Lecture 5

1. Lecture 5 Hist 100 World Civilization I Instructor: Dr. Donald R. Shaffer Upper Iowa University

2. Lecture 5Rise of the Persian Empire • The Persian Empire arose in what is today Iran • Much of the success of Alexander the Great arose from conquering this empire • Background • People of Iran: Indo-European • Coalesced from Medes and Persians • Medes: northern Iran • Persians: southern Iran • Medes conquered the Persians and joined the Babylonians in over-throwing the Neo-Assyrians • Cyrus the Great created the Persian Empire by overthrowing the Medes and then the Babylonian Persian Empire at its furthest extent

3. Lecture 5Persian Governance • The reason why the Persian Empire lasted much longer than the Neo-Assyrians was they governed conquered people more wisely • Persian governance model established by Cyrus the Great • Respected the autonomy of subject peoples, allowing them to retain their laws, language, and customs • In return, Persians demanded taxes and allegiance • Loyalty guaranteed by satrapies and road network Cyrus the Great (559-530 BCE)

4. Lecture 5Zoroastrianism (1) • The ancient religion of Persia, that although today having few adherents is believed to have been highly influential on major modern faiths, such as Judaism and Christianity • Zoroaster • Iranian religious thinker • Lived around 600 BCE • Like Jesus of Nazareth, little known about him outside of religious literature • In this case the Zend Avesta, a collection of hymns and poems • Also like Jesus, he proved highly influential Modern depiction of Zoroaster

5. Lecture 5Zoroastrianism (2) • Theology • Life is a battleground between the forces of good and evil • Ahura Mazda embodies good and Ahriman embodies evil • Ahura Mazda and Ahriman locked in a battle for control of humanity • People obligated to choose sides in this battle • Zoroaster promised Ahura Mazda would eventually win • Influence • Post-exile Jewish theology • Mithraism • Manicheism A “faravahar” or symbol for Ahura Mazda in Zoroastrianism

6. Lecture 5Classical Greek Origins: “Dark Age” Greece • It appears that after the end of the Mycenaean period that civilization went into decline from 1100 to 800 BCE • Literacy largely disappeared and living standards seem to have become more basic • Pots became more simply decorated • Smaller and fewer settlements • Scarcity of foreign artifacts suggests a collapse in international trade • Most common explanation for collapse is the Mycenaean’s overtaxed the environment • This dark period followed by a revival which ushered in Classical Age Greek civilization A Mycenaean Greek pot A “Dark Age” Greek pot

7. Lecture 5The Greek Polis • In classical Greece geography and economic realities helped determine social organization • Geography tended to isolate Greek population concentrations from each other • This led to decentralized government centered around the “polis” or city-state • Polis: a city-state in classical Greece and territory surrounding it that was under the city’s control • The Greek polis usually has a fortified center • Relations between different polis tended to be bad, although Greeks would readily unite to meet foreign invaders • Hoplites: citizen soldiers Plan of the polis of Miletus (c. 470 BCE)

8. Lecture 5Ancient Greece: Cultural Significance (1) • What makes it worth studying the Greeks is their enormous cultural significance • Classical Greece is considered to be the source of Western civilization • Greek Philosophy • Greek philosophers emphasized reason and inquiry • Although they probably not the first to do so, they systematized and taught their findings to an unprecedented extent • Socrates • Plato • Aristotle Socrates Plato Aristotle

9. Lecture 5Ancient Greece: Cultural Significance (2) • Politics: Cradle of Democracy • Greece, Athens specifically given credit as the birthplace of democracy • Democracy in Athens: developed gradually in the 6th and 5th century BCE • All adult males who had completed their military training could vote • It also was direct democracy in that all voters decided on laws, no representatives (impressive considering electorate ranged from 30,000-60,000 men) • Greek social structure: women, slaves, foreigners, and minors excluded Athens: birthplace of Democracy

10. Lecture 5Ancient Greece: Cultural Significance (3) • Other classical Greek cultural contributions • Science • Develops out of philosophy • Ex. Aristotle’s model of the universe will stand unchallenged for nearly 2000 years • Literature and Drama • The Iliad and the Odyssey continue to inspire, as do countless classical works of Greek literature • History • Besides being an important source on ancient Greece and the ancient world, Herodotus considered the father of History • Olympic Games: begun sometime in the 9th or 8th century BCE Herodotus Olympia

11. Lecture 5Spreading Greek Civilization • Greek civilization would not have its present significance had it not spread beyond Greece • Colonization • Greeks established colonies beyond the Greek homeland • Colonization made necessary by limited resources and population growth • Admired and propagated by later civilizations • Romans • Islamic scholars, whose writings will be a source of rediscovery of classical knowledge in Europe

12. Lecture 5Alexander the Great • Arguably the greatest practical propagator of Greek civilization was Alexander the Great • Son of Macedonian King Philip, he was the greatest conqueror of the ancient world • His empire stretched from Greece east into the Indus Valley • All the more amazing because his conquest only took about a decade • Although Macedonians considered uncouth by other Greeks, Alexander tutored by Aristotle himself

13. Lecture 5Hellenistic Civilization (1) • After Alexander’s sudden death in 323 BCE, there followed 43 years of conflict in which his generals and others vied to control his empire • Eventually, Alexander’s empire split in three parts • Selucid Kingdom: controlled the bulk of the eastern empire, including Persia, Mesopotamia, and Anatolia • Ptolemaic Kingdom: Egypt and Palestine • Antigonid Kingdom: Macedonia and Greece

14. Lecture 5Hellenistic Civilization (2) • Alexander and his successors sought to solidify their rule over his empire by importing Greeks to become the ruling class of the East • Many thousands of Greeks answered the call • Through the process of contact and intermarriage, the Greeks introduced their culture into the Near East • The result was acculturation: both groups influenced each other and the resulting Hellenistic culture was a mixture of Greek and local culture Coin depicting Ptolemy IV (222-204 BCE) Coin depicting Cleopatra (51-30 BCE)

15. Lecture 5Hellenistic Civilization (3) • There were limits of the spread of Greek culture in the East • Its impact was greatest on the wealthy and educated people • If one wanted to get ahead, one embraced Hellenism • Geographically • Strongest spread in the Mediterranean • Weakest in Persia • Cultural influences also went the other way • For example, as time went on many Greeks in Egypt embraced Egyptian culture and religion • Most entranced by eastern religion Sepphoris: Hellenized city not far from Nazareth (Jesus’ hometown)