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THE ASSYRIAN (700-612 BCE) AND PERSIAN (559-360 BCE) EMPIRES

Assyrian warship. THE ASSYRIAN (700-612 BCE) AND PERSIAN (559-360 BCE) EMPIRES. Assyrian King Ashurbanipal Hunting Lions. ASSYRIA (700-612 BCE). Semitic-speaking people Used iron weapons to establish an empire. Modern reproduction of Assyrian sword and shield. GOVERNMENT.

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THE ASSYRIAN (700-612 BCE) AND PERSIAN (559-360 BCE) EMPIRES

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  1. Assyrian warship THE ASSYRIAN (700-612 BCE) AND PERSIAN (559-360 BCE) EMPIRES Assyrian King Ashurbanipal Hunting Lions

  2. ASSYRIA (700-612 BCE) • Semitic-speaking people • Used iron weapons to establish an empire Modern reproduction of Assyrian sword and shield

  3. GOVERNMENT • Ruled by kings with absolute power • Well-organized • Officials developed an efficient communication system • Sargon II was the most important leader Assyrian winged bull from Sargon’s palace

  4. ACCOMPLISHMENTS • Created one of the world’s finest libraries at Nineveh: Ashurbanipal • Established Aramaic as official language • Effective military • Assyrians had the first large armies equipped with iron weapons • Used guerilla warfare, various siege tactics, and terror Infantry Assyrian battering ram

  5. FALL OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE • The Chaldeans and Medes (people who lived in the east) joined together to conquer the Assyrians • The fall of Nineveh preceded the fall of the Assyrian Empire • They divided the empire Tablet detailing the destruction of Nineveh

  6. BETWEEN THE EMPIRES • Nebuchadnezzar • Chaldean King • Made Babylonia the strongest city in western Asia • Famous hanging gardens • Babylon fell to the Persians in 539 BC • This marked the end of the Mesopotamian empires • Persians adopted Assyrian military, political and artistic inventions Nebuchadnezzar faces off against King Zedekiah, the last king of Judah

  7. PERSIA (559 BCE- 360 BCE) • Persians • Indo-Europeans who lived in modern Iran • Mostly nomadic • Eventually united by one family (Achaemenids) • Contemporaries of Greeks • Persian Empire was massive and grew larger than the prior Mesopotamian empires • Established durable political and cultural traditions • Fertile farmland and thriving trade

  8. CYRUS THE GREAT – 559 BC • Created a powerful state through warfare • Indus River to Anatolia • Demonstrated wisdom, compassion, and mercy • Had a genuine respect for other cultures and practiced tolerance of local customs • Respected temples • Jews returned to Jerusalem

  9. DARIUS – 521 BCE • Bodyguard for Cambyses (son of Cyrus) and one of the Ten Thousand Immortals • Conqueror • Added part of India to Persian Empire • Conquered Thrace (in Europe) • Invaded Greek mainland • Halted at the Battle of Marathon • Created world’s largest empire at that time

  10. Government • Strengthened • Divided empire into 20 ethnic provinces • Satraps: Governor • Homelands • Created efficient communication system • Like the Assyrians, Darius had a secret spy force – “King’s Eyes and Ears” • The King had the power of life and death

  11. Military • Empire’s power depended upon the military • Included standing army of professional soldiers • cavalry and infantry • Effective road system

  12. XERXES • Son of Darius • Stopped rebellion in Egypt and attacked Greece • Greece • Battle of Thermopylae • Battle of Salamis • Was defeated and returned to Persia

  13. ZOROASTRIANISM • Persian religion Named after its prophet -- Zoroaster • Tenets • Proto-Monotheistic: Ahura Mazda • Humans play a role in the struggle between good and evil • Humans are given the freedom to choose between right and wrong • Modern Parsis

  14. FALL OF THE PERSIAN EMPIRE • Kings became isolated and focused on obtaining luxuries, following Darius • Struggles over the throne weakened the monarchy • Family problems • Eventually defeated by Alexander the Great Persian archer

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