Persian Empire: History and Achievements

Persian Empire (550 BCE-334 BCE)

• Located in Western Asia, bordering Greece and Libya to the west, and West India to the east
• United under one government, three important sites of early human civilization: Mesopotamia, Egypt's Nile Valley, and India's Indus Valley
• Emperors: Cyrus the Great, known for leadership with compassion and tolerance, and Darius the Great, who expanded the empire to its height
• Darius the Great allowed people to keep their government and religion, built the Royal Road, created a standardized currency (Darics), and established set values by weights and measurements
• Culture: renowned for art in many forms, including metalwork, rock carvings, weaving, and architecture
• Language: the Persian language helped decode Cuneiform
• Capital city: Persepolis, known for its great architecture and relief store carvings
• Military: the Immortals, a 10,000-strong force
• Religion: Zoroastrianism, a monotheistic religion, with people free to practice their own religion

Chinese Empires

Shang Dynasty (1600-1050 BCE)

• Marked the beginning of Chinese civilization
• Characterized by its writing system, practice of divination, walled cities, bronze technology, and use of horse-drawn chariots

Zhou (Chou) Dynasty (1046-256 BCE)

• Hierarchical political and social system with the Zhou royal house at its apex
• Power was bestowed upon aristocratic families as lords of their domains or principalities
• Eventual breakdown into the Spring and Autumn period (ca. 770-475 BCE) and the Warring States period (ca. 475-221 BCE)
• Confucius (551-479 BCE) lived during this period

Qin (Ch'in) Dynasty (221-206 BCE)

• Created a unitary state with a centralized administration and standardized writing script, weights, and measures
• Known for harsh methods of rule, including the suppression of dissenting thought

Han Dynasty (206-220 BCE)

• Modified and consolidated the foundation of the imperial order
• Confucianism was established as orthodoxy, and open civil service examinations were introduced
• Han power reached Korea and Vietnam
• Records of the Historian, a model for subsequent official histories, was completed

Period of Disunity (220-589 CE)

• The empire was fragmented, with the North dominated by invaders and the South ruled by successive "Chinese" dynasties
• Buddhism spread during this period

Sui Dynasty (581-618 CE)

• China was reunified under Sui rule

Tang Dynasty (618-906 CE)

• A time of cosmopolitanism and cultural flowering, with the height of Buddhist influence in China
• Active territorial expansion until defeat by the Arabs at Talas in 751
• Foot binding began during this dynasty

Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE)

• Era of significant economic and social changes, including monetization of the economy and growth in commerce and maritime trade
• Urban expansion and technological innovations
• Examination system for bureaucratic recruitment of neo-Confucianism

Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368 CE)

• Founded by the Mongols as part of their conquest of much of the world
• Capital moved to Dadu (present-day Beijing)
• Dramas, such as the famous Story of the Western Wing, flourished

Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE)

• The first Ming emperor, Hongwu, laid the basis of an authoritarian political culture
• Gradual burgeoning of the commercial sector, important changes in the economy and social relations
• Vibrant literary scene, with publication of the novel Journey to the West
• Defined by intricate blue and white pottery and the finishing of the Great Wall

Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 CE)

• A Manchu dynasty
• Continued economic developments, leading to prosperity but also complacency and a dramatic increase in population
• Strains on the polity were intensified by a rapid incorporation of substantial new territories
• Authoritarian structure was subsequently unable to meet the military and cultural challenge of an expansive West

Republic Period (1912-1942 CE)

• Weak central government following the collapse of the dynastic system
• Western influence was shown by the promotion of "science" and "democracy" during the New Culture Movement
• Attempt of the Nationalist government to bring the entire country under its control was thwarted

People's Republic of China (1949 CE-Today)

• Communist government
• Drive for remaking society ended in disasters such as the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution
• Economic reform and political retrenchment since around 1978

Explore the history and achievements of the Persian Empire from 550 BCE to 334 BCE. Learn about key emperors such as Cyrus the Great and Darius the Great, their leadership styles, and contributions like the Royal Road.