Episode 15 Cultures in Contact

The Persian Empire

Dr John W I Lee (2012)

Film Review

After Athens successfully defended itself against Persian conquest, the Athenian Greeks captured lots of Persian booty and Persian slaves. During the fifth century BC, Persian styles became extremely fashionable in Athens and other Greek cities. Influenced by Persia, sleeves appeared in Greek garments for the first time. Greeks also adopted the Persian Kandys, a leather jacket the Greeks made out of linen, as as well as Persian slippers, drinking bowls and pitchers. The Greek elite also mimicked the Persians in raising peacocks a pets and carrying parasols to display their high status. It’s also believed Persian-style friezes influenced those that subsequently appeared on the Parthenon.

Conversely Persian elites adopted pederasty (mainly older men with teenage boys) from the Spartans and other Greeks, Athenian pottery and Greek perfumed flasks.

Persian troops returning from Egypt also adopted Bes, the Egyptian god of households, mothers, commoners and ordinary soldiers.

The Persian Empire was unique in history in with only one million of its 25 million subjects were native Persians. In addition, their use of multinational mercenaries led to significant intermarriage between Jew, Greeks and East Asians in Persian client states, especially Egypt.*

*The Old Testament reveasl how the Judges Ezra and Nehemiah clamped down on Jewish intermarriage with Persians.

https://www.kanopy.com/en/pukeariki/watch/video/15372393/15372387