Who are the Persians?

1. the Persians made children from iron
2. The people are like that. Once there was a great Persian empire, and now there is a small state of Iran.
3. Persians are Persians!
4. The Persians are the people of Iran (Persia), they are mistakenly called Iranians because of the name of the country, Iran is Persia, the authorities just asked to officially call their country Iran. It is a mistake to call them Iranians, because in the Iranian language group, in addition to the Persians, there are many other Iranian peoples (related to the Persians, of course). Therefore they should be called Persians.
5. Is it too lazy to type in Wikipedia?
6. modern Tajiks, Iranians and Afghans
7. Residents of what is now Iran
8. Persians are different ancient peoples, Tats, Talysh, Kurds...
9. They were an ancient people who inhabited the territory of modern Iran. In 538 BC. e. it was ruled by King Cyrus. He conquered the land of Babylon and plundered its capital. In battles, Cyrus never showed cruelty, respected the customs of the vanquished and revered the local gods.

   During the reign of Cyrus, the Persian state reached its greatest prosperity. All peoples who agreed to recognize his power (Jews, Greeks, Babylonians) were allowed to maintain their national clothing, religion and even government.

   In response to the constant concern of this unusual king for his people, the Persians called him the father of nations. In 530, Cyrus died in a battle with the Massagetae on the eastern bank of the Amu Darya River.

   Later the Persians were ruled by King Darius. He expanded the borders of the kingdom to the Balkans in the east and India in the west. However, the conquered lands were administered fairly.

   The entire kingdom was divided into 20 provinces, each province was headed by a governor who ruled on behalf of the king. He was called a satrap, and the province a satrapy. Various parts of the state were connected by a network of caravan trade routes.

   The development of trade was also facilitated by the system of unified monetary circulation. Darius introduced strict order in the collection of taxes. In most satrapies, taxes were taken in silver, and every year over two hundred tons of silver entered Darius's storehouses. That is why Darius received the nickname “trader” from his contemporaries.
   2) Persian - abbreviated character
   3) cat breed

10. Inhabitants of ancient Iran. And there is slang "Pers" character in the game)))))
11. P? ERS (Farsi, self-name of Iran), a people in the Middle East, the main population of Central (south of the Elborz ridge) and Eastern Iran. The population in Iran is 35.199 million people (2004). They speak Persian and anthropologically belong to the southern branch of the great Caucasian race. Shiite Muslim believers. The penetration of Iranian tribes from the north into the territory of modern Iran presumably dates back to the second millennium BC. Persian tribes occupied a dominant position in the Achaemenid state. Later, the Persians were also influenced by Arab, Turkic and Mongolian peoples. The process of assimilation by the Persians of other nationalities of Iran (especially those speaking the language of the Iranian group) continues. Islam spread among the Persians in the 7th century, after the Arab conquest. Before this, the Persians professed Zoroastrianism, which was preserved in a modified form among the Hebrians. Most Persians are rural residents, whose main occupations are agriculture (largely based on artificial irrigation), gardening and vegetable growing, and cattle breeding. Carpet weaving and hand weaving are developed. In family relations, the traditions of Islamic law are strong. The Persians have a rich tradition of oral folk art and poetry.
12. modern Iranians, Tajiks, Afghans - that's why they are Persians
13. now Iran, or as the person above said)
14. Persians, Persian Iranians are an ethnolinguistic community of numerous regional population groups of Iran and some adjacent countries, whose native language is Persian, represented by various dialects. The largest and leading component of the Iranian nation, united by a common settled agricultural and urban culture.

Persia (which country is now, you can find out from the article) existed more than two thousand years ago. It is known for its conquests and culture. Many peoples ruled on the territory of the ancient state. But they could not eradicate the culture and traditions of the Aryans.

From the middle of the sixth century BC, the Persians appeared on the stage of world history. Until this time, residents of the Middle East had heard very little about this mysterious tribe. They became known only after they began to seize lands.

Cyrus the Second, king of the Persians from the Achaemenid dynasty, was able to quickly capture Media and other states. His well-armed army began preparations to march against Babylon.

At this time, Babylon and Egypt were at enmity with each other, but when a strong enemy appeared, they decided to forget about the conflict. Babylon's preparation for war did not save it from defeat. The Persians captured the cities of Opis and Sippar, and then took control of Babylon without a fight. Cyrus the Second decided to further advance to the East. In a war with nomadic tribes, he died in 530 BC.

The successors of the deceased king, Cambyses the Second and Darius the First, managed to capture Egypt. Darius was able not only to strengthen the eastern and western borders of the power, but also to expand them from the Aegean Sea to India, as well as from the lands of Central Asia to the banks of the Nile. Persia absorbed the famous world civilizations of the ancient world and controlled them until the fourth century BC. Alexander the Great was able to conquer the empire.

Second Persian Empire

The Macedonian soldiers took revenge on the Persians for the destruction of Athens by burning Persepolis to ashes. At this point, the Achaemenid dynasty ceased to exist. Ancient Persia fell under the humiliating rule of the Greeks.

It was only in the second century BC that the Greeks were expelled. The Parthians did this. But they were not allowed to rule for long; Artaxerxes overthrew them. The history of the second Persian power began with him. In another way, it is usually called the power of the Sassanid dynasty. Under their rule, the Achaemenid Empire is revived, albeit in a different form. Greek culture is being replaced by Iranian culture.

In the seventh century, Persia lost its power and was incorporated into the Arab Caliphate.

Life in Ancient Persia through the eyes of other peoples

The life of the Persians is known from works that have survived to this day. These are mainly the works of the Greeks. It is known that Persia (what the country is now can be found out below) very quickly conquered the territories of ancient civilizations. What were the Persians like?

They were tall and physically strong. Life in the mountains and steppes made them hardened and resilient. They were famous for their courage and unity. In everyday life, the Persians ate moderately, did not drink wine, and were indifferent to precious metals. They wore clothes made from animal skins and covered their heads with felt caps (tiaras).

During the coronation, the ruler had to put on the clothes that he wore before becoming king. He was also supposed to eat dried figs and drink sour milk.

The Persians had the right to live with several wives, not counting concubines. Closely related ties were acceptable, for example, between an uncle and a niece. Women were not supposed to show themselves to strangers. This applied to both wives and concubines. Proof of this is the surviving reliefs of Persepolis, which do not contain images of the fair sex.

Persian achievements:

• good roads;
• minting your own coins;
• creation of gardens (paradises);
• The cylinder of Cyrus the Great is a prototype of the first charter of human rights.

Previously Persia, but now?

It is not always possible to say exactly which state is located ancient civilization. The world map has changed hundreds of times. Changes are happening even today. How to understand where Persia was? What is the country in its place now?

Modern states on whose territory there was an empire:

• Egypt.
• Lebanon.
• Iraq.
• Pakistan.
• Georgia.
• Bulgaria.
• Türkiye.
• Parts of Greece and Romania.

These are not all the countries that are related to Persia. However, with ancient empire Iran is most often associated. What is this country and its people like?

Iran's mysterious past

The name of the country is the modern form of the word "Ariana", which translates as "land of the Aryans". Indeed, from the first millennium BC, Aryan tribes populated almost all the lands of modern Iran. Part of this tribe moved to Northern India, and part went to the northern steppes, calling themselves Scythians and Sarmatians.

Later, strong kingdoms emerged in Western Iran. One of these Iranian formations was Media. It was subsequently captured by the army of Cyrus the Second. It was he who united the Iranians in his empire and led them to conquer the world.

How does modern Persia live (what country is it now, it became clear)?

Life in modern Iran through the eyes of foreigners

For many ordinary people, Iran is associated with revolution and the nuclear program. However, the history of this country spans more than two thousand years. It has absorbed different cultures: Persian, Islamic, Western.

Iranians have elevated pretense to a true art of communication. They are very courteous and sincere, but this is only the outer side. In fact, behind their obsequiousness lies the intention to find out all the plans of their interlocutor.

Former Persia (now Iran) was captured by the Greeks, Turks, and Mongols. At the same time, the Persians were able to preserve their traditions. They know how to get along with strangers, their culture is characterized by a certain flexibility - taking the best from the traditions of strangers without abandoning their own.

Iran (Persia) was under Arab rule for centuries. At the same time, its inhabitants were able to preserve their language. Poetry helped them with this. Most of all they honor the poet Ferdowsi, and Europeans remember Omar Khayyam. The preservation of culture was facilitated by the teachings of Zarathustra, which appeared long before the Arab invasion.

Although Islam now plays a leading role in the country, Iranians have not lost their national identity. They remember well their centuries-old history.

Around the 6th century BC. The Persians emerged on the stage of world history. With phenomenal speed, they managed to turn from an unknown tribe into a formidable empire that lasted several hundred years.

Portrait of ancient Persians

What the ancient Iranians were like can be judged by the ideas of the peoples who lived next to them. For example, Herodotus wrote that the Persians originally wore clothing made from skins, as well as felt caps called tiaras. We didn't drink wine. They ate as much as they had. They treated gold and silver with indifference. They differed from neighboring peoples in their tall stature, strength, courage and incredible unity.

It is interesting that the Persians, even having become a great power, tried to follow the behests of their ancestors.

For example, during the coronation ceremony, the newly-crowned king had to wear simple clothes, eat some dried figs and wash them down with sour milk.

At the same time, the Persians could marry as many women as they saw fit. And this does not take into account concubines and slaves. It is also interesting that the laws did not prohibit marrying even close relatives, be they sisters or nieces. In addition, there was a custom according to which a man did not show his women to strangers. Plutarch wrote about this, pointing out that the Persians hid from prying eyes not only their wives, but even concubines and slaves. And if they needed to be transported somewhere, then closed carts were used. This custom is reflected in art. For example, in the ruins of Persepolis, archaeologists were unable to find a single relief with a female image.

Achaemenid Dynasty

The era of Persian omnipotence began with King Cyrus II, who belonged to the Achaemenid family. He managed to quickly subjugate the once mighty Media and several smaller states. After this, the king's gaze fell on Babylon.

The war with Babylon turned out to be just as quick. In 539 BC. Cyrus marched with his army and fought with the enemy army near the city of Opis. The battle ended with the complete defeat of the Babylonians. Then the large Sippar was captured, and soon Babylon itself.

After this triumph, Cyrus decided to curb the wild tribes in the east, who could disturb the borders of his power with their raids. The king fought with the nomads for several years, until he himself died in 530 BC.

The following kings - Cambyses and Darius - continued the work of their predecessor and further expanded the territory of the state.

So, Cambyses managed to capture Egypt and make it one of the satrapies.

By the time of Darius' death (485 BC), the Persian Empire occupied a vast territory. In the west, its borders abutted the Aegean Sea, in the east - India. In the north, the power of the Achaemenids extended to the deserted deserts of Central Asia, and in the south - to the rapids of the Nile. It is safe to say that Persia at that time subjugated almost the entire civilized world.

But like any empire that possessed such a vast territory, it was constantly tormented by internal unrest and uprisings of conquered peoples. The Achaemenid dynasty collapsed in the 4th century BC, unable to withstand the test of the army of Alexander the Great.

Sasanian power

The Persian Empire was destroyed, and its capital, Persepolis, was sacked and burned. The last of the kings of the Achaemenid dynasty, Darius III, and his retinue went to Bactria, hoping to gather a new army there. But Alexander managed to catch up with the fugitive. To avoid being captured, Darius ordered his satraps to kill him and to flee further.

After the death of the king in conquered Persia, the era of Hellenism began. For ordinary Persians it was like death.

After all, there was not just a change of ruler, they were captured by the hated Greeks, who quickly and harshly began to replace the original Persian customs with their own, and therefore completely alien.

Even the arrival of the Parthian tribe, which occurred in the 2nd century BC. didn't change anything. The nomadic Iranian tribe managed to expel the Greeks from the territory of ancient Persia, but they themselves fell under the influence of their culture. Therefore, even under Parthian rule, exclusively Greek was used on coins and in official documents.

But the worst thing was that the temples were built in the Greek image and likeness. And most Persians considered this blasphemy and sacrilege.

After all, Zarathushtra bequeathed to their ancestors that it was impossible to worship idols. Only the unquenchable flame should be considered as a symbol of God, and sacrifices should be made to it. But the Persians were unable to change anything.

Therefore, out of impotent anger, they called all the buildings of the Hellenic period “buildings of the Dragon.”

The Persians tolerated Greek culture until 226 AD. But eventually the cup overflowed. The revolt was launched by the ruler of Pars, Ardashir, and he managed to overthrow the Parthian dynasty. This moment is considered to be the birth of the second Persian power, headed by representatives of the Sassanid dynasty.

Unlike the Parthians, they tried in every possible way to revive the very ancient culture of Persia, which was started by Cyrus. But this turned out to be difficult, since Greek dominance almost completely erased the Achaemenid heritage from memory. Therefore, the society about which the Zoroastrian priests spoke was chosen as a “guiding star” for the revived state. And it so happened that the Sassanids tried to revive a culture that in reality never existed. And religion came first.

But the people of Persia enthusiastically accepted the ideas of the new rulers. Therefore, under the Sassanids, the entire Hellenic culture began to quickly dissolve: the temples were destroyed, and the Greek language ceased to be official. Instead of statues of Zeus, the Persians began to build fire altars.

Under the Sassanids (3rd century AD), there was another clash with the hostile Western world - the Roman Empire. But this time this confrontation ended in victory for the Persians. In honor of the significant event, King Shapur I ordered a bas-relief to be carved into the rocks, depicting his triumph over the Roman Emperor Valerian.

The capital of Persia was the city of Ctesiphon, once built by the Parthians. But the Persians essentially “combed” it to match their newfound culture.

Persia began to develop rapidly thanks to the competent use of land irrigation systems. Under the Sassanids, the territory of ancient Persia, as well as Mesopotamia, became literally permeated with underground water pipelines made of clay pipes (kariza). Their cleaning was carried out using wells dug at intervals of ten kilometers. This modernization allowed Persia to successfully grow cotton, sugar cane and develop winemaking. At the same time, Persia became perhaps the world's main supplier of a wide variety of fabrics: from wool to silk.

Death of an Empire

The history of the Sasanian dynasty ended after a fierce and bloody war with the Arabs, which lasted almost twenty years (633-651). It is difficult to blame the last king Yezdeget III for anything. He fought the invaders until the very end, and was not going to give up. But Yazdeget died ingloriously - near Merv, he was stabbed to death by a miller in his sleep, having encroached on the king’s jewelry.

But even after the official victory, the Persians kept uprisings, albeit unsuccessfully. Even internal unrest in the caliphate did not allow the ancient people to gain freedom. Only Gugan and Tabaristan - the last fragments of a once great power - lasted the longest. But they were captured by the Arabs in 717 and 760, respectively.

And although the Islamization of Iran was successful, the Arabs were never able to assimilate the Persians, who managed to maintain their self-identity. Closer to the 900s, under the new Samanid dynasty, they managed to gain independence. True, Persia was no longer able to become a great power again.

The Persian power had a huge impact on the history of the Ancient World. The Achaemenid state, formed by a small tribal union, existed for about two hundred years. Mention of the splendor and power of the Persian country is in many ancient sources, including the Bible.

Start

The first mention of the Persians is found in Assyrian sources. In an inscription dated to the 9th century BC. e., contains the name of the land Parsua. Geographically, this area was located in the Central Zagros region, and during the mentioned period the population of this area paid tribute to the Assyrians. The unification of tribes did not yet exist. The Assyrians mention 27 kingdoms under their control. In the 7th century the Persians apparently entered into a tribal union, since references to kings from the Achaemenid tribe appeared in the sources. The history of the Persian state begins in 646 BC, when Cyrus I became the ruler of the Persians.

During the reign of Cyrus I, the Persians significantly expanded the territories under their control, including taking possession of most of the Iranian plateau. At the same time, the first capital of the Persian state, the city of Pasargadae, was founded. Some Persians were engaged in agriculture, some led

The emergence of the Persian Empire

At the end of the 6th century. BC e. The Persian people were ruled by Cambyses I, who was dependent on the kings of Media. Cambyses' son, Cyrus II, became ruler of the settled Persians. Information about the ancient Persian people is scanty and fragmentary. Apparently, the main unit of society was the patriarchal family, headed by a man who had the right to dispose of the lives and property of his loved ones. The community, first tribal and later rural, was a powerful force for several centuries. Several communities formed a tribe, several tribes could already be called a people.

The emergence of the Persian state occurred at a time when the entire Middle East was divided between four states: Egypt, Media, Lydia, Babylonia.

Even in its heyday, Media was actually a fragile tribal union. Thanks to the victories of King Cyaxares, Media conquered the state of Urartu and the ancient country of Elam. The descendants of Cyaxares were unable to retain the conquests of their great ancestor. The constant war with Babylon required the presence of troops on the border. It weakened domestic policy Mussels, which the vassals of the Median king took advantage of.

Reign of Cyrus II

In 553, Cyrus II rebelled against the Medes, to whom the Persians had been paying tribute for several centuries. The war lasted three years and ended with a crushing defeat for the Medes. The capital of Media (Ektabani) became one of the residences of the Persian ruler. Having conquered the ancient country, Cyrus II formally preserved the Median kingdom and assumed the titles of the Median rulers. Thus began the formation of the Persian state.

After the capture of Media, Persia declared itself as a new state in world history, and for two centuries played an important role in the events taking place in the Middle East. In 549-548. the newly formed state conquered Elam and subjugated a number of countries that were part of the former Median state. Parthia, Armenia, Hyrcania began to pay tribute to the new Persian rulers.

War with Lydia

Croesus, the ruler of powerful Lydia, realized what a dangerous enemy the Persian power was. A number of alliances were concluded with Egypt and Sparta. However, the Allies did not have the chance to begin full-scale military operations. Croesus did not want to wait for help and acted alone against the Persians. In the decisive battle near the capital of Lydia - the city of Sardis, Croesus brought his cavalry, which was considered invincible, onto the battlefield. Cyrus II sent soldiers riding camels. The horses, seeing unknown animals, refused to obey the riders; the Lydian horsemen were forced to fight on foot. The unequal battle ended with the retreat of the Lydians, after which the city of Sardis was besieged by the Persians. Of the former allies, only the Spartans decided to come to the aid of Croesus. But while the campaign was being prepared, the city of Sardis fell, and the Persians subjugated Lydia.

Expanding boundaries

Then it was the turn of the Greek city-states, which were located in the territory. After a series of major victories and suppression of rebellions, the Persians subjugated the city-states, thereby acquiring the opportunity to use them in battles.

At the end of the 6th century, the Persian power expanded its borders to the northwestern regions of India, to the cordons of the Hindu Kush and subjugated the tribes living in the river basin. Syrdarya. Only after strengthening the borders, suppressing rebellions and establishing royal power did Cyrus II turn his attention to powerful Babylonia. On October 20, 539, the city fell, and Cyrus II became the official ruler of Babylon, and at the same time the ruler of one of the largest powers of the Ancient World - the Persian Kingdom.

Reign of Cambyses

Cyrus died in battle with the Massagetae in 530 BC. e. His policy was successfully carried out by his son Cambyses. After thorough preliminary diplomatic preparation, Egypt, another enemy of Persia, found itself completely alone and could not count on the support of its allies. Cambyses carried out his father's plan and conquered Egypt in 522 BC. e. Meanwhile, discontent was brewing in Persia itself and a rebellion broke out. Cambyses hurried to his homeland and died on the road under mysterious circumstances. After some time, the ancient Persian power provided the opportunity to gain power to the representative of the younger branch of the Achaemenids - Darius Hystaspes.

Beginning of the reign of Darius

The seizure of power by Darius I caused discontent and grumbling in enslaved Babylonia. The leader of the rebels declared himself the son of the last Babylonian ruler and began to be called Nebuchadnezzar III. In December 522 BC. e. Darius I won. The rebel leaders were publicly executed.

Punitive actions distracted Darius, and in the meantime rebellions arose in Media, Elam, Parthia and other areas. It took the new ruler more than a year to pacify the country and restore the state of Cyrus II and Cambyses to its former borders.

Between 518 and 512, the Persian Empire conquered Macedonia, Thrace and part of India. This time is considered the heyday ancient kingdom Persians A state of global importance united dozens of countries and hundreds of tribes and peoples under its rule.

Social structure of Ancient Persia. Darius' reforms

The Achaemenid Persian state was distinguished by a wide variety of social structures and customs. Babylonia, Syria, Egypt, long before Persia, were considered highly developed states, and the recently conquered tribes of nomads of Scythian and Arab origin were still at the stage of a primitive way of life.

Chain of uprisings 522-520. showed the ineffectiveness of the previous government scheme. Therefore, Darius I carried out a number of administrative reforms and created a stable system of state control over the conquered peoples. The result of the reforms was the first effective administrative system in history, which served the Achaemenid rulers for more than one generation.

An effective administrative apparatus is a clear example of how Darius ruled the Persian state. The country was divided into administrative-tax districts, which were called satrapies. The size of the satrapies was much larger than the territories of early states, and in some cases coincided with the ethnographic boundaries of ancient peoples. For example, the satrapy of Egypt territorially almost completely coincided with the borders of this state before its conquest by the Persians. The districts were led by government officials - satraps. Unlike his predecessors, who looked for their governors among the nobility of the conquered peoples, Darius I appointed exclusively nobles of Persian origin to these positions.

Functions of governors

Previously, the governor combined both administrative and civil functions. The satrap of the time of Darius had only civil powers; the military authorities were not subordinate to him. Satraps had the right to mint coins, were in charge of the country's economic activities, collected taxes, and administered justice. In peacetime, satraps were provided with a small personal guard. The army was subordinate exclusively to military leaders independent of the satraps.

The implementation of government reforms led to the creation of a large central administrative apparatus headed by the royal office. Public administration led by the capital of the Persian state - the city of Susa. The large cities of that time, Babylon, Ektabana, and Memphis also had their own offices.

Satraps and officials were under the constant control of the secret police. In ancient sources it was called “the ears and eye of the king.” Control and supervision of officials was entrusted to the Khazarapat - the commander of a thousand. State correspondence was conducted on which almost all the peoples of Persia owned.

Culture of the Persian Empire

Ancient Persia left its descendants a great architectural heritage. The magnificent palace complexes at Susa, Persepolis and Pasargadae made a stunning impression on their contemporaries. The royal estates were surrounded by gardens and parks. One of the monuments that has survived to this day is the tomb of Cyrus II. Many similar monuments that arose hundreds of years later took as their basis the architecture of the tomb of the Persian king. The culture of the Persian state contributed to the glorification of the king and the strengthening of royal power among the conquered peoples.

The art of ancient Persia combined the artistic traditions of Iranian tribes, intertwined with elements of Greek, Egyptian, and Assyrian cultures. Among the objects that have come down to descendants there are many decorations, bowls and vases, various cups, decorated with sophisticated paintings. A special place in the finds is occupied by numerous seals with images of kings and heroes, as well as various animals and fantastic creatures.

Economic development of Persia during the time of Darius

The nobility occupied a special position in the Persian kingdom. The nobles owned large land holdings in all conquered territories. Huge areas were placed at the disposal of the tsar’s “benefactors” for personal services to him. The owners of such lands had the right to manage, transfer the plots as an inheritance to their descendants, and they were also entrusted with the exercise of judicial power over their subjects. A land tenure system was widely used, in which plots were called allotments of a horse, bow, chariot, etc. The king distributed such lands to his soldiers, for which their owners had to serve in the active army as horsemen, archers, and charioteers.

But as before, huge tracts of land were in the direct possession of the king himself. They were usually rented out. The products of agriculture and livestock breeding were accepted as payment for them.

In addition to the lands, canals were under direct royal authority. The managers of the royal property rented them out and collected taxes for the use of water. For irrigation of fertile soils, a fee was charged, reaching 1/3 of the landowner's harvest.

Persian labor resources

Slave labor was used in all sectors of the economy. The bulk of them were usually prisoners of war. Bail slavery, when people sold themselves, did not become widespread. Slaves had a number of privileges, such as the right to have their own seals and participate in various transactions as full partners. A slave could redeem himself by paying a certain rent, and also be a plaintiff, witness or defendant in legal proceedings, of course, not against their owners. The practice of hiring hired workers for a certain amount of money was widespread. The work of such workers became especially widespread in Babylonia, where they dug canals, built roads, and harvested crops from royal or temple fields.

Darius' financial policy

The main source of funds for the treasury was taxes. In 519, the king approved the basic system of state taxes. Taxes were calculated for each satrapy, taking into account its territory and land fertility. The Persians, as a conquering people, did not pay tax, but were not exempt from the tax in kind.

Various monetary units that continued to exist even after the unification of the country brought a lot of inconvenience, so in 517 BC. e. The king introduced a new gold coin, called the darik. The medium of exchange was a silver shekel, which was worth 1/20 of a darik and served in those days. The reverse of both coins featured the image of Darius I.

Transport routes of the Persian state

The spread of the road network facilitated the development of trade between the various satrapies. The royal road of the Persian state began in Lydia, crossed Asia Minor and passed through Babylon, and from there to Susa and Persepolis. The sea routes laid by the Greeks were successfully used by the Persians in trade and for the transfer of military force.

The sea expeditions of the ancient Persians are also known, for example, the journey of the sailor Skilak to the Indian shores in 518 BC. e.

The Persians became one of the greatest peoples in human history thanks to their engineering achievements and advanced military science. They managed to create an empire superior in power to all others. The contribution of the Persian people to world culture cannot be overestimated, because it was they who created palaces, engineering structures and were one of the first to master shipbuilding.

Story

The history of Persia is divided into several stages, the most important of which was the formation of the capital Persepolis. However, history teaches that it is impossible to achieve prosperity through war alone. That is why the Persian kings sought to build cities and water canals. And in this they have achieved great success.

Having learned about the achievements of the Persians, the neighboring tribes decided to swear allegiance to Achaemen, who then ruled the great people. In the 6th century BC. Cyrus the Great began to rule the Persians, under whom the Persian Empire achieved its greatest prosperity. The power of this ruler lay not only in his knowledge of military affairs, but also in politics. His influence was recognized by the Jewish people, and the Greeks and Ionians considered Cyrus a true benefactor.
Historians agree that the empire created by Cyrus the Great was the largest in the ancient world. The ruler's plans were to conquer the whole world. Before this, he decided to build the capital of Pasargadae (also Pasargadae), in which all the most daring projects were implemented.

The peculiarity of Cyrus was his attitude towards the conquered peoples, which was unthinkable by the standards of that time. While conquering new lands, the ruler did not order people to be driven into slavery. People had the right to preserve their own faith and observe rituals. Such political regulation is explained by foresight - while maintaining comfortable living conditions and the absence of restrictions on religion, there was no need for people to resist. On the contrary, they only contributed to strengthening the power of the Persian king. Subsequently, Cyrus managed to conquer Babylon, although its inhabitants themselves recognized the king as a liberator. The Persian king needed Babylon as a buffer state to get closer to Egypt. Interestingly, the Jewish people considered Cyrus to be the messiah. However, being a commander, he had to constantly participate in hostilities, which ultimately led to his death.

With the death of Cyrus the Great, a dark time begins in the history of Persia. The throne could not remain empty for long, so a fierce struggle began for it. Not only Persia was frightened, but also everyone who had any relations with the empire. Once again, the place of ruler is taken by a commander who is a distant relative of Cyrus. We are talking about Darius, who became famous throughout Persia not only as a great warrior, but also as a brilliant king. Without exaggeration, he was a worthy successor to the work of Cyrus.

First of all, Darius orders to rebuild Susa, which turns into one of the most beautiful cities of the Persian kingdom, as even the Bible mentions. Darius decides to build a new capital - Persepolis, which became a unique city at that time, embodying amazing engineering ideas. Once again, the Persian kings show themselves to be complacent by paying workers compensation for their labor. When paying, gender, qualifications and physical abilities were taken into account. As a result, under Darius, the Persian Empire becomes huge and stretches from Egypt to India. To link the country together, a road of crushed stone and gravel is created. The Persians took into account the need to lay an embankment in order to eliminate the negative impact of groundwater.

During his reign, Darius faced revolts. So, he was resisted by Athens and Corinth, who united their troops. Oddly enough, the Persian army loses, and Darius himself decides to return to his native land. As a result, he suffers the same fate as his relative - 486 BC. becomes last year the reign of Darius, who dies during the campaign. However, the king turns out to be wise enough to name a successor in advance. He becomes the famous Xerxes.

He continues to fight with the Athenians, but suffers a crushing defeat, and his successor Artaxerxes decides not to go on military campaigns, but to prove himself as a king-builder. However, the enemies of Persia did not waste time, and an uprising was already beginning in Egypt. 4th century BC marked the end of the Persian Empire. After the death of Artaxerxes, a period of anarchy began. Finally, Darius the Third comes to power, meanwhile a new great ruler is born - Alexander. It was he who conquered Persia and glorified it in every possible way, taking the daughter of Darius the Third as his wife. The influence of Persia on Alexander turns out to be so strong that he proclaims himself part of the Achaemenid dynasty. In total, the Persian Empire lasted about 2,700 years.

Culture

The Persians were known as great conquerors and engineers, but they had to take culture from other peoples. For example, the Persian people borrowed writing from the Assyrians, and the language they used was Aramaic. The modern varieties of Persian, called Farsi and Farsi-Kabuli (Dari), were formed thanks to the Arabic script. Religion and the book Avesta, which has the same great significance as the Koran or the Bible for modern peoples, played a significant role in their lives.

The Persians understood that they could not survive without water, so the sources they found had to be transferred. It was impossible to get it from rivers and lakes, so they came up with unique structures with the help of which they pumped water from the mountains. Having built underground channels, they used the elementary laws of physics, understanding the peculiarities of gravity. The water came from the foothills of Elbrus. Having a natural slope, it allowed water to flow through canals and reach the Persian Gulf. Vertical shafts were used to build canals, then tunnels were built. The total length of the tunnels could be from 20 to 40 kilometers. These are incredibly complex structures that even now are difficult to implement without knowledge of the material and technical base. The Persians had to take into account that water could erode the base, so the angle of inclination of the canals should not exceed a certain level. If the angle were too small, the water would stagnate. A competent approach allowed them to create a system in which water was abundant in an arid climate.

Architecture

The most significant achievements of the Persians are palaces and all kinds of architectural structures. A clear proof of this is Persepolis, where stone tents and huge columns were erected. It was the Persians who were the first to use glazed tiles; they decorated palaces with gold and silver, and used reliefs for decoration. Persian engineers independently invented a sewer system and built a canal connecting the Mediterranean and Red Seas. For the invasion of Greece, a pontoon bridge capable of supporting 70 thousand soldiers was used. Thus, in the matter of construction they still have no equal.

The Persian conquests allowed them to gain a lot of experience - they studied construction technology and developed engineering. That is why in the cities of Persia one can see signs of the influence of Assyria, the countries of Asia Minor and the Egyptian Empire. To build Pasargadae, craftsmen from all over the empire came to serve the king. Thanks to them, the capital became a city where one could enjoy magnificent paradisiacal parks. Many gardens and canals, luxurious cladding, numerous swimming pools - all this splendor adorned the capital. The Persians were considered landscape design geniuses, using hedges as decoration.
According to the description of contemporaries, in the palace of King Xerxes one could see beautiful sculptures, and the palace itself was a huge structure. Its main hall alone had an area of ​​3,600 square meters and was called the Hall of a Hundred Columns. The staircases had elaborate bas-reliefs demonstrating the processions of the people and the settlement of states.

Religion

The ancient Persians worshiped the great god Ahuramazda, who personified light and goodness. He was often depicted as a solar disk with large wings. Ahriman, the embodiment of evil, became the irreconcilable enemy of Ahuramazd. Interestingly, Ahriman also personified nomads.
Important role The prophet Zarathustra played a role in the formation of the religion, from whom the teaching of Zoroastrianism originated. In Persian society, priests were revered, following whose instructions, our planet at the time of the heyday of the Persian kingdom was 12 thousand years old. According to the Persians, the world was originally ruled by Ahuramazda. His reign lasted almost 3 thousand years and became a “golden age” in history. Then Ahriman came, bringing hunger, disease and death. A number of historians believe that in the eyes of the Persians, their kings brought good to the world, trying to save it from eternal suffering and give light.
The Persians also had pagan gods who ruled the sky, water and earth. The most significant of them was Mithra, personifying the sun.

Life

The life of the ancient Persians was subject to a strict life treasure. Political regulation in the empire was established quite well. Society was divided into a number of classes. It was based on peasants, artisans and traders.

Education played an important role in the Persian kingdom. There were many schools in which future masters were taught engineering. To this day, details have not been preserved about how exactly the education system was built, but it is known that people from the upper class became rulers of the provinces. In Persia they studied not only construction, but also medicine. The main role was played by the army, where young men were recruited for regular training and preparation for military campaigns.

Men often dedicated their lives to the army, spending entire days training. The striking force of the troops was the use of horse archers who rode chariots. In total, the army under Xerxes numbered 360,000 warriors and a special formation of elite soldiers called "immortals".

The most important thing in the life of every Persian was considered to adhere to customs. Noble people were very proud of their origin and tried in every possible way to emphasize it. Among the Achaemenid dynasty, the Behistun inscription began to appear for the first time, which indicated the greatness of the kings. For example, Darius I indicated that he was the king of countries inhabited by all peoples. Moreover, the tsar was proud of his achievements and constantly pointed out that it was under him that this or that object was built. For example, the Darius Channel.

Interesting fact for historians is that the Persians and their kings called themselves Aryans. Therefore, later the area where Persia was originally formed began to be called Iran.

Appearance

Cloth

The Persians' clothes were comfortable and warm enough. It had to cover the entire body, since Persia was originally located in a mountainous area.
Men wore leather and fur pants, caftans, tied with a belt. During the reign of Cyrus the Great, the Median costume became official. It was sewn from wool using thin threads. The Persians also used silk, and the main colors for a long time remained dark red and purple. The wide caftan had long flaps that needed to be belted. A characteristic feature of this caftan were very wide sleeves, sometimes different in color from the main part. Median costume was available only to high ranks and courtiers. Receiving a suit as a reward was considered honorable - it was perceived as a royal award.
According to Herodotus, the Persians sought to create unique outfits, admiring the costumes of the Lydians, Babylonians and Assyrians. A sign of closeness to the king was the blue and white bandage worn on the headdress.
The assumption about women's outfits is based on images painted on vases discovered on the territory Ancient Greece. It is believed that women wore clothes of variegated colors, the characteristic feature of which was the border. Women close to the king decorated their clothes with gold and wore royal tiaras.
Noble Persians allowed themselves kaftans decorated with pearls and pointed caps with beautiful patterns. The girls wore transparent capes over their dresses. Shoes or boots made of leather were chosen as footwear. Men's shoes were characterized by simplicity, while women's shoes were skillfully decorated with embroidery.
The main headdress of the courtiers was the hood. It was believed that he must close his mouth, otherwise the breath would reach the king, which was extremely undesirable. The tiaras depicted multi-petaled flowers, symbolizing the sun. Only a king could wear tiaras with such a sign, alternative option served as a kidaris, which is a pointed hat. A blue and white ribbon wrapped around her. From the Egyptians, the Persians inherited the custom of wearing beards and wigs. Special attention should be paid to the warriors' costume. It underwent significant changes under Cyrus the Great. It was Cyrus who ordered that warriors be dressed in armor, which served as a kind of hybrid of the uniforms of neighboring peoples.
The Persian warrior wore a shell and a helmet, and the military leaders covered it with the thinnest layer of gold and decorated it with feathers.

Traditions

The ancient Persians had many customs and traditions. Here are the most important ones:

• The king's servants could commit isolated crimes. No one had the right to punish them for this, not even the king himself;
• The father did not have the right to see his child until he was 5 years old;
• Masters had no right to be angry with servants if they behaved politely, so the master’s bad mood could not be considered a reason for bad behavior towards the servant;
• Noble men could have concubines and several wives;
• Customs and instructions for conducting funeral rites were to be kept in the strictest confidence;
• In Persia there were sacrifices, but people had no right to kill a living creature for fun or out of anger;
• In Persia there were magicians who identified themselves with priests. They were not held in high esteem by the population and even by the courtiers, but many were afraid of them, so they did not touch them;
• In Persia it was forbidden to lend money;
• The Persians believed that human sins could cause illness and negatively influence fate.

The Persians had good neighborly relations. They were interested in neighboring peoples, sought to establish trade and even start families. Strangers, whom “they had never heard of in the world,” were treated with suspicion. Thus, the existence of Indian tribes became news to many, although they were in no hurry to get to know the Indians. Those whom the Persians respected were greeted with a kiss. This is how they confirmed their status to each other when they met on the street.

Food

Persian cuisine has incorporated recipes from many peoples. It even contains a number of recipes from the Macedonians who took over Persia thanks to Alexander. Persian cuisine is divided into categories, the first of which is represented by the Iranians. They call Persian cuisine courtly, and its main feature is sauces.

1. The most common Persian dish was goulash with cinnamon, mint, and pomegranate fruits.
2. Thanks to the large number of gardens, the Persians could afford to eat the freshest fruits. They were served to the table along with meat and other dishes.
3. Fruits and vegetables could be stuffed with cinnamon, saffron or cardamom.
4. Among side dishes, the Persians preferred rice cooked with baked milk. This made it possible to obtain a golden crust, and the saffron added a unique aroma. Nowadays, Persian rice is served in many Iranian restaurants.
5. Desserts are prepared using rose water. Pistachios, assorted fruits and nuts were always added to them.
6. Fruit juice and rose water were used to make sherbet.
7. The influence of Persian cuisine is difficult to overestimate. She shaped the appearance of Moroccan, Indian and Iranian cuisines. As for sauces and spices, they are used everywhere. For example, for preparing soups, falafels, kebabs, fish, dolma.
8. Ancient recipes have been partially preserved, so famous chefs around the world use the recommended portions of spices to give dishes an exquisite taste.
9. Iranians often prepare Persian sweets, including glazed nuts, baklava, nougat gaz, and saffron ice cream.

The power of the Persian Empire was immense. Its people are recognized as perhaps the greatest of all that have ever existed in the history of mankind. Unfortunately, the wars with the Athenians completely destroyed the once powerful civilization. Only a small part of the Persian achievements has survived to this day. Their empire clearly shows that even the strongest warriors and brilliant politicians can be destroyed by evil fate. However, the greatness of Persia will inspire the whole world for a long time.

A lot of mysteries remain unsolved. The history of Ancient Persia remains very mysterious, so we suggest watching the video below, which tells about the most significant moments in the life of the ancient Persians.