Ch. 4 The Neo-Assyrian and Persian Empires PDF

The Neo-Assyrian and Persian Empires Empire in Southwest Asia: The Neo-Assyrian and Persian Empires World’s first experiments with true imperial control Neo-Assyrians 911 to 612 BCE Relied on military: constant harsh warfare and brutal exploitation of subjects Persians 560 tp 331 BCE A...

The Neo-Assyrian and Persian Empires Empire in Southwest Asia: The Neo-Assyrian and Persian Empires World’s first experiments with true imperial control Neo-Assyrians 911 to 612 BCE Relied on military: constant harsh warfare and brutal exploitation of subjects Persians 560 tp 331 BCE Attempted to assimilate conquered peoples Embraced cultural practices of subject populations (assimilated) Both engaged in warfare to establish control over trading networks The Neo-Assyrian Empire (911– 612 BCE) Military state with universal male conscription Government officials had military titles Meritocratic (meritocracy) professional army invested in military technology Reliance on terror Expansion into an empire Ninth century BCE: dominated lands all the way to Mediterranean Relied on advanced military techniques Concentration of power by Tiglath Pileser III (r. 745–728 BCE) - centralized control Integration and Control of the Empire Four defining features - Success of the Neo-Assyrian Empire Unique imperial structure Deportation and forced labor Belief that empires worked Rigid social hierarchy Structure of the Empire: Two Realms Two parts: “Land of Ashur”; “Land under the Yoke of Ashur” The core: Land of Ashur Area between Zagros Mountains and Euphrates River King’s appointees governed lands Responsible for supplying food to temple of national god, Ashur, manpower for god’s residence, and officials to carry out state business Land under the Yoke of Ashur: Tributary State Outside of Assyria proper and residents not considered Assyrians Had to supply tribute in form of gold and silver Wealth went to king for his own court and military costs Deportation and Forced Labor Incorporation of conquered peoples into military Relied on deportation to create large labor force Deportation and forced labor were key strategies employed by the Neo-Assyrian empire. As Neo-Assyrian conquests increased in scale and frequency, rulers dramatically expanded the military by incorporating conquered peoples into its ranks. Many of these groups were assigned special military functions. The Phoenicians, though not directly incorporated into the military, provided ships and sailors for Mediterranean battles. The Neo-Assyrian Empire required an enormous labor force, which it supplied by deporting massive numbers of conquered subjects. These peoples were forced to labor in the core Neo-Assyrian areas, especially in the construction of splendid imperial capitals. Neo-Assyrian Ideology and Propaganda Propaganda supported and justified the system of expansion, exploration, and inequality. Art showed a strong sense of divinely determined destiny, driving westward expansion Divinely sanctioned destiny in their expansion toward the Mediterranean The national god, Ashur, commanded all Assyrians to support the expansion of the empire. King, with aid of Ashur, conducted holy war to transform the entire known world to a well-regulated “Land of Ashur” Three-pronged propaganda program proclaimed Neo-Assyria’s triumph as inevitable: Elaborate architectural complexes Texts of king’s achievements Social Structure and Population The king topped the hierarchical structure and served as the sole agent of the god Ashur. Military elites were highly rewarded and became the noble class that controlled land and peasants. (Feudal System) Most Assyrians were peasants who worked the fields of the elites. Those enslaved because of debt had rights to marry free partners, engage in financial transactions, and own property, including enslaved people. Enslaved people acquired in conquest had no rights. Some peasants were relocated to work new lands, although free were attached to the land Most peasant families were small and lived on small plots of land. Neo-Assyrian Women Social norms governing gender relations were especially harsh and restrictive toward women - Patriarchal Society Women in Neo-Assyria were more restricted than in Sumerian or Old Babylonian times. Little control over their lives Inheritance passed through male line Highly restricted interactions with men outside the family Middle Assyrians introduced veiling in the thirteenth century BCE. Assyrian noble women were under the same norms but had a more comfortable life than commoners. Mother of the king gained some power and respect. Queen could serve as regent if son was not of age when he became king Summuramat ruled from 810–806 BCE The Instability of the Neo- Assyrian Empire Unstable because it required occupying armies over vast territories and a relentless propaganda machine Nobles became discontented, leading to civil war In 612 BCE, the Neo-Assyrian Empire collapsed with the conquest of Nineveh. Map 4.2 | The Neo-Assyrian Empire The Persian Empire (c. 560–331 BCE) Imperial rule based on persuasion and mutual benefit (diplomacy) vs. raw power (military) Persians part of nomadic group Indo-European language Arrived on Iranian plateau at the end of the second millennium BCE Expert horsemen with use of bows and arrows - military was dominated by the cavalry, rapid movement Cyrus the Great (r. 559–529 BCE) united Persian tribes and defeated the Lydians in southwestern Anatolia for resources and trade routes, then the Greek city- states on Aegean coast (access) No urban tradition; borrowed ideology and institutions from Neo-Babylonians, Neo-Assyrians, and other indigenous peoples The Integration of a Multicultural Empire (1 of 2) Cyrus the Great founded the Persian Empire. Presented image of a benevolent king who liberated his subjects from oppression Victory in Babylon “sign that the city’s gods had turned against its king” He released the Jews from their captivity there (which they had been put under by Nebuchadnezzar II in 587 BCE), after which they returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt their temple. The Greeks, observing this, viewed Cyrus as a model ruler. Darius I succeeded Cyrus and put the empire on solid footing. Suppressed revolts; Behistun inscription Conquered territories held by dozens of different ethnic groups between the Indus River and the Mediterranean and Aegean Sears Introduced dynamic administrative systems Made effective use of local tradition, economy, and rule rather than forcing Persian customs The Integration of a Multicultural Empire (2 of 2) Persians believed all in the empire were equal. Had to be loyal to king and pay tribute Used local languages, but Aramaic became official language of empire Established a system of provinces or satrapies, each ruled by a satrap (governor) Governors were closely monitored. Fixed taxation and formal tribute allocations Promoted trade throughout the empire Built roads Standardized currency, including coinage Standardized weights and measure Map 4.3 | The Persian Empire, 550–479 BCE Zoroastrianism, Ideology, and Social Structure ◦ Persian religious ideas came from pastoral and tribal roots. ◦ Teachings of Zoroaster (or Zarathustra), written down in the Avesta, third century BCE brought together the region’s traditional beliefs into a formal religious system. ◦ Zoroastrianism became the religion of the Persian Empire. ◦ The religion divided the gods and human choice (free will) between good and evil ◦ Ahura Mazda, the supreme god, created the world and all that was good. ◦ His adversary, Ahriman, was deceitful and wicked. ◦ Both gods were in a cosmic struggle for the universe. ◦ Zoroastrianism was not fatalistic; rather, it treated humans as independent actors capable of choosing between good and evil. ◦ Human choices had consequences which translated into rewards or punishments in the afterlife. Social Structure in the Persian Empire ◦ Persian kings enjoyed absolute authority. (absolute monarchy) ◦ Ruled through Divine Right - were perceived to be appointed by Ahura Mazda ◦ Kings were expected to follow moral and political guidelines of Zoroastrian notions. ◦ Kings had to display physical superiority: horsemanship and weapons handling. ◦ Persian social order divided into four large, diverse groups with well-defined roles: ◦ Ruling class of priests, nobles, and warriors ◦ Administrative and commercial class of scribes/bureaucrats and merchants ◦ Artisans ◦ Peasants ◦ Nobility and merchants supported the king. ◦ Royal gifts solidified relations between king and nobles ◦ Nobles ran the satrapies (provinces), merchants maintained a successful trade Public Works and Imperial Identity ◦ Public Works - Building projects helped unify the empire and consolidate imperial identity and strength ◦ Royal Roads - 1,600 miles from Anatolia to Iran to South Asia ◦ Followed age-old trade routes ◦ Traders, army, and royal couriers used road ◦ Subjects took tribute to king ◦ Other infrastructure built to connect periphery to center of empire ◦ Canal linking Red Sea to Nile River built by Darius ◦ Qanats, underground tunnels for water ◦ Uniquely Persian architectural style emerged ◦ Skilled craftsmen blended distinct cultural influences into new Persian style ◦ Large, open palaces center of political power ◦ Palace at Persepolis also served as visual propaganda ◦ Persians rule for 200+ years until falling to Alexander the Great in 331 Palace of Persepolis