Persian appearance. Ancient Persia - from tribe to empire

Persia is the ancient name of a country in Southwest Asia, 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 - Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians and Hittites.

Persia emerged in the 6th century BC. Until the conquest by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC, it occupied a dominant position in the ancient world. Greek domination lasted about 100 years, and after its fall, the Persian state was revived under two local dynasties: the Arshakids (Parthian kingdom) and the Sassanids (New Persian kingdom). For more than 7 centuries, they kept Rome in fear, and then Byzantium.

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

It is known that the most ancient inhabitants of Iran had a different origin than the Persians and their kindred peoples. During excavations in caves near the southern coast of the Caspian Sea, skeletons of people dated to the 8th millennium BC were found. In the northwest of Iran, the skulls of people who lived in the III millennium BC were discovered. Scientists have suggested calling the indigenous population the Caspians. The finds during the 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, Goy-Tepe, Gissar, the largest were 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 the cemetery in a crooked 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, a barbarian tribe of horsemen. By the middle of the II millennium BC, they conquered Babylonia.

From the II millennium BC, invasions of tribes from Central Asia began on the Iranian Highlands. 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 Highlands, where they founded the state of Mitanni, the other group - in the south among the Kassites.

At the beginning of the 1st millennium BC, a second wave of aliens flooded the Iranian plateau. These were actually Iranian tribes - Sogdians, Scythians, Saks, 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 to the 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 Media did not last longer than the life of 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 the Medes and Persians was created. The new power was a thunderstorm for the entire Middle East. In 546 BC, the king of Lydia Croesus decided to defeat the power of Cyrus. In this he volunteered to help the Babylonians, Egyptians and Spartans.

There is a legend according to which an oracle predicted to the Lydian king that the war would end with the collapse of a great state. Croesus was so delighted 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 Highlands. The capital was the city of Pasargad. The son of Cyrus, 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 to the Caucasus Mountains, passed under the rule of Persia. 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 was the beginning of the struggle against the Persian kingdom. It ended only after a century and a half due to the fall of the Persian kingdom under the blows of Alexander the Great.

The Persians became one of the greatest peoples in the history of mankind thanks to engineering achievements and advanced military science. They managed to create an empire that surpasses all others in power. The contribution of the Persian people to world culture cannot be overestimated, because it was he who created palaces, engineering structures and was 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 prosperity cannot be achieved by war alone. That is why the Persian kings sought to build cities and water channels. 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 a great people. In the 6th century BC. Cyrus the Great began to rule the Persians, under which the Persian Empire reached its highest prosperity. The power of this ruler was not only in the knowledge of military affairs, but also in politics. His influence was recognized by the Jewish people, and the Greeks and Ionians considered Cyrus to be a true benefactor.
Historians agree that the empire created by Cyrus the Great was the largest in the ancient world. The plans of the ruler was to conquer the whole world. Before that, he decided to build the capital of Pasargada (also Pasargad), in which all the most daring projects were implemented.

A feature of Cyrus was an unthinkable attitude towards the conquered peoples by the standards of that time. Conquering new lands, the ruler did not order people to be driven into slavery. People had the right to keep their own faith, to observe rituals. Such political regulation is explained by far-sightedness - 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. In the future, Cyrus managed to conquer Babylon, although its inhabitants themselves recognized the king as a liberator. Babylon was required by the Persian king as a buffer state in order 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 be empty for a long time, so a fierce struggle begins for it. Not only Persia was frightened, but also everyone who had any relationship with the empire. Again, the place of the ruler is taken by the 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 cause of Cyrus.

First of all, Darius orders to rebuild Susa, which turns into one of the most beautiful cities of the Persian kingdom, which even the Bible mentions. Darius decides to build a new capital - Persepolis, which became a unique city for those times, which embodied amazing engineering ideas. Once again, the Persian kings show themselves complacent, paying workers remuneration for their work. Gender, qualifications and physical abilities were taken into account when paying. As a result, under Darius, the Persian Empire becomes huge and stretches from Egypt to India. To tie the country together, a road of rubble and gravel is being 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 rebellions. So, Athens and Corinth resisted him, which united in 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 is wise enough to name a successor in advance. The famous Xerxes becomes them.

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 builder king. 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, Alexander, is born. It is he who conquers Persia and glorifies it in every possible way, taking the daughter of Darius the Third as his wife. The influence of Persia on Alexander is 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 Aramaic language was used. Modern versions of the Persian language, called Farsi and Farsi-Kabuli (Dari), were formed thanks to the Arabic script. A significant role in their lives was played by religion and the book "Avesta", which has the same great significance as the Koran or the Bible for modern peoples.

The Persians understood that it was impossible to survive without water, so the sources found had to be transferred. It was impossible to get it from rivers and lakes, so they came up with unique structures with which they pumped water from the mountains. Having built underground channels, they used the elementary laws of physics, understanding the peculiarities of the action of gravity. Water came from the foothills of Elbrus. Having a natural slope, it allowed water to flow through the channels 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, which even now are difficult to implement without knowledge of the material and technical base. The Persians had to take into account that water can erode the base, so the angle of inclination of the channels should not exceed a certain mark. If the angle were too small, then the water would stagnate. A smart 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. Persepolis is a striking proof of this, in which stone tents and huge columns were erected. It was the Persians who first began to use glazed tiles, they decorated palaces with gold and silver, used reliefs for decoration. Persian engineers independently invented the sewer system, built a canal connecting the Mediterranean and Red Seas. For the invasion of Greece, a pontoon bridge was used, capable of withstanding 70 thousand soldiers. Thus, they still have no equal in the construction business.

The conquests of the Persians 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. For the construction of Pasargada, craftsmen from all over the empire came to serve the king. Thanks to them, the capital became a city where one could enjoy magnificent parks-paradisias. Many gardens and canals, luxurious cladding, numerous pools - all this splendor adorned the capital. The Persians were considered landscape design geniuses, using hedges as decorations.
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. Only its front hall had an area of ​​3600 square meters and was called the hall of a hundred columns. The stairs had skillful bas-reliefs, showing 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. Ahuramazd's implacable enemy was Ahriman, the embodiment of evil. Interestingly, Ahriman also personified the nomads.
An important role in the formation of religion was played by the prophet Zarathustra, from whom the teaching of Zoroastrianism came. 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, Ahuramazda ruled the world from the very beginning. His reign lasted almost 3 thousand years and became the "golden age" in history. Then came Ahriman, bringing famine, sickness, 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 well established. Society was divided into a number of estates. It was based on peasants, artisans and merchants.

Education played an important role in the Persian kingdom. There were many schools in which future masters were taught engineering. To this day, no details have been preserved about how exactly the education system was built, but it is known that people from the upper class became the rulers of the provinces. In Persia, they studied not only construction, but also comprehended medicine. The main role was played by the army, where young men were recruited for regular training and preparation for military campaigns.

Men often devoted their lives to the army, spending whole days in training. The striking force of the troops consisted in the use of horse archers who rode chariots. In total, the army under Xerxes consisted of 360,000 warriors and a special formation of elite soldiers, who were nicknamed "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 tsar was proud of his achievements and constantly pointed out that it was under him that this or that object was built. For example, the Channel of Darius.

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

Appearance

clothing

The clothes of the Persians were comfortable and quite warm. It had to cover the whole 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 skirts that needed to be girdled. A characteristic feature of such a caftan was very wide sleeves, sometimes differing in color from the main part. Median costume was available only to the highest ranks and courtiers. It was considered honorable to receive a suit as a reward - 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 proximity to the king was a blue and white bandage worn on a headdress.
The assumption about women's outfits is based on images printed on vases found 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 caftans decorated with pearls, pointed caps with beautiful patterns. The girls wore transparent capes over their outfits. 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 a hood. It was believed that he must necessarily close his mouth, otherwise the breath would reach the king, which was highly undesirable. Tiaras depicted multi-petal flowers, symbolizing the sun. Only the king could wear tiaras with such a sign; an alternative option was the kidaris, which is a pointed hat. A blue and white ribbon was wrapped around it. From the Egyptians, the Persians inherited the custom of wearing beards and wigs. Special attention should be paid to the costume of warriors. It underwent significant changes under Cyrus the Great. It was Cyrus who ordered the warriors to be dressed in armor, which served as a kind of hybrid of the uniforms of neighboring peoples.
The Persian warrior wore a shell, a helmet, and the commanders covered it with the thinnest layer of gold and decorated it with feathers.

Traditions

The customs and traditions of the ancient Persians were many. 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 had no right to see his child until the age of 5;
• The masters had no right to be angry with the servants if they behaved courteously, 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;
• There were sacrifices in Persia, but for fun or out of anger, people did not have the right to kill a living creature;
• In Persia, there were magicians who identified themselves with the priests. They were not held in high esteem by the population and even by the courtiers, but many were afraid of them, therefore they did not touch them;
• In Persia it was forbidden to lend money;
• The Persians believed that human sins can cause ailments and badly affect fate.

The Persians had good neighborly relations. They were interested in neighboring peoples, sought to establish trade and even create families. Strangers, on the other hand, who were “not heard of in the world”, were treated with suspicion. So, the existence of Indian tribes was news to many, although they were in no hurry to get acquainted with the Indians. Those whom the Persians respected were greeted with a kiss. This is how they confirmed their status to each other by meeting on the street.

Food

Persian cuisine has absorbed the recipes of many peoples. It even contains a number of recipes of the Macedonians who took possession of 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 orchards, the Persians could afford to eat the freshest fruits. They were served at the table along with meat and other dishes.
3. Fruits and vegetables could be stuffed, cinnamon, saffron or cardamom could be added to them.
4. Among the side dishes, the Persians preferred rice cooked in baked milk. This made it possible to obtain a golden crust, and saffron gave a unique aroma. Now Persian rice is served in many Iranian restaurants.
5. Desserts are prepared using rose water. Pistachios, fruit platter and nuts were added to them.
6. Fruit juice and rose water were used to make sherbet.
7. The influence of Persian cuisine cannot be overestimated. She shaped the face of Moroccan, Indian and Iranian cuisines. As for sauces and spices, they are used everywhere. For example, for cooking soups, falafels, kebabs, fish, dolma.
8. Some of the ancient recipes have been 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 gas, saffron ice cream.

The power of the Persian Empire was immense. Its people are recognized as perhaps the greatest of all that has 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 achievements of the Persians 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 to come.

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 over 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 arena of world history. Until that time, the inhabitants of the Middle East had heard very little about this mysterious tribe. It became known about them only after they began to seize lands.

Cyrus II, the king of the Persians from the Achaemenid dynasty, was able to capture Media and other states in a short time. 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 her from defeat. The Persians captured the cities of Opis and Sippar, and then took possession of Babylon without a fight. Cyrus the Second decided to move further to the East. In a war with nomadic tribes, he died in 530 BC.

The successors of the deceased king, Cambyses II and Darius I, managed to capture Egypt. Darius was able not only to strengthen the eastern and western borders of the state, but also to expand them from the Aegean 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 owned them until the fourth century BC. The empire was conquered by Alexander the Great.

Second Persian Empire

The Macedonian soldiers took revenge on the Persians for the ruin of Athens by incinerating Persepolis. On this, the Achaemenid dynasty ceased to exist. Ancient Persia fell under the humiliating power of the Greeks.

It was only in the second century BC that the Greeks were driven out. The Parthians did it. But they were not allowed to rule for a long time, they were overthrown by Artaxerxes. The history of the second Persian state began with him. In another way, it is commonly 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.

In the seventh century, Persia lost its power and was included in the Arab Caliphate.

Life in Ancient Persia through the eyes of other nations

The life of the Persians is known from the works that have survived to this day. Mostly Greek writings. It is known that Persia (which country is now, you can find 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 hardy. 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 sewn from animal skins, their heads were covered 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 allowed, for example, between an uncle and a niece. Women were not to be seen by strangers. This also applied to wives and concubines. Proof of this are the preserved reliefs of Persepolis, on which there are no images of the fair sex.

Persian achievements:

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

Before 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 taking place even today. How to understand where was Persia? What is the current country in its place?

Modern states on whose territory there was an empire:

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

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

The mysterious past of Iran

The name of the country is a modern form of the word "Ariana", which translates as "country of the Aryans". Indeed, from the first millennium BC, the 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, Sarmatians.

Later strong kingdoms were formed in Western Iran. Media became one of such Iranian formations. She 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 now, it became clear)?

Life in modern Iran through the eyes of foreigners

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

The Iranians have elevated pretense to a real 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 intentions of the interlocutor.

Former Persia (now Iran) was captured by the Greeks, Turks, 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 - to take the best from the traditions of strangers, without abandoning their own.

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

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