Rethinking the Persian Empire

The Persian Empire (2012)

Dr John W I Lee

Film Review

The Acheimenid (referring to the Acheimenid clan) Persian Empire was founded in 559 BC by Cyrus the Great. At the time the largest in history, it extended from North Africa to the Indus Valley. All its emperors followed Zoroastrian thought, which emphasized ethical conduct.

Heir to the Babylonian and Assyrian empires, Persia eventually brought Egypt under their control. Prior to its collapse in 330 BC, its governance was extremely table, with 14 kings – two ruling more than 40 years. Thanks to a finely tuned information and communication network, a kingdom of one million Persian ultimately ruled a multi-ethnic population of 25 million in its subject countries. Most countries under its control were allowed to continue their own religion and customs. Trade flourished under the Persian Empire, with New Eurasian trade routes forming the beginning of the Silk Road connecting China and India to Europe.

The ethic diversity of their empire meant the Persian king relied on troops from multiple client states speaking multiple languages. Relying on client kings to govern their own countries, he had much looser control over conquered territory than the Chinese or Roman emperors. Moreover Persia’s borders tended to be quite porous.

Following Alexander the Great’s conquest of the empire in 330 BC, much of the Persian administrative apparatus persisted in the Seleucid, Parthanian and Sassanian empire. One hundred million people in the Middle East and Central Asia still speak the Persian language Farsis.

The Greeks, never fully conquered by the Persians, viewed them as uncivilized barbarians. This is reflected in the writings of the Greek historian Herodotus, the main historical source on the the Persian Empire. More recent research challenges some of these stereotypes. Moreover thousands of Greek mercenaries fought for the Persian side, in their wars against Greece. Likewise many Greek craftsmen and doctors went in the Persian capitols.

The Bible speaks of them very favorably for releasing the Jews from captivity when they conquered Babylon.

https://www.kanopy.com/en/pukeariki/watch/video/15372393/15372424