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Questions and Answers
What was the main god of the Persians?
What was the main god of the Persians?
The Persian religion, Zoroastrianism, was a polytheistic religion.
The Persian religion, Zoroastrianism, was a polytheistic religion.
False
What was the name of the prophet who taught the religion of Zoroastrianism?
What was the name of the prophet who taught the religion of Zoroastrianism?
Zoroaster
The king of Persia would declare his actions in the name of _________.
The king of Persia would declare his actions in the name of _________.
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Match the following military hierarchy positions with their corresponding number of people:
Match the following military hierarchy positions with their corresponding number of people:
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What was the original name of the area where Persia was located?
What was the original name of the area where Persia was located?
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Xerxes was a direct descendant of Achaemenes.
Xerxes was a direct descendant of Achaemenes.
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Who established Media as a Persian Empire in 550 BC?
Who established Media as a Persian Empire in 550 BC?
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Xerxes lost the Western section of Asia Minor, including _______________, and gained an area in the East that belonged to the Saka people.
Xerxes lost the Western section of Asia Minor, including _______________, and gained an area in the East that belonged to the Saka people.
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What was the main source of economy in the Persian Empire under Xerxes?
What was the main source of economy in the Persian Empire under Xerxes?
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The Persian Empire under Xerxes stretched from India in the west to Egypt in the east.
The Persian Empire under Xerxes stretched from India in the west to Egypt in the east.
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Match the following Persian kings with their achievements:
Match the following Persian kings with their achievements:
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What was the significance of the king in the Persian Empire?
What was the significance of the king in the Persian Empire?
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The Persian Empire under Xerxes was roughly the size of modern-day _______________.
The Persian Empire under Xerxes was roughly the size of modern-day _______________.
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Xerxes was a highly successful Persian king according to historian Granger.
Xerxes was a highly successful Persian king according to historian Granger.
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Study Notes
Xerxes and the Persian Empire
- Main sources of information about Xerxes are Hellenocentric (Herodotus, Aeschylus, Xenophon, Ctesias) and Xerxes' own inscriptions, tablets, and images found at Persepolis.
- Key historians' views on Xerxes vary: Kent and Olmstead are critical, while Granger is supportive of Xerxes' decisions.
Historical Context
Geography and Resources of the Persian Empire
- The Persian Empire was originally called Media, and people who lived there were Medes.
- The empire was landlocked, located on a plateau-desert, which allowed for strong cavalry.
- The empire stretched from Asia Minor/Thrace in the west to India in the east, and from the Caspian Sea in the north to Egypt and Saudi Arabia in the south.
- The majority of the empire was desert, with a few fertile areas, including Ionia, the Nile River area, and the fertile crescent (Euphrates River in modern-day Iraq).
Achaemenid Dynasty
- Achaemenes was the first Persian King and founder of the Achaemenid Dynasty.
- Cyrus the Great, a descendant of Achaemenes, established the Persian Empire in 550 BC.
- Cyrus' children, Cambyses and Atossa, played important roles in the empire's expansion.
- Darius, a leading general and husband of Atossa, took over the empire after Cambyses' assassination in 525 BC.
Xerxes' Reign
- Xerxes took over the empire in 486 BC and ruled until his death.
- During his reign, the empire lost Western Asia Minor (including Ionia) but gained an area in the East belonging to the Saka people (including modern-day Afghanistan).
- The empire's economy under Xerxes was based on agriculture, livestock, mining, and trade.
Kingship in Persia
- The Persian king was seen as the most important person in the kingdom, responsible for administration, religion, military, and finances.
- The king was considered a god, and royal family members could become satraps (governors controlling a satrapy).
Religion in Persia
- Xerxes utilized Zoroastrianism, a monotheistic religion, to his interests, claiming to have the blessing of the main god Ahura-Mazda.
- Ahura-Mazda was depicted as a winged figure, similar to the king, in inscriptions.
- Xerxes used religion to justify his role as king, claiming to have divine authority.
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Description
Explore the historical sources and biases surrounding Xerxes I, including Hellenocentric accounts and primary sources from Persepolis. Learn about the perspectives of key historians such as Kent, Olmstead, and Granger.
