Part E
Persian Empires
The Achaemenid Empire
The Achaemenid Empire extended from the Anatolia and Egypt all the way across western Asia to northern India and Central Asia. The empire began in B.C.E. when King Astyages of Media, who controlled most of Iran and eastern Anatolia who was defeated by his neighbor Cyrus II, the king of Persia. The Lydians of western Anatolia under King Croesus took the advantage of the fall of Media and expanded east and clashed with the Persians. The Persians took advantage of the Lydian capital at Sardis, which fell after two weeks of invasion. Persian forces then defeated the Babylonian army at Opis, east of the Tigris River. Cyrus entered Babylon and presented himself as a traditional Mesopotamian monarch, restoring temples and releasing political prisoners. The only area unconquered in the campaigns of Cyrus was Egypt. His son Cambyses conquered Egypt’s capital Memphis after a ten day siege in 525 B.C.E. Darius I became king after Cambyses and added northern western India.
The Achaemenid Empire
The Achaemenid Empire extended from the Anatolia and Egypt all the way across western Asia to northern India and Central Asia. The empire began in B.C.E. when King Astyages of Media, who controlled most of Iran and eastern Anatolia who was defeated by his neighbor Cyrus II, the king of Persia. The Lydians of western Anatolia under King Croesus took the advantage of the fall of Media and expanded east and clashed with the Persians. The Persians took advantage of the Lydian capital at Sardis, which fell after two weeks of invasion. Persian forces then defeated the Babylonian army at Opis, east of the Tigris River. Cyrus entered Babylon and presented himself as a traditional Mesopotamian monarch, restoring temples and releasing political prisoners. The only area unconquered in the campaigns of Cyrus was Egypt. His son Cambyses conquered Egypt’s capital Memphis after a ten day siege in 525 B.C.E. Darius I became king after Cambyses and added northern western India.
Vessel terminating in the forepart of a lion from Alchaemenid
The Parthian Empire
The Parni, a seminomadic confederacy, were advancing to the west to the frontier of the Seleucid satrapy of Parthian, near the Caspian Sea. The confederacy in 250 B.C. launched an invasion with the leader Arsaces. They were then known as the Parthians because of their successful conquest of the land. Under Mithradates I and his successors, the Parthians were able to grow to the dominant power in the Near East with campaigns against Rome, Greco-Bactrian, Seleucids kingdoms, and the nomads of central Asia. The romans under estimated the Parthians and had to negotiate peace under Augustus. The Parthian kings ruled for nearly half a millennium and influenced politics from Asia Minor to northern India until they were conquered by the Sasanian armies from southwest Iran.
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/part/hd_part.htm
The Parni, a seminomadic confederacy, were advancing to the west to the frontier of the Seleucid satrapy of Parthian, near the Caspian Sea. The confederacy in 250 B.C. launched an invasion with the leader Arsaces. They were then known as the Parthians because of their successful conquest of the land. Under Mithradates I and his successors, the Parthians were able to grow to the dominant power in the Near East with campaigns against Rome, Greco-Bactrian, Seleucids kingdoms, and the nomads of central Asia. The romans under estimated the Parthians and had to negotiate peace under Augustus. The Parthian kings ruled for nearly half a millennium and influenced politics from Asia Minor to northern India until they were conquered by the Sasanian armies from southwest Iran.
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/part/hd_part.htm
A map of the Parthian Empire
Rhyton terminating in the forepart of a wild cat from Iran
The Sassanid Empire
A descendant of Sasan which gave the name of the Sasanian dynasty, defeated the Parthians. The Sasanians saw that they were the successors of the Achaemenid Persians. During the reign of Shapur I the central government strengthened, the coinage was reformed, and Zoroastrianism was made the state religion. With the new expanded land they had conflicts with the romans and kidnapped the emperor Valerian. By the end of Shapur I’s reign, the Sasanian empire stretched from the river Euphrates to the Indus River. There was a short period of time where much of the land was lost but then restored by Shapur II. He established control over the Kushans in the east and campaigned in the desert against the Arabs. Sasanian control of northern Mesopotamia and Armenia were result of the conflict with Rome. The Sasanian were forced to pay tribute to their neighbors that were Hephthalite Huns that created an extensive empire centered in Afghanistan. During the reign of Khosrow I who defeated the Hephthalites. However in the years following Khosrow’s death, there were revolts and wars with the Byzantine empire. This then weakened Iran and the Arab forces, united under Islam, Defeated the Sasanian armies in 642. The last ruler of the Sasanian empire was Yazdegerd III, and died in 651.
The Sassanid Empire
A descendant of Sasan which gave the name of the Sasanian dynasty, defeated the Parthians. The Sasanians saw that they were the successors of the Achaemenid Persians. During the reign of Shapur I the central government strengthened, the coinage was reformed, and Zoroastrianism was made the state religion. With the new expanded land they had conflicts with the romans and kidnapped the emperor Valerian. By the end of Shapur I’s reign, the Sasanian empire stretched from the river Euphrates to the Indus River. There was a short period of time where much of the land was lost but then restored by Shapur II. He established control over the Kushans in the east and campaigned in the desert against the Arabs. Sasanian control of northern Mesopotamia and Armenia were result of the conflict with Rome. The Sasanian were forced to pay tribute to their neighbors that were Hephthalite Huns that created an extensive empire centered in Afghanistan. During the reign of Khosrow I who defeated the Hephthalites. However in the years following Khosrow’s death, there were revolts and wars with the Byzantine empire. This then weakened Iran and the Arab forces, united under Islam, Defeated the Sasanian armies in 642. The last ruler of the Sasanian empire was Yazdegerd III, and died in 651.
Faceted Bowl
Head of a king, 4th century; Sasanian, Iran
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Jonathan Morales
Pd 5
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Jonathan Morales
Pd 5