Persian and Neo-Assyrian Empires

Neo-Assyrian and Persian Empires

• Neo-Assyrian Empire existed from 911 to 612 BCE
• Persians ruled from 560 to 331 BCE
• Both empires utilized military power for expansion and control
• Neo-Assyrians relied on constant harsh warfare and exploitation of conquered people
• Persians attempted cultural assimilation of conquered populations
• Both empires engaged in warfare to control trade networks
• Neo-Assyrian Empire used universal male conscription for its military
• Government officials in the Neo-Assyrian Empire held military titles
• The Neo-Assyrian military was meritocratic and professional
• Reliance on terror was a strategy of the Neo-Assyrian Empire
• The Neo-Assyrian Empire expanded to the Mediterranean in the 9th century BCE
• Tiglath Pileser III (r. 745–728 BCE) centralized control in the Neo-Assyrian Empire
• Deportation and forced labor were key strategies for the Neo-Assyrian Empire
• Unique imperial structure, deportation of labor, and belief that empires worked were defining features of the Neo-Assyrian Empire
• Neo-Assyrian Empire's rigid social hierarchy was notable
• The Persian Empire's rule was based on persuasion and mutual benefit (diplomacy), rather than brute force
• Persians were part of a nomadic Indo-European group
• Cyrus the Great united Persian tribes and defeated the Lydians
• Cyrus's conquests included southwestern Anatolia and the Greek city-states
• The Persian Empire borrowed ideology and institutions from other ancient peoples such as the Neo-Babylonians, Neo-Assyrians, and others
• Cyrus the Great presented himself as a benevolent ruler who liberated subjects from oppression
• Cyrus's victory in Babylon was seen as divine approval
• Darius I strengthened the Persian Empire and suppressed revolts
• The Persian Empire had a multicultural makeup
• Persians believed everyone within the empire to be equal
• Persian rulers used a standardized language (Aramaic) throughout their empire
• Provinces (satrapies) were ruled by satraps (governors) who were closely monitored
• Standardized currency, weights, and measures were implemented throughout the empire
• The Persian Empire had extensive building projects
• Royal roads stretched across their empire, covering 1600 miles, facilitating trade and communication
• Relay stations with fresh horses allowed for rapid communication
• The Persian Empire employed skilled craftsmen integrating various cultural influences into Persian style
• The palace at Persepolis served both as a visual display of power and propaganda

Social Structure in the Persian Empire

• The king held absolute authority
• Military elites wielded significant power and controlled land and peasants
• Most Persians were peasants who worked on the lands of the elites
• Enslaved people had limited rights and could engage in financial transactions and even own property
• Conquest led to the enslavement of people and relocation
• Most peasant families lived on small plots of land within their respective regions

Zoroastrianism

• Zoroastrianism originated in pastoral and tribal societies
• Zoroaster's teachings formed the basis of Zoroastrianism
• Zoroastrianism became the religion of the Persian Empire
• Zoroaster's teachings included concepts of good and evil