of this giant kingdom. Just like a huge
jigsaw puzzle, it also included pieces of many of the other civilizations we studied. And how
would you like to live in a kingdom with beaches on three sides? The Caspian Sea to the north, the
Persian Gulf to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Now, these weren't just great
for summer vacations - they were the super highways of their time, helping the Persians
trade all kinds of cool stuff. But it wasn't all beaches. The Persian Empire was like a crazy quilt
of different landscapes. It had mountains taller than skyscrapers, just like the Zagros mountains,
acting like giant walls between the sea and the farmland. Deserts with shifting sands were home
to wandering tribes. And lush valleys were filled with fruits and vegetables, thanks
to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. So, what does an empire this size mean? More people, more food,
and more power. The Persian Empire became a giant supermarket, making and trading everything you
can imagine - which helped them become one of the most powerful civilizations ever. Isn't that cool?
Now, let's set the clock back over 2,000 years. Despite the Persian Empire only sticking around
for a bit of over 200 years, it achieved a lot - especially in politics and economics.
Just like an epic movie, the big boss in the Persian Empire was the king of kings,
or Shahanshah. As the name implies, he made all of the big decisions .He also had a team
of advisors and officials to help him manage things. The empire was divided into chunks,
called satrapies - like pieces of a giant cake. Each piece was run by a satrap, or governor,
who was hand-picked by the king himself. These satraps were like mini kings - collecting taxes,
keeping the peace, and sending soldiers for the Persian army.
Now what's the key to running a mega empire like a well-oiled machine? A super efficient
system with bureaucrats - ancient helpers who kept records, wrote letters, and managed the empire.
And how did they feed such a massive empire? Well, Persian farmers grew stuff like wheat,
grapes, and olives, which helped create a bustling trade economy. And the location of the empire was
like a crossroads, making trade super easy. But the real game changer for trade was the daric,
a shiny gold coin introduced by King Darius I. This was like inventing credit cards.
It made buying and selling stuff much simpler. These coins were not just money, they were a
show of power and influence - a sweet system of currency that everyone wanted. So what can
you tell about Persian culture based on this coin? Tell you what, we'll look at it closer in the PDF.
Next, let's dive into the captivating world of ancient Persian religion, called Zoroastrianism.
As we look at their beliefs, think about which civilization's religion was most like
Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrianism focused on one all-powerful deity, who was like a superhero
of the universe, who Persians believed created everything. You can tell a bit from this symbol
that he was all about goodness and light, and people showed their respect through prayer
and doing good things for others. Now, just like the best superheroes, Zoroastrianism also taught
people about the power of choice. You could be the hero and choose good, or turn to the dark
side and choose evil. People's actions in life were believed to shape their journey after life.
Now in this superhero universe, Persian kings played the role of guardian angels,
protecting and promoting the Zoroastrian faith, even building temples in its honor.
Now the impact of this religion spread wide and deep, influencing artists, poets, and writers
to weave its themes into their masterpieces. And guess what? Even after Alexander the Great
overthrew the Persian Empire in 330 B.C.E., and other religions started to spread, Zoroastrianism
continued to be a vital force in the region. Just like a classic superhero tale, it never really
ended. So what do you think about Zoroastrianism? Does it sound similar to something else?
Yep, with its one God and moral code, it has a lot in common with Judaism. And since it's
actually centuries older, many historians believe it had an influence on Judaism.
Now, let's check out how the mighty Persian Empire changed history forever. Remember when they
allowed the Jews to return to Judah? That decision set off a ripple effect, like a massive domino
chain that's been tipping over for centuries - and continues to influence events, even today.
Now, picture the Persian Empire as the ultimate melting pot. Its perfect position at the
crossroads of three continents made it like a giant cultural handshake between the east and
west. A lot of that happened on the Royal Road, a 1,500 mile mega highway built by King Darius.
It was like the first interstate, making trade and communication faster and easier across the empire.
A real ancient world super highway! And remember the Persian coins we talked about? They were
such a big hit that other cultures, like Rome, started copying them. Now, that's trend-setting!
Last but certainly not least, Zoroastrianism has possibly influenced some of the most
popular religions practiced around the world all these centuries later.
The Persian Empire included a vast territory that spread across three continents. But a cool
currency and trendy trade routes like the Royal Road truly made the empire special. Zoroastrianism
played a humongous role in shaping Persian culture - encouraging ethical behavior, along with the
worship of one God. Now when the Persian Empire collapsed, other civilizations in the region
later rose to all-star status. This isn't the last you've heard of the Persians. Next time, we travel
east to check out an ancient civilization that was sometimes cut off from the others.
That isolation led to a unique and fascinating culture that we get to investigate. Until then,
historians, keep uncovering the past and looking to the future. And remember to always be clever!