Episode 10 East of Persepolis

The Persian Empire

Dr John W I Lee (2012)

Film Review

In this lecture, Dr Lee looks at the eastern Persian empire, which controlled roughly 2,000 miles of the Silk Road to China, which started in Bactria. This was the first time in history the western section of the Silk Road was controlled by a single power. The Asian climate was much wetter in 500 BC, and there was a substantial crop cultivation around oases and caravan cities, especially after the Persians provided them with irrigation canals.. Largely pastoral nomads, Persia’s eastern subjects revolted frequently against the Persian kings.* The most prominent eastern satropies were

• Karasmia – northern most satropy in the eastern empire, located in modern Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Although some Karasmians remained nomadic pastoralists, others mined turquoise, worked as palace administrators, as metal or stone workers or as mercenaries in Egypt.
• Bactria – in modern north-central Afghanistan, had a population of 2 million and was famous for fertile lands, cattle and land. Its people spoke a language related to old Persian but used Aramaic for administrative purposes.
• Sodiana – in modern Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, had vast open areas for pastoral nomads. Its largest city Samarkind, a center of culture and Silk Road trade, was renowned for its lapis lazuli and cornelian. Western Sodiana residents were known as Scythians. Scythian nomads became infamous for their aggression against the the Persians, who built a series of military forts to contain them.
• Gandara – having built cities and kingdoms (in region corresponding to modern day Pakistan) prior to their conquest by the Persians, Cyrus appointed native born satraps to administer this region.
• Hindush (Indus River Valley) – Indian satraps were required to send gold, ivory, elephants, and camels as tribute, as well as supplying the emperor with troops. Many Hindus from this region worked as administrators in the Persian capitols.

*Cyrus was killed trying to suppress a nomad revolt.

https://www.kanopy.com/en/pukeariki/watch/video/15372393/15372408