1. Darius Expands the Empire
Persian Empire
Darius Expands the Empire

2. Darius Extends Persian Control
After Cyrusʼs death, weaker ruler= rebellions
Darius followed= put down revolts
Conquered lands= India
Persian Empire= 2,800 miles from E to W
After Cyrusʼs death, weaker ruler faced rebellions
Darius I followed weak ruler, put down revolts
Darius conquered lands as far east as India
Persian Empire grew to 2,800 miles from east to west

3. Darius Extends Persian Control
Darius the Great ( B.C.)
Largest empire
Great administrator
Achaemenid Empire= 70+ different ethnic groups
Darius the Great ( B.C.E.)
Built the largest empire the world had ever seen.
He was known for being a great administrator.
The Achaemenid Empire had more than 70 different ethnic groups.
He established an empire that provided for communication throughout

4. Darius Extends Persian Control
Centralized administration=communication throughout empire
Capital=Persepolis
Royal residences
Military quarters
Treasury
Persepolis was the administrative center and monument to the dynasty.
Bustled with ministers, advisors, diplomats, scribes, accountants, translators and bureaucratic officers.

5. Political Organization
Divided into provinces
Provinces—areas similar to states, each w/ local gov’t
Set up satraps—governors who ran provinces, collected taxes
Appointed military commanders for each satrap
Darius divided large empire into 20 provinces
provinces—areas of land similar to states, each with local government
set up satraps—governors who ran provinces, collected taxes
appointed military commanders for each satrap
spies called “kingʼs eyes and ears” helped Darius control satraps

6. Political Organization
Balance between central power & local
Most satraps were Persian w/ locals a posts
Imperial Spies= “kingʼs eyes and ears” helped him control satraps

7. Uniting the Empire Started use of Royal Road for gov’t purposes
Royal mgs sent by relay
Asia Minor to Iran
Moved troops, mail, and promoted trade
Law code based on Hammurabiʼs
Minted coins
Darius started use of Royal Road for government purposes
royal messages sent by a relay of horseback messengers
took caravans 90 days to travel this road, lodging at inns along the well-policed route.
stretched from Sardis to Susa; moved troops, mail, and promoted trade
Darius set up law code based on Hammurabiʼs and used minted coins

8. Enemies of Persia Darius died in 486 B.C.
Followed by son, Xerxes, who had to deal with Egypt and Greece
Darius died in 486 B.C., before attacking Egyptian rebels
followed by son, Xerxes, who had to deal with Egypt and Greece

9. Enemies of Persia
Xerxes ( B.C.E.), flaunted Persian identity & imposed values
Created ill will in Mesopotamia and Egypt

10. The Persian Wars (500 – 479 B.C.E.)
Greeks in Anatolia resented Persian governors
Rebelled= expelling or executing governors
Launched a series of conflicts= Persian Wars
The Achaemenids had a difficult time with their ethnic Greek subjects and efforts to control the Greeks helped to bring about the collapse of the Achaemenid empire. Ethnic Greeks inhabited many of the cities in Anatolia especially the region of Ionia on the Aegean coast of western Anatolia and they maintained close economic and commercial ties with their cousins in the peninsula of Greece. The Iionian Greeks fell under Persian domination during the reign of Cyrus. They became restive under Darius’s Persian governors “tyrants” the Greeks called them who oversaw their affairs. In 500 B.C.E. the Ionian cities rebelled, expelled or executed their governors and asserted their independence. Their rebellion launched a series of conflicts known as the Persian Wars (500 to 479 B.C.E.)

11. The Persian Wars (500 – 479 B.C.E.)
150 yrs, Persian empire fought w/ Greek cities
Greek cities= too small & unorganized to pose a serious threat
Standoff ended with the rise of Alexander of Macedon or Alexander the Great
Persian Empire ended
For 150 years, the Persian empire sparred with the Greek cities.
The Greek cities were too small and disunited to pose a serious threat to the Persian empire.
The standoff ended with the rise of Alexander of Macedon or Alexander the Great.

12. Quick Review How large did the Persian Empire grow?
Where did Darius build the Persian capital?
What were some of Darius’ strategies for controlling his large empire?
Which leader struggled with tolerance?
What brought an end to the Persian Empire

13. Venn Diagram: Cyrus vs. Darius vs. Xerxes