Unit 4: Classical Greece
The Persian Empire
Location of Persia
● Persia was an empire based in what is today the country of Iran
★ Also known as the Achaemenid Empire
● Located to the east of Mesopotamia
● The Persian Empire was one of the richest and most powerful empires of the B.C.E era
as it began to spread
● Their palace was in Persepolis
Benefits of the Persian Empire
● Persia, unlike many other early empires, was unique because it treated conquered
people fairly, and allowed them to keep their customs and religions
★ Unlike other empires at the time, the Persian Empire never forcefully converted
their citizens to their religion
● They also welcomed conquered people into the empire as equals
● Persia offered its citizens good government, money, and a road system for all
● They were fairly peaceful when conquering and never enslaved or displaced the people
of the lands they conquered
★ This is why it was called the Empire of Tolerance
● This all started with Cyrus the Great, the Persian king who defeated Babylon and freed
the Jews who were held there
➢ (Babylonian Captivity)
Cyrus the Great
● Ancient Persian Empire founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 B.C.E
★ Ruled until his death in 530 B.C.E
● Cyrus the Great was different because he was tolerant and respected the territories and
cultures he conquered
● Kept his army from looting and destroying the cities he took over
● Allowed people to keep their own local governments and religions
★ Led to peace instead of revolt
● His goal was to make life better for his citizens
,Darius I
● The predecessor of Darius, Cambyses II ruled briefly from 530-522 B.C.E
★ (He literally doesn’t matter at all)
● The third king of the Persian Empire was Darius I, who ruled from 522-486 B.C.E
● Darius expanded the empire, going as far east as India and as far west as Europe
● Darius also set up common weights and measurements to help trade
★ Similar to Shi Huangdi in China
● He encouraged the use of money (gold coins) in trade rather than using the bartering
system
★ Currency was named the deric, (after him)
Expansion of Persia under Darius I
Imperial Bureaucracy
● While the Persian Empire was rich, powerful, and welcoming, it was also very difficult for
one man to govern because of its size
● Darius divided Persia into provinces (similar to states) ruled by governors known as
Satraps
★ The provinces were called atarpies
★ Each satrap controlled his territory and collected taxes for the Persian emperor
,Royal Road
● Another innovation under Darius was the Royal Road
● The royal Road was an extensive network of roads, exactly 1677 miles in length
● There were 111 post or relay stations spaced about 15 miles apart along the road
● Other roads branched off the main road to distant parts of the empire
★ Relay stations were equipped with fresh horses for the king’s messengers. Royal
messengers could cover the length of the Royal Road in seven days. Normal
travel time along the road was longer, making the road an incredible invention
● It connected major cities, including
● The Royal road allowed messages to travel quickly over the empire, with healthy horses
at every station along the way
Zoroastrianism
● Monotheistic religion started by a Pesrian prophet named Zoroaster, who lived
1200-1000 B.C.E (estimate)
● By circa 600 B.C.E, it was the main religion of the Persian Empire
Beliefs:
★ Single universal, all-powerful God: Ahuramazda (monotheistic)
★ Doing battle against a prince of lies and evils
★ People pick a side in the battle of good vs evil
★ Final judgement of people given by God
➢ Go to paradise (good) or hell (bad)
★ People have free will
Pre-Greek civilizations
The Minoans
● Location: Island of Crete
● Height of Civilization: 2000-1200 B.C.E
Major Points:
● Trade Empire in the Aegean Sea
● Pre-Greek Empire
● Mycenaeans took over the island of Crete and adopted much of their culture, art, etc.
around 1500 B.C.E
● Unclear what happened to them, it’s theorized that it could be natural disasters or
infighting
● Civilization collapsed in 1200 B.C.E
● No real recorded history until about 950 B.C.E
, Minoans in Myth
● Atlantis: A mythic underwater city that was struck down by the gods as punishment for
their greed
● Hercules: A demi-god (half god half man) that was supernaturally strong. After killing his
wife while hypnotized, he had to complete 12 labors to earn the god’s forgiveness
● The Minotaur: Aphrodite, (the goddess of love) cursed the wife of King Minos to fall in
love with a bull. After giving birth to her hideous half-bull son, King Minos instructed
Daedelus to construct a labyrinth to trap the Minotaur. Then offered human sacrifices for
mercy.
Myceaneans
● Mycenaean is the term applied to the art and culture of Greece from c. 1600 to 1200
B.C.E
● The name derives from the site of Mycenae in the Peloponnesus peninsula, where once
stood a great Mycenaean fortified palace
● Mycenae is noted by Homer as the seat of King Agamemnon, who led the Greeks in the
Trojan War
● Started to decline in about 1200 B.C.E
● They may have been conquered by the Dorians, another group that influenced future
Classical Greek culture, but we are ont sure because there are no written records
The Phoenicians
● Mediterranean Sea
● Height of Civilization: 3200-539 B.C.E
Major points:
● Major Trade Empire in the Mediterranean Sea
● Many major technological accomplishments
Greek Mythology
● The Greeks, like nearly all of the civilizations before them, developed a polytheistic
religion
● Much like the Sumerians, their gods were used to explain the unexplainable:
★ Natural phenomena: thunder, lightning, rain, floods, earthquakes
★ Human qualities: intense strength, endurance
★ Life events: birth, death, marriage
● Greek gods and goddesses had very human qualities
★ Emotions like love, hate, and jealousy
● The gods would often interact, influence, and sometimes meddle with the lives of mortals
(Especially Aphrodite and Zeus)
The Persian Empire
Location of Persia
● Persia was an empire based in what is today the country of Iran
★ Also known as the Achaemenid Empire
● Located to the east of Mesopotamia
● The Persian Empire was one of the richest and most powerful empires of the B.C.E era
as it began to spread
● Their palace was in Persepolis
Benefits of the Persian Empire
● Persia, unlike many other early empires, was unique because it treated conquered
people fairly, and allowed them to keep their customs and religions
★ Unlike other empires at the time, the Persian Empire never forcefully converted
their citizens to their religion
● They also welcomed conquered people into the empire as equals
● Persia offered its citizens good government, money, and a road system for all
● They were fairly peaceful when conquering and never enslaved or displaced the people
of the lands they conquered
★ This is why it was called the Empire of Tolerance
● This all started with Cyrus the Great, the Persian king who defeated Babylon and freed
the Jews who were held there
➢ (Babylonian Captivity)
Cyrus the Great
● Ancient Persian Empire founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 B.C.E
★ Ruled until his death in 530 B.C.E
● Cyrus the Great was different because he was tolerant and respected the territories and
cultures he conquered
● Kept his army from looting and destroying the cities he took over
● Allowed people to keep their own local governments and religions
★ Led to peace instead of revolt
● His goal was to make life better for his citizens
,Darius I
● The predecessor of Darius, Cambyses II ruled briefly from 530-522 B.C.E
★ (He literally doesn’t matter at all)
● The third king of the Persian Empire was Darius I, who ruled from 522-486 B.C.E
● Darius expanded the empire, going as far east as India and as far west as Europe
● Darius also set up common weights and measurements to help trade
★ Similar to Shi Huangdi in China
● He encouraged the use of money (gold coins) in trade rather than using the bartering
system
★ Currency was named the deric, (after him)
Expansion of Persia under Darius I
Imperial Bureaucracy
● While the Persian Empire was rich, powerful, and welcoming, it was also very difficult for
one man to govern because of its size
● Darius divided Persia into provinces (similar to states) ruled by governors known as
Satraps
★ The provinces were called atarpies
★ Each satrap controlled his territory and collected taxes for the Persian emperor
,Royal Road
● Another innovation under Darius was the Royal Road
● The royal Road was an extensive network of roads, exactly 1677 miles in length
● There were 111 post or relay stations spaced about 15 miles apart along the road
● Other roads branched off the main road to distant parts of the empire
★ Relay stations were equipped with fresh horses for the king’s messengers. Royal
messengers could cover the length of the Royal Road in seven days. Normal
travel time along the road was longer, making the road an incredible invention
● It connected major cities, including
● The Royal road allowed messages to travel quickly over the empire, with healthy horses
at every station along the way
Zoroastrianism
● Monotheistic religion started by a Pesrian prophet named Zoroaster, who lived
1200-1000 B.C.E (estimate)
● By circa 600 B.C.E, it was the main religion of the Persian Empire
Beliefs:
★ Single universal, all-powerful God: Ahuramazda (monotheistic)
★ Doing battle against a prince of lies and evils
★ People pick a side in the battle of good vs evil
★ Final judgement of people given by God
➢ Go to paradise (good) or hell (bad)
★ People have free will
Pre-Greek civilizations
The Minoans
● Location: Island of Crete
● Height of Civilization: 2000-1200 B.C.E
Major Points:
● Trade Empire in the Aegean Sea
● Pre-Greek Empire
● Mycenaeans took over the island of Crete and adopted much of their culture, art, etc.
around 1500 B.C.E
● Unclear what happened to them, it’s theorized that it could be natural disasters or
infighting
● Civilization collapsed in 1200 B.C.E
● No real recorded history until about 950 B.C.E
, Minoans in Myth
● Atlantis: A mythic underwater city that was struck down by the gods as punishment for
their greed
● Hercules: A demi-god (half god half man) that was supernaturally strong. After killing his
wife while hypnotized, he had to complete 12 labors to earn the god’s forgiveness
● The Minotaur: Aphrodite, (the goddess of love) cursed the wife of King Minos to fall in
love with a bull. After giving birth to her hideous half-bull son, King Minos instructed
Daedelus to construct a labyrinth to trap the Minotaur. Then offered human sacrifices for
mercy.
Myceaneans
● Mycenaean is the term applied to the art and culture of Greece from c. 1600 to 1200
B.C.E
● The name derives from the site of Mycenae in the Peloponnesus peninsula, where once
stood a great Mycenaean fortified palace
● Mycenae is noted by Homer as the seat of King Agamemnon, who led the Greeks in the
Trojan War
● Started to decline in about 1200 B.C.E
● They may have been conquered by the Dorians, another group that influenced future
Classical Greek culture, but we are ont sure because there are no written records
The Phoenicians
● Mediterranean Sea
● Height of Civilization: 3200-539 B.C.E
Major points:
● Major Trade Empire in the Mediterranean Sea
● Many major technological accomplishments
Greek Mythology
● The Greeks, like nearly all of the civilizations before them, developed a polytheistic
religion
● Much like the Sumerians, their gods were used to explain the unexplainable:
★ Natural phenomena: thunder, lightning, rain, floods, earthquakes
★ Human qualities: intense strength, endurance
★ Life events: birth, death, marriage
● Greek gods and goddesses had very human qualities
★ Emotions like love, hate, and jealousy
● The gods would often interact, influence, and sometimes meddle with the lives of mortals
(Especially Aphrodite and Zeus)
