Persian appearance. Ancient Persia - from tribe to empire

Persia is the ancient name of a country in Southwest Asia that has been officially called Iran since 1935.

In ancient times, Persia became the center of one of the greatest empires in history, which stretched from Egypt to the Indus River. It included all previous empires - the Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians and Hittites.

Persia arose in the 6th century BC. Until its conquest by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC, it occupied a dominant position in the Ancient World. Greek rule lasted about 100 years, and after its fall, the Persian power was revived under two local dynasties: the Arsacids (Parthian Kingdom) and the Sassanids (New Persian Kingdom). For more than 7 centuries they kept first Rome and then Byzantium at bay.

To the west of Persia is Mesopotamia, whose states (Sumer, Babylonia, Assyria) had a tremendous influence on the early culture of Persia.

It is known that the most ancient inhabitants of Iran had a different origin than the Persians and related peoples. During excavations in caves near the southern coast of the Caspian Sea, human skeletons dating back to the 8th millennium BC were found. In northwestern Iran, skulls of people who lived in the 3rd millennium BC were discovered. Scientists have proposed calling the indigenous population Caspians. Finds during excavations indicate that the tribes that inhabited this region were mainly engaged in hunting, then switched to cattle breeding, which was replaced by agriculture. The main settlements were Sialk, Gey-Tepe, Gissar, the largest was Susa, which soon became the capital of the Persian state.

The villages were distinguished by narrow streets and adobe dwellings. The dead were buried either under the floor of the house or in a cemetery in a crouched position. Later, large brick houses began to be built, objects were made from cast copper, and then from cast bronze.

The historical era begins on the Iranian plateau at the end of the 4th millennium BC. The largest of the peoples who lived on the eastern borders of Mesopotamia were the Elamites, who captured the ancient city of Susa. They founded the powerful and prosperous state of Elam there. Further north lived the Kassites, barbarian tribes of horsemen. By the middle of the 2nd millennium BC they conquered Babylonia.

From the 2nd millennium BC, invasions of tribes from Central Asia began on the Iranian plateau. These were the Aryans, the Indo-Iranian tribes who gave Iran its name (“homeland of the Aryans”). One group of Aryans settled in the west of the Iranian plateau, where they founded the state of Mitanni, another group - in the south among the Kassites.

At the beginning of the 1st millennium BC, a second wave of aliens rushed to the Iranian plateau. These were the Iranian tribes themselves - Sogdians, Scythians, Sakas, Parthians, Bactrians, Medes and Persians. Many of them left the highlands, and only the Medes and Persians settled in the valleys of the Zagros range. The Medes settled in the vicinity of Ecbatana (modern Hamadan). The Persians settled somewhat further south.

The Median kingdom gradually gained strength. In 612 BC, the Median king Cyaxares entered into an alliance with Babylonia, captured Nineveh and crushed the Assyrian power. However, the power of the Medes did not last longer than two generations.

Even under the Medes, the Achaemenid dynasty began to dominate Pars. In 553 BC, Cyrus II the Great, the Achaemenid ruler of Parsa, rebelled against the Median king Astyages, who was the son of Cyaxares. As a result of the uprising, a powerful alliance of Medes and Persians was created. The new power was a threat to the entire Middle East. In 546 BC, the king of Lydia, Croesus, decided to defeat the power of Cyrus. The Babylonians, Egyptians and Spartans volunteered to help him with this.

There is a legend according to which an oracle predicted to the Lydian king that the war would end in the collapse of the great state. Croesus was so happy that he did not even ask which state he meant.

Cyrus won, who later occupied Babylonia, and by the end of his reign expanded the borders of the state from the Mediterranean Sea to the east of the Iranian Plateau. The capital was the city of Pasargadae. Cyrus's son, Cambyses, captured Egypt and proclaimed himself pharaoh.

The greatest of the Persian kings was Darius. During his reign, the northwestern part of India up to the Indus River and Armenia up to the Caucasus Mountains came under Persian rule. Darius also organized a campaign in Thrace, but the Scythians repelled his attack. During the reign of Darius, the Greeks in western Asia Minor rebelled. This uprising marked the beginning of the struggle against the Persian kingdom. It ended only a century and a half later due to the fall of the Persian kingdom under the blows of Alexander the Great.

The Persians became one of the greatest peoples in human history thanks to their engineering achievements and advanced military science. They managed to create an empire superior in power to all others. The contribution of the Persian people to world culture cannot be overestimated, because it was they who created palaces, engineering structures and were one of the first to master shipbuilding.

Story

The history of Persia is divided into several stages, the most important of which was the formation of the capital Persepolis. However, history teaches that it is impossible to achieve prosperity through war alone. That is why the Persian kings sought to build cities and water canals. And in this they have achieved great success.

Having learned about the achievements of the Persians, the neighboring tribes decided to swear allegiance to Achaemen, who then ruled the great people. In the 6th century BC. Cyrus the Great began to rule the Persians, under whom the Persian Empire achieved its greatest prosperity. The power of this ruler lay not only in his knowledge of military affairs, but also in politics. His influence was recognized by the Jewish people, and the Greeks and Ionians considered Cyrus a true benefactor.
Historians agree that the empire created by Cyrus the Great was the largest in the ancient world. The ruler's plans were to conquer the whole world. Before this, he decided to build the capital of Pasargadae (also Pasargadae), in which all the most daring projects were implemented.

The peculiarity of Cyrus was his attitude towards the conquered peoples, which was unthinkable by the standards of that time. While conquering new lands, the ruler did not order people to be driven into slavery. People had the right to preserve their own faith and observe rituals. Such political regulation is explained by foresight - while maintaining comfortable living conditions and the absence of restrictions on religion, there was no need for people to resist. On the contrary, they only contributed to strengthening the power of the Persian king. Subsequently, Cyrus managed to conquer Babylon, although its inhabitants themselves recognized the king as a liberator. The Persian king needed Babylon as a buffer state to get closer to Egypt. Interestingly, the Jewish people considered Cyrus to be the messiah. However, being a commander, he had to constantly participate in hostilities, which ultimately led to his death.

With the death of Cyrus the Great, a dark time begins in the history of Persia. The throne could not remain empty for long, so a fierce struggle began for it. Not only Persia was frightened, but also everyone who had any relations with the empire. Once again, the place of ruler is taken by a commander who is a distant relative of Cyrus. We are talking about Darius, who became famous throughout Persia not only as a great warrior, but also as a brilliant king. Without exaggeration, he was a worthy successor to the work of Cyrus.

First of all, Darius orders to rebuild Susa, which turns into one of the most beautiful cities of the Persian kingdom, as even the Bible mentions. Darius decides to build a new capital - Persepolis, which became a unique city at that time, embodying amazing engineering ideas. Once again, the Persian kings show themselves to be complacent by paying workers compensation for their labor. When paying, gender, qualifications and physical abilities were taken into account. As a result, under Darius, the Persian Empire becomes huge and stretches from Egypt to India. To link the country together, a road of crushed stone and gravel is created. The Persians took into account the need to lay an embankment in order to eliminate the negative impact of groundwater.

During his reign, Darius faced revolts. So, he was resisted by Athens and Corinth, who united their troops. Oddly enough, the Persian army loses, and Darius himself decides to return to his native land. As a result, he suffers the same fate as his relative - 486 BC. becomes the last year of the reign of Darius, who dies during the campaign. However, the king turns out to be wise enough to name a successor in advance. He becomes the famous Xerxes.

He continues to fight with the Athenians, but suffers a crushing defeat, and his successor Artaxerxes decides not to go on military campaigns, but to prove himself as a king-builder. However, the enemies of Persia did not waste time, and an uprising was already beginning in Egypt. 4th century BC marked the end of the Persian Empire. After the death of Artaxerxes, a period of anarchy began. Finally, Darius the Third comes to power, meanwhile a new great ruler is born - Alexander. It was he who conquered Persia and glorified it in every possible way, taking the daughter of Darius the Third as his wife. The influence of Persia on Alexander turns out to be so strong that he proclaims himself part of the Achaemenid dynasty. In total, the Persian Empire lasted about 2,700 years.

Culture

The Persians were known as great conquerors and engineers, but they had to take culture from other peoples. For example, the Persian people borrowed writing from the Assyrians, and the language they used was Aramaic. Modern versions of the Persian language, called Farsi and Farsi-Kabuli (Dari), were formed thanks to the Arabic script. Religion and the book “Avesta,” which has the same great significance as the Koran or the Bible for modern peoples, played a significant role in their lives.

The Persians understood that they could not survive without water, so the sources they found had to be transferred. It was impossible to get it from rivers and lakes, so they came up with unique structures with the help of which they pumped water from the mountains. Having built underground channels, they used the elementary laws of physics, understanding the peculiarities of gravity. The water came from the foothills of Elbrus. Having a natural slope, it allowed water to flow through canals and reach the Persian Gulf. Vertical shafts were used to build canals, then tunnels were built. The total length of the tunnels could be from 20 to 40 kilometers. These are incredibly complex structures that even now are difficult to implement without knowledge of the material and technical base. The Persians had to take into account that water could erode the base, so the angle of inclination of the canals should not exceed a certain level. If the angle were too small, the water would stagnate. A competent approach allowed them to create a system in which water was abundant in an arid climate.

Architecture

The most significant achievements of the Persians are palaces and all kinds of architectural structures. A clear proof of this is Persepolis, where stone tents and huge columns were erected. It was the Persians who were the first to use glazed tiles; they decorated palaces with gold and silver, and used reliefs for decoration. Persian engineers independently invented a sewer system and built a canal connecting the Mediterranean and Red Seas. For the invasion of Greece, a pontoon bridge capable of supporting 70 thousand soldiers was used. Thus, in the matter of construction they still have no equal.

The Persian conquests allowed them to gain a lot of experience - they studied construction technology and developed engineering. That is why in the cities of Persia one can see signs of the influence of Assyria, the countries of Asia Minor and the Egyptian Empire. To build Pasargadae, craftsmen from all over the empire came to serve the king. Thanks to them, the capital became a city where one could enjoy magnificent paradisiacal parks. Many gardens and canals, luxurious cladding, numerous swimming pools - all this splendor adorned the capital. The Persians were considered landscape design geniuses, using hedges as decoration.
According to the description of contemporaries, in the palace of King Xerxes one could see beautiful sculptures, and the palace itself was a huge structure. Its main hall alone had an area of ​​3,600 square meters and was called the Hall of a Hundred Columns. The staircases had elaborate bas-reliefs demonstrating the processions of the people and the settlement of states.

Religion

The ancient Persians worshiped the great god Ahuramazda, who personified light and goodness. He was often depicted as a solar disk with large wings. Ahriman, the embodiment of evil, became the irreconcilable enemy of Ahuramazd. Interestingly, Ahriman also personified nomads.
The prophet Zarathustra played an important role in the formation of religion, from whom the teaching of Zoroastrianism originated. In Persian society, priests were revered, following whose instructions, our planet at the time of the heyday of the Persian kingdom was 12 thousand years old. According to the Persians, the world was originally ruled by Ahuramazda. His reign lasted almost 3 thousand years and became a “golden age” in history. Then Ahriman came, bringing hunger, disease and death. A number of historians believe that in the eyes of the Persians, their kings brought good to the world, trying to save it from eternal suffering and give light.
The Persians also had pagan gods who ruled the sky, water and earth. The most significant of them was Mithra, personifying the sun.

Life

The life of the ancient Persians was subject to a strict life treasure. Political regulation in the empire was established quite well. Society was divided into a number of classes. It was based on peasants, artisans and traders.

Education played an important role in the Persian kingdom. There were many schools in which future masters were taught engineering. To this day, details have not been preserved about how exactly the education system was built, but it is known that people from the upper class became rulers of the provinces. In Persia they studied not only construction, but also medicine. The main role was played by the army, where young men were recruited for regular training and preparation for military campaigns.

Men often dedicated their lives to the army, spending entire days training. The striking force of the troops was the use of horse archers who rode chariots. In total, the army under Xerxes numbered 360,000 warriors and a special formation of elite soldiers called "immortals".

The most important thing in the life of every Persian was considered to adhere to customs. Noble people were very proud of their origin and tried in every possible way to emphasize it. Among the Achaemenid dynasty, the Behistun inscription began to appear for the first time, which indicated the greatness of the kings. For example, Darius I indicated that he was the king of countries inhabited by all peoples. Moreover, the king was proud of his achievements and constantly pointed out that it was under him that this or that object was built. For example, the Darius Channel.

An interesting fact for historians is that the Persians and their kings called themselves Aryans. Therefore, later the area where Persia was originally formed began to be called Iran.

Appearance

Cloth

The Persians' clothes were comfortable and warm enough. It had to cover the entire body, since Persia was originally located in a mountainous area.
Men wore leather and fur pants, caftans, tied with a belt. During the reign of Cyrus the Great, the Median costume became official. It was sewn from wool using thin threads. The Persians also used silk, and the main colors for a long time remained dark red and purple. The wide caftan had long flaps that needed to be belted. A characteristic feature of this caftan were very wide sleeves, sometimes different in color from the main part. Median costume was available only to high ranks and courtiers. Receiving a suit as a reward was considered honorable - it was perceived as a royal award.
According to Herodotus, the Persians sought to create unique outfits, admiring the costumes of the Lydians, Babylonians and Assyrians. A sign of closeness to the king was the blue and white bandage worn on the headdress.
The assumption about women's outfits is based on images painted on vases discovered on the territory of Ancient Greece. It is believed that women wore clothes of variegated colors, the characteristic feature of which was the border. Women close to the king decorated their clothes with gold and wore royal tiaras.
Noble Persians allowed themselves kaftans decorated with pearls and pointed caps with beautiful patterns. The girls wore transparent capes over their dresses. Shoes or boots made of leather were chosen as footwear. Men's shoes were characterized by simplicity, while women's shoes were skillfully decorated with embroidery.
The main headdress of the courtiers was the hood. It was believed that he must close his mouth, otherwise the breath would reach the king, which was extremely undesirable. The tiaras depicted multi-petaled flowers, symbolizing the sun. Only the king could wear tiaras with such a sign; an alternative option was the kidaris, which was a pointed hat. A blue and white ribbon wrapped around her. From the Egyptians, the Persians inherited the custom of wearing beards and wigs. Special attention should be paid to the warriors' costume. It underwent significant changes under Cyrus the Great. It was Cyrus who ordered that warriors be dressed in armor, which served as a kind of hybrid of the uniforms of neighboring peoples.
The Persian warrior wore a shell and a helmet, and the military leaders covered it with the thinnest layer of gold and decorated it with feathers.

Traditions

The ancient Persians had many customs and traditions. Here are the most important ones:

• The king's servants could commit isolated crimes. No one had the right to punish them for this, not even the king himself;
• The father did not have the right to see his child until he was 5 years old;
• Masters had no right to be angry with servants if they behaved politely, so the master’s bad mood could not be considered a reason for bad behavior towards the servant;
• Noble men could have concubines and several wives;
• Customs and instructions for conducting funeral rites were to be kept in the strictest confidence;
• In Persia there were sacrifices, but people had no right to kill a living creature for fun or out of anger;
• In Persia there were magicians who identified themselves with priests. They were not held in high esteem by the population and even by the courtiers, but many were afraid of them, so they did not touch them;
• In Persia it was forbidden to lend money;
• The Persians believed that human sins could cause illness and negatively influence fate.

The Persians had good neighborly relations. They were interested in neighboring peoples, sought to establish trade and even start families. Strangers, whom “they had never heard of in the world,” were treated with suspicion. Thus, the existence of Indian tribes became news to many, although they were in no hurry to get to know the Indians. Those whom the Persians respected were greeted with a kiss. This is how they confirmed their status to each other when they met on the street.

Food

Persian cuisine has incorporated recipes from many peoples. It even contains a number of recipes from the Macedonians who took over Persia thanks to Alexander. Persian cuisine is divided into categories, the first of which is represented by the Iranians. They call Persian cuisine courtly, and its main feature is sauces.

1. The most common Persian dish was goulash with cinnamon, mint, and pomegranate fruits.
2. Thanks to the large number of gardens, the Persians could afford to eat the freshest fruits. They were served to the table along with meat and other dishes.
3. Fruits and vegetables could be stuffed with cinnamon, saffron or cardamom.
4. Among side dishes, the Persians preferred rice cooked with baked milk. This made it possible to obtain a golden crust, and the saffron added a unique aroma. Nowadays, Persian rice is served in many Iranian restaurants.
5. Desserts are prepared using rose water. Pistachios, assorted fruits and nuts were always added to them.
6. Fruit juice and rose water were used to make sherbet.
7. The influence of Persian cuisine is difficult to overestimate. She shaped the appearance of Moroccan, Indian and Iranian cuisines. As for sauces and spices, they are used everywhere. For example, for preparing soups, falafels, kebabs, fish, dolma.
8. Ancient recipes have been partially preserved, so famous chefs around the world use the recommended portions of spices to give dishes an exquisite taste.
9. Iranians often prepare Persian sweets, including glazed nuts, baklava, nougat gaz, and saffron ice cream.

The power of the Persian Empire was immense. Its people are recognized as perhaps the greatest of all that have ever existed in the history of mankind. Unfortunately, the wars with the Athenians completely destroyed the once powerful civilization. Only a small part of the Persian achievements has survived to this day. Their empire clearly shows that even the strongest warriors and brilliant politicians can be destroyed by evil fate. However, the greatness of Persia will inspire the whole world for a long time.

A lot of mysteries remain unsolved. The history of Ancient Persia remains very mysterious, so we suggest watching the video below, which tells about the most significant moments in the life of the ancient Persians.

Persia (which country is now, you can find out from the article) existed more than two thousand years ago. It is known for its conquests and culture. Many peoples ruled on the territory of the ancient state. But they could not eradicate the culture and traditions of the Aryans.

From the middle of the sixth century BC, the Persians appeared on the stage of world history. Until this time, residents of the Middle East had heard very little about this mysterious tribe. They became known only after they began to seize lands.

Cyrus the Second, king of the Persians from the Achaemenid dynasty, was able to quickly capture Media and other states. His well-armed army began preparations to march against Babylon.

At this time, Babylon and Egypt were at enmity with each other, but when a strong enemy appeared, they decided to forget about the conflict. Babylon's preparation for war did not save it from defeat. The Persians captured the cities of Opis and Sippar, and then took control of Babylon without a fight. Cyrus the Second decided to further advance to the East. In a war with nomadic tribes, he died in 530 BC.

The successors of the deceased king, Cambyses the Second and Darius the First, managed to capture Egypt. Darius was able not only to strengthen the eastern and western borders of the power, but also to expand them from the Aegean Sea to India, as well as from the lands of Central Asia to the banks of the Nile. Persia absorbed the famous world civilizations of the ancient world and ruled them until the fourth century BC. Alexander the Great was able to conquer the empire.

Second Persian Empire

The Macedonian soldiers took revenge on the Persians for the destruction of Athens by burning Persepolis to ashes. At this point, the Achaemenid dynasty ceased to exist. Ancient Persia fell under the humiliating rule of the Greeks.

It was only in the second century BC that the Greeks were expelled. The Parthians did this. But they were not allowed to rule for long; Artaxerxes overthrew them. The history of the second Persian power began with him. In another way, it is usually called the power of the Sassanid dynasty. Under their rule, the Achaemenid Empire is revived, albeit in a different form. Greek culture is being replaced by Iranian culture.

In the seventh century, Persia lost its power and was incorporated into the Arab Caliphate.

Life in Ancient Persia through the eyes of other peoples

The life of the Persians is known from works that have survived to this day. These are mainly the works of the Greeks. It is known that Persia (what the country is now can be found out below) very quickly conquered the territories of ancient civilizations. What were the Persians like?

They were tall and physically strong. Life in the mountains and steppes made them hardened and resilient. They were famous for their courage and unity. In everyday life, the Persians ate moderately, did not drink wine, and were indifferent to precious metals. They wore clothes made from animal skins and covered their heads with felt caps (tiaras).

During the coronation, the ruler had to put on the clothes that he wore before becoming king. He was also supposed to eat dried figs and drink sour milk.

The Persians had the right to live with several wives, not counting concubines. Closely related ties were acceptable, for example, between an uncle and a niece. Women were not supposed to show themselves to strangers. This applied to both wives and concubines. Proof of this is the surviving reliefs of Persepolis, which do not contain images of the fair sex.

Persian achievements:

• good roads;
• minting your own coins;
• creation of gardens (paradises);
• The cylinder of Cyrus the Great is a prototype of the first charter of human rights.

Previously Persia, but now?

It is not always possible to say exactly which state is located on the site of an ancient civilization. The world map has changed hundreds of times. Changes are happening even today. How to understand where Persia was? What is the country in its place now?

Modern states on whose territory there was an empire:

• Egypt.
• Lebanon.
• Iraq.
• Pakistan.
• Georgia.
• Bulgaria.
• Türkiye.
• Parts of Greece and Romania.

These are not all the countries that are related to Persia. However, Iran is most often associated with the ancient empire. What is this country and its people like?

Iran's mysterious past

The name of the country is the modern form of the word "Ariana", which translates as "land of the Aryans". Indeed, from the first millennium BC, Aryan tribes inhabited almost all the lands of modern Iran. Part of this tribe moved to Northern India, and part went to the northern steppes, calling themselves Scythians and Sarmatians.

Later, strong kingdoms emerged in Western Iran. One of these Iranian formations was Media. It was subsequently captured by the army of Cyrus the Second. It was he who united the Iranians in his empire and led them to conquer the world.

How does modern Persia live (what country is it now, it became clear)?

Life in modern Iran through the eyes of foreigners

For many ordinary people, Iran is associated with revolution and the nuclear program. However, the history of this country spans more than two thousand years. It has absorbed different cultures: Persian, Islamic, Western.

Iranians have elevated pretense to a true art of communication. They are very courteous and sincere, but this is only the outer side. In fact, behind their obsequiousness lies the intention to find out all the plans of their interlocutor.

Former Persia (now Iran) was captured by the Greeks, Turks, and Mongols. At the same time, the Persians were able to preserve their traditions. They know how to get along with strangers, their culture is characterized by a certain flexibility - taking the best from the traditions of strangers without abandoning their own.

Iran (Persia) was under Arab rule for centuries. At the same time, its inhabitants were able to preserve their language. Poetry helped them with this. Most of all they honor the poet Ferdowsi, and Europeans remember Omar Khayyam. The preservation of culture was facilitated by the teachings of Zarathustra, which appeared long before the Arab invasion.

Although Islam now plays a leading role in the country, Iranians have not lost their national identity. They remember well their centuries-old history.