Persian daric

Episode 18 Persian Gold

The Persian Empire

Dr John W I Lee (2012)

Film Review

When Alexandra the Great conquered the Persian Empire, he found three million pounds of gold in the Susa treasury.

Agriculture, trade and manufacturing flourished under the Persians, which had a vast and complex economy operating in three sectors: government, temple and private. All were largely based on agriculture and slavery, although trade also important.

Coinage (first developed by Lydia to pay mercenaries) was adopted by Persia following the conquest of Lydia in 600 BC.

In 515 Darius introduced gold darics, the first  coins to display a royal figure, to stabilize the payment of satrap tributes. One daric, equivalent to a month’s pay, equaled 20 shekels. Babylonia and the central empire also used silver bars as a unit of exchange.

Exacting account keepers, the Persians left behind thousands of Akkadian business tablets dated for the month, day and year. These were mainly archives (not daily records) and recorded, loans, real estate transactions and agricultural sales. Cyrus ordered an exact accounting of all the plunder Nebuchadnezzar took from the Jews so the Persians could return it to Jerusalem.

The Egibi family, who specialized in urban real estate and the rural food trade, left behind 1700 tablets dating from 600-482 BC. Their tablets reveal how their family members served as government officials, got tax breaks and were allowed special access to harbors and boats.

The later Morashu family (454-414 BC) married into the royal family and participated in the transition of from Akkadian to Aramaic as the main language of trade. Starting as overseers of plantations and temples, they transitioned into money lending and became fabulously rich. Their wealth increased substantially as irrigation and farm labor costs escalated and land-owning soldiers, forced to borrow, couldn’t repay their loans when they were called for active duty.

In general Persian accounting tablets provide important insight into the vast wealth disparities that ultimately led to the empire’s collapse.

https://www.kanopy.com/en/pukeariki/watch/video/15372393/15372437