1. THE ASSYRIAN (700-612 BCE) AND PERSIAN (559 BCE) EMPIRES
Assyrian warship
THE ASSYRIAN ( BCE) AND PERSIAN (559 BCE) EMPIRES
Assyrian King Ashurbanipal Hunting Lions

2. Modern reproduction of Assyrian sword and shield
ASSYRIA ( BCE)
Semitic-speaking people
Used iron weapons to establish an empire
Modern reproduction of Assyrian sword and shield

3. GOVERNMENT Ruled by kings with absolute power Well-organized
Officials developed an efficient communication system
Sargon II was the most important leader
Carried 27,000 Israelites into captivity
Assyrian winged bull from Sargon’s palace

4. ACCOMPLISHMENTS Created one of the world’s finest libraries at Nineveh
Established Aramaic as official language
Clay writings on tablets allow historians insight into Assyrian rule
Effective military
Assyrians had the first large armies equipped with iron weapons
Wore copper or iron helmets, padded loincloths, leather skirts layered with metal
Used guerrilla warfare, various siege tactics, and terror
Used battering rams to weaken city walls and built pontoons to cross rivers
Infantry
MILITARY
Strong leaders
Large, well-organized, and disciplined fighters
Infantry was the core and was supported by cavalry and horse-drawn chariots

10. FALL OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE
The Chaldeans and Medes (people who lived in the east) joined together to conquer the Assyrians
The fall of Nineveh preceded the fall of the Assyrian Empire
They divided the empire between them
Tablet detailing the destruction of Nineveh

11. BETWEEN THE EMPIRES Nebuchadnezzar Chaldean King
Made Babylonia the strongest nation in western Asia
Babylonian Gardens- did they exist??
Babylon fell to the Persians in 539 BC
This marked the end of the Mesopotamian empires
Babylon was the center of the Chaldean Empire
Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt Babylon and constructed canals, aqueducts, reservoirs, and temples

12. PERSIA (559 BCE) Persians Indo-Europeans who lived in modern Iran
Mostly nomadic
Eventually united by one family (Achaemenids)
Contemporaries of Greeks
Ancient Iran had wealth of minerals (copper, gold, silver)
Trade thrived and settlers of the region came in contact with people from west and east
Persian Empire was massive and grew larger than the prior Mesopotamian empires
Established durable political and cultural traditions
Had limited influence on Mediterranean coast
Had several capital cities including Persepolis and Susa
Achaemenids united the Medes and the Persians

14. CYRUS THE GREAT – 559 BC Created a powerful state through warfare
Captured Babylon
Demonstrated wisdom, compassion, and mercy
Had a genuine respect for other cultures and practiced tolerance of local customs
Cyrus, instead of destroying local temples, would pray at them
Cyrus allowed Jews to return to Jerusulem in 538BCE
Under Persian rule, Jews rebuilt their city and temple
Issued the Cyrus Cylinder
Borrowed from achievements of earlier Mesopotamian society
Creating a powerful state
Cyrus conquered several neighboring kingdoms in 550 BC, all of the Fertile Crescent, and most of Asia Minor (modern Turkey)
When he captured Babylon, he allowed the captive Jews to return to Israel and all of the captured people considered him to
be their ruler
The Cyrus Cylinder was the first human rights charter
Cyrus created massive empire in northern Middle East and northwestern India
The text on the Cylinder praises Cyrus, sets out his genealogy and portrays him as a king from a line of kings. The text states that Cyrus was welcomed by the people of Babylon as their new ruler and entered the city in peace

15. Primary Source:
“This is the word of Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord the God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he himself has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem in Judah. To every man of his people now among you I say, God by with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord the God of Israel, the god whose city is Jerusalem.”
-- Ezra 1: 2-3

16. DARIUS – 521 BCE Herodotus, the first historian, recounted the battles
Bodyguard for Cambyses (son of Cyrus) and Immortal
Cyrus died in battle, fighting nomadic invaders on eastern border (530BCE)
Conqueror
Added part of India to Persian Empire
Member of elite group of soldiers, known as the Ten Thousand Immortals
Seized thrown in 522 BCE
Conquered Thrace (in Europe)
Moved armies into present-day Afghanistan and Indus River Valley in India
Invaded Greek mainland in Persian Wars
Halted at the Battle of Marathon
Created world’s largest empire at that time
Herodotus, the first historian, recounted the battles
War #1
Greeks under Persian control revolted
Athens sent aid
Darius defeated rebels and swore revenge against Athens
Battle of Marathon
Persians outnumbered Athenians 2.5 to 1
Approximately 200 Athenians were killed and more than 6,000 Persians died
Athens was defenseless, so Pheidippides ran to Athens to proclaim victory at Marathon and warn Athens to prepare
BATTLE OF MARATHON – 490 BCE
Persian invasion of Greece began as a punishment for the revolt of several Greek city-states against Persian rule (Persians put it down)
Greeks defeated a huge Persian army under the leadership of the Athenians
Greek soldier named Pheidippides ran 26 miles to take the news to Athens, collapsed, and died
Persians then tried to attack Athens by sea, but the Athenians had rushed back to defend their city.
Persians vowed revenge and returned to Asia

17. Government
Darius was great administrator, understood how to keep control of sprawling empire
Divided empire into 20 ethnic provinces
Each province consisted of different ethnic peoples of the region
People practiced their own religion
And followed many of their own laws
Darius still ruled through absolute power
Satrup (governor) set up in each province to do bidding of Darius
Military leader and tax collector also set up for each province
Created efficient communication system
Created excellent road system
Royal Road ran from Susa in Persia to Sardis in Anatolia
Standard coins were used to unify a monetary system
Like the Assyrians, Darius had a secret spy force – “King’s Eyes and Ears”
PROVINCES
Each province was ruled by a governor
Satraps, or governors, collected taxes, distributed justice, and recruited soldiers
Expanded Assyrian postal system
COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
Royal Road was well-maintained and included stations with food, shelter, and fresh horses
PICTURE (BOTTOM LEFT)
Tomb of Darius in Persis
PICTURE (BOTTOM RIGHT)
Subject satraps paying homage to Darius

23. XERXES Son of Darius Stopped rebellion in Egypt and attacked Greece
Battle of Thermopylae
Battle of Salamis
Was defeated and returned to Persia
PERSIAN WARS
War #2 – 10 years later
Xerxes wanted to exact revenge against Athens following his father’s death
Spartans formed a defensive league and Athenians created navy
Thermopylae
Leonidas
Themistocles
Athens
Salamis
Plataea
THERMOPYLAE
Xerxes wanted revenge for his father
480 BCE – Amassed an army and fleet that outnumbered the Greeks more than two to one
Many Greek city-states held back at first because they thought the Persians would win easily
A Greek traitor showed the Persians a pass that would lead them to Athens, which was indefensible
Most Athenians were evacuated to an island
They watched as the Persians set fire to their temples on the Acropolis
SALAMIS
Themistocles (Athenian leader) realized that Persian navy was too big to move quickly
If they could be led into a narrow straight, their numbers wouldn’t matter, and they would be easily defeated
Themistocles had a slave visit Xerxes with a trick – he told Xerxes that the Greeks were quarreling
Persians rowed into the narrow straight of Thermopylae
Instead of a weak force, they found a united force that was ready to fight
Xerxes watched the battle from a hill overlooking the straight
The Persian navy was almost destroyed and Xerxes fled
MIDDLE PICTURE
King Leonidas of the Spartans

24. ZOROASTRIANISM
Persian religion and most important Persian cultural contribution
By the time Xerxes rules, 2,500 years had passed since first Sumerians city-states were built
People wanted answers to why so much suffering existed in the world
Named after its prophet – Zoroaster, who lived around 600BCE
Tenets
Monotheistic
Humans play a role in the struggle between good and evil
Humans are given the freedom to choose between right and wrong
Traces of Zoroastrianism is found in Judaism, Christianity and Islam (concept of Satan and belief in angels)
ZOROASTER
Born in 660 BCE
Teachings are recorded in the Zend Avesta

25. FALL OF THE PERSIAN EMPIRE
Kings became isolated and focused on obtaining luxuries, following Darius
Struggles over the throne weakened the monarchy
Family problems
Eventually defeated by Alexander the Great
Kings increased taxes and loyalty decreased
FAMILY PROBLEMS
Kings had many wives and children
Sons had little power and engaged in plots to gain the throne