Persian Empire 49116 226109483 2008-07-16T21:26:27Z Orangemike 42464 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/Anahitaproductions|Anahitaproductions]] ([[User talk:Anahitaproductions|talk]]) to last version by AdRock :''See also: [[History of Iran]]'' {{FixHTML|beg}} {{FixHTML|mid}} {{History of Greater Iran}} {{FixHTML|end}} The '''Persian Empire''' was a series of [[Iranian]] [[empire]]s that ruled over the [[Iranian plateau]], the original Persian homeland, and beyond in [[Southwest Asia|Western Asia]], [[Central Asia]] and the [[Caucasus]]. The most widespread entity considered to have been a Persian Empire was the [[Achaemenid Empire]] (550&ndash;330 BC) under [[Darius I of Persia|Darius]] and [[Xerxes I of Persia|Xerxes (or Xerkes)]] &mdash; famous in antiquity as the foe of the classical Greek states (See [[Greco-Persian Wars]]) &mdash; a united Persian kingdom that originated in the region now known as [[Fars Province|Pars province]] (Fars province) of [[Iran]]. It was formed under [[Cyrus the Great]], who took over the empire of the [[Medes]], and conquered much of the middle east, including the territories of the [[Babylonians]], [[Athura|Assyrians]], the [[Phoenicians]], and the [[Lydians]]. [[Cambyses]], Son of Cyrus the Great, continued his conquests by conquering Egypt. The Persian Empire is thought to have been taken over by [[Alexander the Great]]. Most of the successive states in [[Greater Iran]] prior to March 1935 are collectively called the ''Persian Empire'' by Western historians. Virtually all the successor empires of Persia were major [[Regional powers|regional]] and some major [[international powers]] in their day. ==History== === Median Empire=== {{Main|Medes}} {{Infobox Former Country |native_name = |conventional_long_name = Median Empire |common_name = Media |continent = Asia |region = Near East |country = |era = Classical Antiquity |status = |status_text = |empire = |government_type = |year_start = 728 BC |year_end = 559 BC |year_exile_start = |year_exile_end = |event_start = [[Deioces]] |date_start = |event_end =''' Cyrus the Great''' |date_end = |event1 = |date_event1 = |event2 = |date_event2 = |event3 = |date_event3 = |event4 = |date_event4 = |event_pre = |date_pre = |event_post = |date_post = |p1 = Neo-Assyrian Empire |flag_p1 = |image_p1 = |p2 = |flag_p2 = |p3 = |flag_p3 = |p4 = |flag_p4 = |p5 = |flag_p5 = |s1 = Achaemenid Empire |flag_s1 = |image_s1 = |s2 = |flag_s2 = |s3 = |flag_s3 = |s4 = |flag_s4 = |s5 = |flag_s5 = |image_flag = |flag = |flag_type = |image_coat = |symbol = |symbol_type = |image_map = Median-empire-600BCE.png |image_map_caption = Median Empire, ca. 600 BC |capital = Ecbatana |capital_exile = |latd= |latm= |latNS= |longd= |longm= |longEW= |national_motto = |national_anthem = |common_languages = |religion = [[Zoroastrianism]], possibly also [[Proto-Indo-Iranian religion]] |currency = |leader1 = |leader2 = |leader3 = |leader4 = |year_leader1 = |year_leader2 = |year_leader3 = |year_leader4 = |title_leader = King |representative1 = <!--- Name of representative of head of state (eg. colonial governor)---> |representative2 = |representative3 = |representative4 = |year_representative1 = <!--- Years served ---> |year_representative2 = |year_representative3 = |year_representative4 = |title_representative = <!--- Default: "Governor"---> |deputy1 = <!--- Name of prime minister ---> |deputy2 = |deputy3 = |deputy4 = |year_deputy1 = <!--- Years served ---> |year_deputy2 = |year_deputy3 = |year_deputy4 = |title_deputy = <!--- Default: "Prime minister" ---> |legislature = |house1 = |type_house1 = |house2 = |type_house2 = |<!--- Area and population of a given year ---> |stat_year1 = |stat_area1 = |stat_pop1 = <!--- population (w/o commas or spaces), population density is calculated if area is also given ---> |stat_year2 = |stat_area2 = |stat_pop2 = |stat_year3 = |stat_area3 = |stat_pop3 = |stat_year4 = |stat_area4 = |stat_pop4 = |stat_year5 = |stat_area5 = |stat_pop5 = |footnotes = }} In the 8th century BC, the Medes gained their independence and were united by a dynasty. The Medes are credited with the foundation of the first Iranian empire, the largest of its day until Cyrus the Great established a unified Iranian empire of the Medes and Persians, often referred to as the Achaemenid Persian Empire, by defeating his grandfather and overlord, Astyages the shah of Media. The Median capital was [[Ecbatana]], the modern day Iranian city of [[Hamedan]]. Ectbatana was preserved as one of the capital cities of the Achaemenid Empire, which succeeded the Median Empire. According to Herodotus, the conquests of Cyaxares the Mede were preceded by a Scythian invasion and domination lasting twenty-eight years (under Madius the Scythian, 653-625 BC). The Mede tribes seem to have come into immediate conflict with a settled state to the West known as [[Mannai|Mannae]], allied with Assyria. Assyrian inscriptions state that the early Mede rulers, who had attempted rebellions against the Assyrians in the time of Esarhaddon and Assur-bani-pal, were allied with chieftains of the ''Ashguza'' (Scythians) and other tribes - who had come from the northern shore of the [[Black Sea]] and invaded [[Armenia]] and [[Asia Minor]]; and ''Jeremiah'' and ''Zephaniah'' in the Old Testament agree with Herodotus that a massive invasion of [[Syria]] and [[Philistia]] by northern barbarians took place in 626 BC. The state of Mannae was finally conquered and assimilated by the Medes in the year 616 BC. In 612 BC, Cyaxares conquered [[Urartu]], and with the alliance of [[Nabopolassar]] the Chaldean, succeeded in destroying the Assyrian capital, [[Nineveh]]; and by 606 BC, the remaining vestiges of Assyrian control. From then on, the Mede king ruled over much of Iran, Assyria and northern Mesopotamia, Armenia and [[Cappadocia]]. His power was very dangerous to his neighbors, and the exiled [[Jew]]s expected the destruction of [[Babylonia]] by the Medes (Isaiah 13, 14m 21; Jerem. 1, 51.). When Cyaxares attacked [[Lydia]], the kings of [[Cilicia]] and [[Babylon]] intervened and negotiated a peace in 585 BC, whereby the [[Halys]] was established as the Medes' frontier with Lydia. [[Nebuchadrezzar II|Nebuchadrezzar]] of Babylon married a daughter of Cyaxares, and an equilibrium of the great powers was maintained until the rise of the Persians under [[Cyrus]]. Median Kings were: *[[Deioces]] (Old Iranian *Dahyu-ka) 727-675 B.C.<ref> R. Schmitt, DEIOCES in Encyclopedia Iranica [http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v7f2/v7f288.html]</ref> *[[Phraortes]] (Old Iranian *Fravarti) 674-653 *[[Madius]] (Scythian Rule) 652-625 *[[Cyaxares]] (Old Iranian *Uvaxštra) 624-585<ref>I.M. Diakonoff, “Media” in Cambridge History of Iran 2 </ref> *[[Astyages]] (Old Iranian *Ršti-vêga) 589-549<ref>I.M. Diakonoff, “Media” in Cambridge History of Iran 2 </ref> Modern research by a professor of [[Assyriology]], Robert Rollinger, has questioned the Median empire and its sphere of influence, proposing for example that it did not control the Assyrian heartleand.<ref>[http://www.achemenet.com/ressources/souspresse/annonces/Rollinger-Iran.pdf Robert Rollinger, The Median “Empire”, the End of Urartu and Cyrus’ the Great Campaign in 547 B.C. (Nabonidus Chronicle II 16)]</ref> ===Achaemenid Empire (550 BC&ndash;330 BC)=== {{Main|Achaemenid Empire}} [[Image:Achaemenid Empire.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Achaemenid empire at its greatest extent.]] The earliest known record of the Persians comes from an [[Assyria]]n inscription from c. 844 BC that calls them the ''Parsu'' (Parsuaš, Parsumaš)<ref>{{Cite book | edition = 2 | publisher = Cambridge University Press | isbn = 0521228042 | pages = 15 | last = Hammond | first = N. G. L. | coauthors = M. Ostwald | others = John Boardman, D. M. Lewis (eds.) | title = The Cambridge Ancient History Set: The Cambridge Ancient History Volume 4: Persia, Greece and the Western Mediterranean, c.525-479 BC: Persia, Greece and ... C.525-479 B.C. Ed.J.Boardman, Etc v. 4 | date = 1988-11-24 }}</ref> and mentions them in the region of [[Lake Urmia]] alongside another group, the ''Mādāyu'' ([[Mede]]s).<ref name="Mede">{{cite web |first= |last= |authorlink= |author=[[Simo Parpola|Parpola, Simo]] |coauthors= |title=Assyrian Identity in Ancient Times and Today |url=http://www.aina.org/articles/assyrianidentity.pdf |format=PDF |work=[[Assyriology]] |publisher=[[Journal of Assyrian Academic Studies]] |id= |pages=3 |page= |date= |accessdate= |language=English |quote=Ethnonyms like Arbāyu "Arab", Mādāyu "Mede", Muşurāyu "Egyptian", and Urarţāyu "Urartian" are from the late eighth century on frequently borne by fully Assyrianized, affluent individuals in high positions. }}</ref> For the next two centuries, the Persians and Medes were at times tributary to the Assyrians. The region of Parsuash was annexed by Sargon of Assyria around 719 BC. Eventually the Medes came to rule an independent Median Empire, and the Persians were subject to them. The Achaemenids were the first to create a centralized state in Persia, founded by [[Achaemenes]] (''Haxamaniš''), chieftain of the Persians around 700 BC. Around 653 BC, the Medes came under the domination of the [[Scythians]], and [[Teispes]] (Cišpiš), the son of Achaemenes, seems to have led the nomadic Persians to settle in southern Iran around this time — eventually establishing the first organized Persian [[state]] in the important region of [[Anshan (Persia)|Anšan]] as the [[Elam]]ite kingdom was permanently destroyed by the Assyrian ruler [[Ashurbanipal]] (640 BC). The kingdom of Anšan and its successors continued to use [[Elamite]] as an official language for quite some time after this, although the new dynasts spoke Persian, an [[Indo-Iranian languages|Indo-Iranian]] tongue. Teispes' descendants may have branched off into two lines, one line ruling in Anshan, while the other ruled the rest of Persia. [[Cyrus II the Great]] (Kuruš) united the separate kingdoms around 559 BC. At this time, the Persians were still tributary to the [[Medes|Median Empire]] ruled by [[Astyages]]. Cyrus rallied the Persians together, and in 550 BC defeated the forces of Astyages, who was then captured by his own nobles and turned over to the triumphant Cyrus, now [[Shah]] of a unified Persian kingdom. As Persia assumed control over the rest of Media and their large empire, Cyrus led the united Medes and Persians to still more conquest. He took [[Lydia]] in [[Asia Minor]], and carried his arms eastward into [[central Asia]]. Finally in 539 BC, Cyrus marched triumphantly into the ancient city of [[Babylon]]. After this victory, he set the standards of a benevolent conqueror by issuing the [[Cyrus Cylinder]], the first charter of [[human rights]]. Cyrus was killed in 530 BC during a battle against the [[Massagetae]] or [[Sakas]]. Cyrus's son, [[Cambyses II]] (Kambūjiya), annexed [[Egypt]] to the Achaemenid Empire. The empire then reached its greatest extent under [[Darius I of Persia|Darius I]] (Dāryavuš). He led conquering armies into the [[Indus River]] valley and into [[Thrace]] in Europe. A punitive raid against [[Greece]] was halted at the [[Battle of Marathon]]. A larger invasion by his son, [[Xerxes I]] (Xšayārša), would have initial success at the [[Battle of Thermopylae]]. Following the destruction of his navy at the [[Battle of Salamis]], Xerxes would withdraw most of his forces from Greece. The remnant of his army in Greece commanded by General [[Mardonius]] was ultimately defeated at the [[Battle of Plataea]] in 479 BC. Darius divided his realm into twenty-three satrapies (provinces) supervised by [[satrap]]s, or governors, many of whom had personal ties to the Shah. He instituted a systematic tribute to tax each province. He took the advanced [[postal system]] of the Assyrians and expanded it. Also taken from the Assyrians was the usage of [[secret agent]]s of the king, known as the [[King's Eyes and Ears]], keeping him informed. Darius improved the famous [[Royal Road]] and other ancient trade routes, thereby connecting far reaches of the empire. He may have moved the administration center from Fars itself to [[Susa]], near Babylon and closer to the center of the realm. The Persians allowed local cultures to survive, following the precedent set by Cyrus the Great. This was not only good for the empire's subjects, but ultimately benefited the Achaemenids, because the conquered peoples felt no need to revolt. [[Image:Persepolis The Persian Soldiers.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Persian and Median soldiers with [[Farvahar]] in center.]] It may have been during the Achaemenid period that [[Zoroastrianism]] reached South-Western Iran, where it came to be accepted by the rulers and through them became a defining element of Persian culture. The religion was not only accompanied by a formalization of the concepts and divinities of the traditional (Indo-)Iranian pantheon, but also introduced several novel ideas, including that of [[Free will in theology|free will]], which is arguably [[Zoroaster|Zoroaster's]] greatest contribution to religious philosophy. Under the patronage of the Achaemenid kings, and later as the ''de-facto'' religion of the state, Zoroastrianism would reach all corners of the empire. In turn, Zoroastrianism would be subject to the first syncretic influences, in particular from the Semitic lands to the west, from which the divinities of the religion would gain astral and planetary aspects and from where the temple cult originates. It was also during the Achaemenid era that the sacerdotal [[Magi]] would exert their influence on the religion, introducing many of the practices that are today identified as typically Zoroastrian, but also introducing doctrinal modifications that are today considered to be revocations of the original teachings of the prophet. The Achaemenid Empire united people and kingdoms from every major civilization in south West Asia and North East Africa. === Hellenistic Persia (330 BC&ndash;250 BC)=== {{Main|Seleucid Empire}} The Achaemenid dynasty never managed to [[Greco-Persian Wars|conquer Greece]], but often supported one side or the other in wars between the individual [[Greeks| Greek states]]. However, the Achaemenid Empire's weakness was exposed to the Greeks in 401 BC, when a rebel prince, [[Cyrus the Younger]], hired thousands of Greek mercenaries to help secure his claim to the imperial throne (see [[Xenophon]], [[Anabasis]]). This army (known as the Ten thousand) marched all the way into the heart of Persia and back again. This demonstrated the military problems of the Achaemenid forces when dealing with the highly effective Greek phalanx. (A densely packed unit of men armed with long pikes or spears) [[Philip II of Macedon]] managed to unify most of Greece and the balkans under his control, and decided to take advantage of Achaemenid weakness when, after the death of [[Artaxerxes III Ochus|Artaxerxes (Artaxšaçrā) III Ochus]] in 338 BC, the Persian Empire had no strong leader. On Philip's death in 336 BC, his son and heir [[Alexander the Great|Alexander]] continued the attack on the Empire. He turned out to be one of the most effective generals in history. The Achaemenid monarch, [[Darius III]] was an aged man with a reputation for bravery gained in his youth, but in the event was no match for [[Alexander the Great|Alexander]]. Against the highly professional Greek standing army, Persia, the greatest empire of the age collapsed in only eight years. Alexander landed in Asia Minor in 334 BC. His armies quickly swept through Lydia, Phoenicia, and Egypt, before defeating [[Darius III]] at Gaugamela (331 BC) and capturing the capital at Susa. The last Achaemenid resistance was at the "[[Persian Gates]]" between Susa and near the royal palace at [[Persepolis]]. The Achaemenid Empire was now in Alexander's hands. [[Image:East-Hem 323bc.jpg|thumb|300px|Eastern Hemisphere, 323 BC.]] Along his route of conquest, Alexander founded many colony cities, often named "Alexandria". For the next several centuries, these cities served to greatly extend Greek, or [[Hellenistic]], culture in Persia. Alexander's empire broke up shortly after his death, and Alexander's general, [[Seleucus I Nicator]], tried to take control of Persia, Mesopotamia, and later Syria and Asia Minor. His ruling family is known as the [[Seleucid Dynasty]]. However he was killed in 281 BC by [[Ptolemy Keraunos]] before he could conquer Greece and Macedonia. Greek colonization continued until around 250 BC; Greek language, philosophy, and art came with the colonists. Throughout Alexander's former empire, Greek became the common tongue of diplomacy and literature. Trade with [[China]] had begun in Achaemenid times along the so-called [[Silk Road]]; but during the Hellenistic period it began in earnest. The overland trade brought about some fascinating cultural exchanges. [[Buddhism]] came in from India, while Zoroastrianism traveled west to influence [[Judaism]]. Incredible statues of the [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]] in classical Greek styles have been found in Persia and Afghanistan, illustrating the mix of cultures that occurred around this time (See [[Greco-Buddhism]]), although it is possible that Greco-Buddhist art dates from Achaemenid times when Greek artists worked for the Persians. Although recently discovered cuneiform evidence (e.g., the [[Babylonian Chronicles]] from the Hellenistic Period) show how much continuity there was in the Eastern civilization, it can not be denied that the Seleucid kingdom began to decline after about a century. The eastern provinces of [[Bactria]] and [[Parthia]] broke off in 238 BC. King [[Antiochus III]]'s military leadership kept Parthia from overrunning Persia itself, but when he tried to intervene in Greece, his successes alarmed the burgeoning [[Roman Republic]]. Roman legions began to attack the kingdom. At the same time, the Seleucids had to contend with the revolt of the [[Maccabees]] in Judea and the expansion of the [[Kushan Empire]] to the east. The empire fell apart and was conquered by Parthia and Rome. ===Parthians (250 BC&ndash;AD 226)=== {{Main|Parthia}} [[Image:LocationParthia.PNG|250px|right|thumb|Parthia.]] [[Image:SurenaImage.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Metallic statue of a [[Parthia]]n prince (thought to be [[Surena]]), AD 100, kept at The National Museum of Iran, [[Tehran]].]] Its rulers, the [[Arsacid dynasty]], belonged to an Iranian tribe that had settled there during the time of Alexander. They declared their independence from the Seleucids in 238 BC, but their attempts to unify Iran were thwarted until after the advent of [[Mithridates I of Parthia|Mithridates I]] to the Parthian throne in about 170 BC. The Parthian Confederacy shared a border with Rome along the upper Euphrates River. The two polities became major rivals, especially over control of Armenia. Heavily-armoured Parthian cavalry ([[cataphract]]s) supported by mounted archers proved a match for Roman legions, as in the [[Battle of Carrhae]] in which the Parthian General [[Surena]] defeated [[Marcus Licinius Crassus]] of Rome. Wars were very frequent, with [[Mesopotamia]] serving as the battleground. During the Parthian period, Hellenistic customs partially gave way to a resurgence of Iranian culture. However, the area lacked political unity, and the vassalary structure that the Arsacids had adopted from the Seleucids left the Parthians in a constant state of war with one seceding vassal or the other. By the 1st century BC, Parthia was decentralized, ruled by [[feudal]] nobles. Wars with Romans to the west and the [[Kushan]] Empire to the northeast drained the country's resources. Parthia, now impoverished and without any hope of recovering its lost territories, was demoralized. The kings had to give more concessions to the nobility, and the vassal kings sometimes refused to obey. Parthia's last ruler [[Artabanus IV of Parthia|Artabanus IV]] had an initial success in putting together the crumbling state. However, the fate of the Arsacid Dynasty was doomed when in AD 224, the Persian vassal king [[Ardashir I of Persia|Ardashir]] revolted. Two years later, he took [[Ctesiphon]], and this time, it meant the end of Parthia. It also meant the beginning of the second Persian Empire, ruled by the Sassanid kings. Sassanids were from the province of Persis, native to the first Persian Empire, the Achaemenids. === Sassanid Empire (226&ndash;651)=== {{Main|Sassanid Empire}} [[Image:Sassanid-empire-610CE.png|250px|thumb|'''The [[Sassanid Empire|Sassanid Persian Empire]]''' in 610.]] [[Image:Persia 600ad.jpg|thumb|300px|Persia and its neighbors in AD 600.]] The '''Sassanid Empire''' or '''Sassanian Dynasty''' ({{lang-fa|ساسانیان}}, {{pronounced|sɒsɒnijɒn}}) is the name used for the fourth imperial [[Iranian peoples|Iranian]] [[dynasty]], and the second [[Persian Empire]] (226–651). The Sassanid dynasty was founded by [[Ardashir I]] after defeating the last [[Parthian|Parthian (Arsacid)]] king, [[Artabanus IV]] ({{PerB|اردوان}} ''Ardavan'') and ended when the last Sassanid [[Shahanshah]] (''King of Kings''), [[Yazdegerd III]] (632&ndash;651), lost a 14-year struggle to drive out the early [[Caliphate|Islamic Caliphate]], the first of the [[Islamic]] empires. [[Ardashir I]] led a rebellion against the Parthian Confederacy in an attempt to revive the glory of the previous empire and to legitimize the Hellenized form of [[Zoroastrianism]] practised in southwestern Iran. In two years he was the [[Shah]] of a new Persian Empire. The [[Sassanid Empire|Sassanid dynasty]] (also Sassanian, named for Ardashir's grandfather) was the first dynasty native to the Pars province since the Achaemenids; thus they saw themselves as the successors of Darius and Cyrus. They pursued an aggressive expansionist policy. They recovered much of the eastern lands that the Kushans had taken in the Parthian period. The Sassanids continued to make war against Rome; a Persian army even captured the [[Roman Emperor]] [[Valerian (emperor)|Valerian]] in 260. The Sassanid Empire, unlike Parthia, was a highly centralized state. The people were rigidly organized into a caste system: Priests, Soldiers, Scribes, and Commoners. Zoroastrianism was finally made the official state religion, and spread outside Persia proper and out into the provinces. There was sporadic persecution of other religions. The [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] was particularly persecuted, but this was in part due to its ties to the [[Byzantine Empire|Roman Empire]]. The [[Assyrian Church of the East|Nestorian Christian church]] was tolerated and sometimes even favored by the Sassanids. The wars and religious control that had fueled the Sassanid Empire's early successes eventually contributed to its decline. The eastern regions were conquered by the [[White Huns]] in the late 5th century. Adherents of a radical religious sect, the [[Mazdak]]ites, revolted around the same time. [[Khosrau I of Persia|Khosrau I]] was able to recover his empire and expand into the Christian countries of [[Antioch]] and [[Yemen]]. Between 605 and 629, Sassanids successfully annexed Levant and [[Roman Egypt]] and pushed into Anatolia. However, a subsequent war with the Romans utterly destroyed the empire. In the course of the protracted conflict, Sassinid armies reached [[Constantinople]], but could not defeat the Byzantines there. Meanwhile, the Byzantine Emperor [[Heraclius]] had successfully outflanked the Persian armies in Asia Minor and attacked the empire from the rear while the main Iranian army along with its top [[Eran Spahbod]]s were far from battlefields. This resulted in a crushing defeat for Sassanids in Northern Mesopotamia. The Sassanids had to give up all their conquered lands and retreat. Following the advent of Islam and collapse of [[Sassanid Empire]], Persians came under the subjection of Arab rulers for almost two centuries before native Persian dynasties could gradually drive them out. In this period a number of small and numerically inferior Arab tribes migrated to inland Iran.<ref>Zarinkoob, pp. 355-357</ref> Also some [[Turkic peoples|Turkic]] tribes settled in Persia between the 9th and 12th centuries.<ref>Zarinkoob, pp. 461, 519</ref> In time these peoples were integrated into numerous Persian populations and adopted [[Persian culture]] and language while Persians retained their culture with minimal influence from outside.<ref>Zarinkoob, p. 899</ref> ===Conquest of Persia by Muslims === {{main|Islamic conquest of Persia}} {{see|Samanids}} The explosive growth of the [[Arab]] [[Caliphate]] coincided with the chaos caused by the defeat of [[Sassanid]]s in wars with the [[Byzantine Empire]]. Most of the country was conquered between 643 and 650 with the [[Battle of Nihawand]] marking the total collapse of the Sassanids.<ref>A Short History of Syriac Literature By William Wright. pg 44</ref> [[Yazdgerd III]], the last Sassanid emperor, died ten years after he lost his empire to the newly-formed [[Muslim]] Caliphate. He tried to recover some of what he lost with the help of the [[Gok Turks|Turks]], but they were easily defeated by Muslim armies. Then he sought the aid of the Chinese [[Tang dynasty]]. However, the Chinese help did not avail and [[Arab]] [[muslims]] ultimately defeated the Chinese forces in the [[battle of Talas]], a century after [[Yazdgerd III|Yazdgerd]]'s death. The Umayyads would rule Persia for a hundred years. The Arab conquest dramatically changed life in Persia. [[Arabic language|Arabic]] became the new [[lingua franca]], Islam eventually replaced Zoroastrianism, and mosques were built. A new language, religion, and culture were added to the Iranian cultural milieu. In 750 the Umayyads were ousted from power by the [[Abbasid]] dynasty. By that time, Persians had come to play an important role in the bureaucracy of the empire.<ref>ISBN 1-84212-011-5</ref> The caliph [[Al-Ma'mun]], whose mother was Persian, moved his capital away from Arab lands into [[Merv]] in eastern Iran. In 819, [[Samanid]]s carved out a semi-independent state in eastern [[Persia]] to become the first native rulers after the Arabic conquest. Despite having roots in Zoroastrianism theocratic nobility, they embraced [[Islam]] and propagated the religion deep into the heart of [[Central Asia]]. They made [[Samarqand]], [[Bukhara]] and [[Herat]] their capitals and revived the [[Persian language]] and culture. The Samanid rulers displayed tolerance toward religious minorities as [[Zoroastrian]] clerics compiled and authored major religious texts, such as the [[Denkard]], in [[Pahlavi literature|Pahlavi]]. It was approximately during this age, when the poet [[Firdawsi]] finished the [[Shahnameh]], an epic poem retelling the history of the Iranian kings. This epic was completed by AD 1008. [[Image:Asia 900ad.jpg|thumb|300px|Persia in AD 900 AD, divided between the [[Samanids]], [[Saffarids]], and [[Abbasids]].]] In 913, western Persia was conquered by the ''[[Buwayhid]]'', a [[Deylam]]ite tribal confederation from the shores of the [[Caspian Sea]]. They made the city of [[Shiraz, Iran|Shiraz]] their capital. The Buwayhids destroyed Islam's former territorial unity. Rather than a province of a united Muslim empire, Iran became one nation in an increasingly diverse and cultured Islamic world. === Turco-Persian rule (1037&ndash;1219) === {{main|Seljuq dynasty}} The Muslim world was shaken again in 1037 with the invasion of the [[Seljuk Turks]] from the northeast. The Seljuks created a very large Middle Eastern empire. The Seljuks built the fabulous Friday Mosque in the city of [[Isfahan (city)|Isfahan]]. The famous Persian mathematician and poet, [[Omar Khayyám]], wrote his ''[[Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam|Rubaiyat]]'' during Seljuk times. In the early 13th century the Seljuks lost control of Persia to another group of [[Turkic peoples|Turks]] from [[Khwarezmia]], near the [[Aral Sea]]. The [[Shah]]s of the [[Khwarezmid Empire]] later ruled. ===Mongols and their successors (1219&ndash;1500)=== {{main|Ilkhanate|Timurid dynasty}} [[Image:Registan sunset.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Mosques with Persian names and designs in [[Afghanistan]], [[Tajikistan]], [[Uzbekistan]] and [[India]] illustrate just how far east Persian culture extended due to their conquests. The actual architectural domed design of Mosques were borrowed from the [[Sassanid]] era, which then spilled into the Muslim world.]] In 1218, [[Genghis Khan]] sent ambassadors and merchants to the city of [[Otrar]], on the northeastern confines of the Khwarizm shahdom. The governor of Otrar had these envoys executed. Genghis attacked Otrar in 1219, [[Samarkand]] and other cities of the northeast. Genghis' grandson, [[Hulagu Khan]], finished the invasions that Genghis had begun when he defeated Khwarzim Empire, Baghdad, and much of the rest of the [[Middle East]] from 1255 to 1258. Persia temporarily became the [[Ilkhanate]], a division of the vast [[Mongol Empire]]. In 1295, after Ilkhan [[Mahmud Ghazan]] converted to Islam, he forced Mongols in Persia to convert Islam. The Ilkhans patronized the arts and learning in the fine tradition of Iranian Islam; indeed, they helped to repair much of the damage of the Mongol conquests. In 1335, the death of [[Abu Sa'id (Ilkhanid dynasty)|Abu Sa'id]], the last well-recognized Ilkhan, spelled the end of the Ilkhanate. Though [[Arpa Ke'un]] was declared Ilkhan his authority was disputed and the Ilkhanate was splintered into a number of small states. This left Persia vulnerable to conquest at the hands of [[Timur the Lame]] or Tamerlane, a Central Asian conqueror seeking to revive the Mongol Empire. He ordered the attack of Persia beginning around 1370 and robbed the region until his death in 1405. Timur is known for his brutality; in [[Isfahan (city)|Isfahan]], for instance, he was responsible for the murder of 70,000 people so that he could build towers with their skulls{{Fact|date=January 2008}}. He conquered a wide area and made his own city of Samarkand rich, but he made no effort to forge a lasting empire. The Persian Empire was essentially in ruins. For the next hundred years Persia was not a unified state. It was ruled for a while by descendants of Timur, called the [[Timurid Empire|Timurid]] [[emir]]s. Toward the end of the 15th century, Persia was taken over by the Emirate of the [[White Sheep Turkmen]] (''Ak Koyunlu''). But there was little unity and none of the sophistication that had defined Iran during the glory days of Islam. === Safavid Persian Dynasty (1500&ndash;1722)=== {{Main|Safavid Dynasty}} [[Image:Naghshe Jahan Square Isfahan modified.jpg|200px|thumb|[[Naghsh-i Jahan Square]] is one of the many monuments built during the Safavid era.]] [[Image:Ali Qapu night.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Persian art and architecture reached an apex during the reign of the Safavid dynasty.]] The [[Safavid Dynasty]] hailed from the town of [[Ardabil]] in the region of [[Iranian Azerbaijan|Azarbaijan]]. The Safavid Shah [[Ismail I]] overthrew the White Sheep (Akkoyunlu) Turkish rulers of Persia to found a new native Persian empire. Ismail expanded Persia to include all of present-day Azerbaijan, Iran, and Iraq, plus much of [[Afghanistan]]. Ismail's expansion was halted by the [[Ottoman Empire]] at the [[Battle of Chaldiran]] in 1514, and war with the Ottomans became a fact of life in Safavid Iran. Safavid Persia was a violent and chaotic state for the next seventy years, but in 1588 Shah [[Abbas I of Safavid]] ascended to the throne and instituted a cultural and political renaissance. He moved his capital to Isfahan, which quickly became one of the most important cultural centers in the Islamic world. He made peace with the Ottomans. He reformed the army, drove the [[Uzbeks]] out of Iran and into modern-day [[Uzbekistan]], and (with English help) recaptured the island of [[Hormuz]] from the [[Portugal|Portuguese]]. [[Abdur Razzaq (traveller)|Abdur Razzaq]] was the Persian ambassador to [[Calicut]], [[India]], and wrote vividly of his experiences there.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://india_resource.tripod.com/Europetrade.html |title=European Domination of the Indian Ocean Trade |publisher= |accessdate=2007-01-10 }}</ref> The Safavids were followers of [[Shi'a]] Islam, and under them Persia (Iran) became the largest [[Shi'a]] country in the Muslim world, a position Iran still holds today. Under the Safavids Persia enjoyed its last period as a major imperial power. In 1639, a final border was agreed upon with the Ottoman Empire with the Treaty of Qasr-e Shirin; which delineates the border between the Republic of [[Turkey]] and Iran and also that of between Iraq and Iran, today. === Persia and Europe (1722&ndash;1914)=== [[Image:Astrolabe-Persian-18C.jpg|thumb|right|250px|An 18th century Persian [[astrolabe]]. Throughout the [[Middle Ages]], the [[natural philosophy]] and [[mathematics]] of [[Ancient Greece|ancient Greeks]] were furthered and preserved within the Muslim world. During this period, Persia became a centre for the manufacture of [[Measuring instrument|scientific instrument]]s, retaining its reputation for quality well into the 19th century.]] In 1722, the Safavid state collapsed. That year saw the first European invasion of Persia since the time of Heraclius: [[Peter I of Russia|Peter the Great]], [[List of Russian rulers|Emperor]] of [[Imperial Russia]], invaded from the northwest as part of a bid to dominate central Asia. Ottoman forces accompanied the Russians, successfully laying siege to Isfahan. The Russians conquered the city of Baku and its surroundings. The Turks also gained territory. However, the Safavids were severely weakened, and that same year (1722), the [[Pashtuns|Afghans]] launched a bloody battle in response to the Safavids' attempts on trying to forcefully convert them from [[Sunni]] to [[Shi'a]] sect of Islam. The last Safavid shah was executed, and the dynasty came to an end. The Persian empire experienced a temporary revival under [[Nader Shah]] in the 1730s and 1740s. Nadir checked the advances of the Russians and defeated the Afghans, later recaptured all of Afghanistan. He also launched successful campaigns against the nomadic khanates of Central Asia, and the Arabs of Oman. He also recaptured the territories lost to the Ottomans and invaded the [[Ottoman Empire]]. In 1739, he attacked and looted [[Delhi]], the capital of [[Moghul]] India. When Nadir Shah was assassinated, the empire was ruled by the [[Zand dynasty]]. Iran was left unprepared for the worldwide expansion of [[List of former European colonies|European colonial empires]] in the late 18th century and throughout the 19th century. Persia found relative stability in the [[Qajar dynasty]], ruling from 1779 to 1925, but lost hope to compete with the new industrial powers of Europe; Persia found itself sandwiched between the growing Russian Empire in [[Central Asia]] and the expanding [[British Empire]] in [[India]]. Each carved out pieces from the Persian empire that became [[Bahrain]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Turkmenistan]], [[Armenia]], [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] and [[Uzbekistan]] amongst other previous provinces. Although Persia was never directly invaded, it gradually became economically dependent on [[Europe]]. The [[Anglo-Russian Entente|Anglo-Russian Convention]] of 1907 formalised Russian and British spheres of influence over the north and south of the country, respectively, where Britain and Russia each created a "[[sphere of influence]]", where the colonial power had the final "say" on economic matters. At the same time [[Mozzafar-al-Din]] shah had granted a concession to [[William Knox D'Arcy]], later the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, to explore and work the newly-discovered oil fields at [[Masjid Soleiman]] in southwest Persia, which started production in 1914. [[Winston Churchill]], as [[First Sea Lord]] to the British [[Admiralty]], oversaw the conversion of the [[Royal Navy]] to oil-fired battleships and partially nationalized it prior to the start of war. A small Anglo-Persian force was garrisoned there to protect the field from some hostile tribal factions. {{See also|The Great Game}} === World War I and the interbellum (1914&ndash;1935)=== [[Image:Baghe Eram Shiraz edit.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Eram Garden]], built in the [[Qajar]] era is an example of Persian architecture of that time.]] Persia was drawn into the periphery of [[World War I]] because of its strategic position between [[Afghanistan]] and the warring [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]], [[Imperial Russia|Russian]], and [[British Empire]]s. In 1914 Britain sent a military force to [[Mesopotamia]] to deny the Ottomans access to the Persian oilfields. The [[German Empire]] retaliated on behalf of its ally by spreading a rumour that Kaiser [[Wilhelm II of Germany]] had converted to [[Islam]], and sent agents through Iran to attack the oil fields and raise a [[Jihad]] against British rule in [[India]]. Most of those German agents were captured by Persian, British and Russian troops who were sent to patrol the Afghan border, and the rebellion faded away. This was followed by a German attempt, to abduct [[Ahmad Shah Qajar]]. This was foiled at the last moment. In 1916 the fighting between Russian and Ottoman forces to the north of the country had spilled down into Persia; Russia gained the advantage until most of her armies collapsed in the wake of the [[Russian Revolution of 1917]]. This left the [[Caucasus]] unprotected, and the Caucasian and Persian civilians starving after years of war and deprivation. In 1918 a small force of 400 British troops under [[General Dunsterville]] moved into the Trans-Caucasus from Persia in a bid to encourage local resistance to German and Ottoman armies who were about to invade the [[Baku]] oilfields. Although they later withdrew back into Persia, they did succeed in delaying the Turks access to the oil almost until the [[Armistice]]. In addition, the expedition’s supplies were used to avert a major famine in the region, and a camp for 30,000 displaced refugees was created near the Mesopotamian frontier. In 1919, northern Persia was occupied by the British General [[William Edmund Ironside]] to enforce the Turkish [[Armistice]] conditions and assist General <!--Malleson? or-->[[Dunsterville]] and Colonel [[Bicherakhov]] contain [[Bolshevik]] influence (of [[Mirza Kuchak Khan]]) in the north. Britain also took tighter control over the increasingly lucrative oil fields. In 1925, [[Reza Shah Pahlavi]] seized power from the Qajars and established the new [[Pahlavi dynasty]], the last Persian monarchy before the establishment of the [[Islamic Republic]]. However, Britain and the [[Soviet Union]] remained the influential powers in Persia into the early years of the [[Cold War]]. On [[March 21]], [[1935]], ''Iran'' was officially accepted as the new name of the country. After Persian scholars' protests to this decision on the grounds that it represented a break with their classical past and seemed to be unduly influenced by the "Aryan" propaganda from Nazi Germany. In 1953 Mohammad Reza Shah announced both names "Iran" and "Persia" could be used. ==Significance of history of Persia== The role of Persia [[Iran|(Iran)]] in history is highly significant; In fact, the [[Germany|German]] philosopher [[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel]] considered the ancient Persians to be ''the first historic people'' and stated thus: ''"In Persia first arises that light which shines itself and illuminates what is around...The principle of development begins with the history of Persia; this constitutes therefore the beginning of history"''.<ref>[[Georg Hegel]] in ''[[The Philosophy of History]]'', (trans.) J. Sibree, Buffalo, 1991, p.173</ref> And [[Richard Nelson Frye]] further verifies: :''"Few nations in the world present more of a justification for the study of history than Iran."''<ref>[[Richard Nelson Frye]] in ''The Golden Age of Persia''.</ref> ==Timeline== {{History Timeline of Iran}} ==Persia in fiction== * The Persian Empire is the seat of power for the [[sultan]] [[Shahryar]], husband of [[Scheherazade]] in the ''[[The Book of One Thousand and One Nights|1001 Nights]]'' — though the tales themselves span from China to the Middle East and even parts of North Africa. * ''[[Prince of Persia]]'' is a puzzle and action-based video game series set in a mythological version of Ancient Persia. * The [[historical fantasy]] ''[[The Dragon of the Ishtar Gate]]'' by [[L. Sprague de Camp]] is set in Babylon during the last few years of [[Xerxes I]] reign. * The [[historical novel]] ''[[Creation (novel)|Creation]]'' by [[Gore Vidal]], about a Persian diplomat who travels the known world studying religious beliefs on behalf of [[Darius the Great]]. * The ''[[Prince of Nothing]]'' books by [[R. Scott Bakker]], set in a fictional land that draws influence from Hellenistic [[Greece]], [[Scythia]], and the Persian Empire. * ''[[Gates of Fire]]'', by [[Steven Pressfield]] and 300 by [[Frank Miller (comics)|Frank Miller]], about the Battle of Thermopylae. * [[Mary Renault]]'s second book in her trilogy on [[Alexander the Great]]. ''[[The Persian Boy]]'', narrated by [[Bagoas (courtier)|Bagoas]] set during Alexander the Great's reign of Persia. * [[Robert E. Howard]]'s short story ''[[The Shadow of the Vulture]]'', featuring [[Red Sonya]], is set in the [[Safavid Dynasty]], as she seeks vengeance on an [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] sultan. It was published in ''[[Oriental Stories/The Magic Carpet (magazine)|The Magic Carpet Magazine]]'', a magazine that was known for their stories set in the Orient. * ''[[Godless Man]]'', by [[P. C. Doherty|Paul Doherty]] - An historical mystery, set during the reign of Alexander the Great (who is also a major character). Telamon, friend and physician of Alexander, must unravel the threatening murders by a high-ranking Persian spy only known as "the Centaur". Second part of a trilogy. * ''[[Hadassah: One Night With the King]]'' by [[Tommy Tenney]], tells the story of Esther, Queen of Persia. * ''[[Gardens of Light]]'' by [[Amin Maalouf]] * ''[[Persia: The Land of the Magi or the Home of the Wisemen]]'' by [[Samuel K. Nweeya]] * The Sassanid Persian Empire was featured as the ally of [[Byzantium]] in the jointly written six book long [[Bellisarius Saga]] by [[David Drake]] and [[Eric Flint]]. * The [[Battle of Thermopylae]], part of the Persian invasion of [[Greece]] in 480 BC, is dramatically retold in [[Frank Miller (comics)|Frank Miller]]'s [[comic book]] (and subsequent film) [[300 (comics)|300]] and features such historical figures as Persian King [[Xerxes I]] and [[Sparta]]n King [[Leonidas I]]. * ''[[Jamshid and the Lost Mountain of Light]]'' by [[Howard Lee]] - A children's book which draws heavily from Persian mythology * Historical fiction ''[[Roxana Romance]]'' by A. J. Cave chronicles the life of [[Roxana]], wife of [[Alexander the Great]], after the fall of the imperial [[Achaemenids]]. == See also == * [[Iran]] * [[Greater Iran]] * [[History of Iran]] * [[Geography of Iran]] * [[Aryan]] * [[Persian people]] * [[Persian culture]] * [[Persianization]] * [[Science in Iran|Science in Persia]] * [[List of kings of Persia]] * [[List of Iranian scientists]] * [[List of monarchies]] * [[Capitals of Persia]] * [[Prince of Persia]] (video game) * [[Wildlife of Iran]] == References == * Stronach, David "Darius at Pasargadae: A Neglected Source for the History of Early Persia," Topoi * [[Abdolhossein Zarinkoob]], ''Ruzgaran: tarikh-i Iran az aghz ta saqut saltnat Pahlvi'' Sukhan, 1999. ISBN 964-6961-11-8 * Ali Akbar Sarfaraz, Bahman Firuzmandi ''Mad, Hakhamanishi, Ashkani, Sasani'', Marlik, 1996. ISBN 964-90495-1-7 * Daniel, Elton, ''The History of Iran'', Greenwood Press, 2001 * [http://www.iranchamber.com/history/historic_periods.php Iran Chamber Society (History of Iran)] == Notes== {{reflist}} == Further reading == *[[Harold Walter Bailey|Bailey, Harold]] (ed.) ''The Cambridge History of Iran'', Cambridge University Press 1993, Cambridge. ISBN 0-521-45148-5 *Wiesehofer, Josef: ''Ancient Persia'' *J. E Curtis and N. Tallis: ''Forgotten Empire: The World of Ancient Persia'' * [[Pierre Briant]]: ''From Cyrus to Alexander: A History of the Persian Empire'', Eisenbrauns: 2002, ISBN 978-1-57506-0310 * Richard N. Frye: ''The Heritage of Persia'' * A.T. Olmstead: ''History of the Persian Empire'' * Lindsay Allen: ''The Persian Empire'' * J.M. Cook: ''The Persian Empire'' * Tom Holland: ''Persian Fire: The First World Empire and the Battle for the West'' * Amini Sam: ''Pictorial History of Iran: Ancient Persia Before Islam 15000 B.C.-625 A.D.'' * ''Timelife Persians: Masters of the Empire (Lost Civilizations)'' * ''Houchang Nahavandi, The Last Shah of Iran - Fatal Countdown of a Great Patriot betrayed by the Free World, a Great Country whose fault was Success, Aquilion, 2005,'' ISBN 1-904997-03-1 * Farrokh, Kaveh: ''Shadows in the Desert: Ancient Persia at War'', Osprey: 2007, ISBN 978-1-84603-108-3 * Brosius, Maria: ''The Persians: An Introduction'', Routledge:2006, ISBN 978-0-41532-090-0 ==External links== *[http://www.spentaproductions.com/cyruspreview.htm In Search of Cyrus the Great: Spenta Productions - a Documentary Movie about Cyrus the Great] *[http://www.jazirehdanesh.com/find.php?item=1.601.897.en Persian Innovations] *[http://www.iraninfo.dk/iranske-dokumentar-film-iranian-documentaries/persepolis-recreated-filmen-om-genskabelse-af-perse.html Persepolis Recreated - Reconstruction of Persepolis MOVIE DOCUMENTARY] * [http://www.chn.ir/en Iran’s Cultural Heritage News Agency (CHN)] * [http://ancientneareast.tripod.com/Persia.html The History of the Ancient Near East] * [http://fax.libs.uga.edu/DS272xB4/ Persia], by S.G.W. Benjamin, 1891 * [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/asbook05.html Ancient History Sourcebook: Persia] * [http://www.persiandna.com/history.htm PersianDNA] History of the Great Persian Empire and the Ancient Zoroastrian Religion. * [http://www.ichodoc.ir/ Iran Cultural Heritage Organization Documentation Center] (Persian) * [http://www.to-miras.ir/ Iran Cultural Heritage Organization Technical Office for Preservation and Restoration] (Persian) * [http://www.rcccr.org/ Iran Research Center for Conservation of Cultural Relics] * [http://www.chn.ir/ Iran Cultural Heritage News Agency] (Recommended) * [http://persepolistablets.blogspot.com/ Persepolis Fortification Archive Project] * [http://www.persepolis.ir/ Persepolis Official website] * [http://www.persiansarenotarabs.com/ Persians Are Not Arabs] * [http://oi.uchicago.edu/OI/MUS/PA/IRAN/PAAI/PAAI.html Oriental Institute Photographic Archives] (Nearly 1,000 archaeological photographs of Persepolis and Ancient Persia) * [http://www.payvand.com/news/06/mar/1212.html Publication of Old Maps of Persia (Iran) in The Netherlands] * [http://www.irantravel.biz/ Iran Cultural, Natural and Historical Attractions] * ''Persian Wars'', [http://www.isidore-of-seville.com/herodotus/10.html Herodotus on the Web]. * ''Weaponry of Ancient Persian Armies'', [http://www.farhangiran.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=5&id=38&Itemid=62 ''Farhang-e Iran'']. <br /> [[Category:Former empires]] [[Category:Former monarchies of Asia]] [[Category:Achaemenid Empire]] [[Category:Medes]] [[Category:History of Afghanistan]] [[Category:History of Iraq]] [[Category:Persian-speaking countries and territories]] [[Category:Ancient Persia| ]] [[Category:Civilizations]] [[als:Persien]] [[ar:إمبراطورية فارسية]] [[bg:Персийска империя]] [[ca:Imperi Persa]] [[cv:Перси]] [[cs:Perská říše]] [[cy:Ymerodraeth Persia]] [[da:Persien]] [[de:Perserreich]] [[el:Περσία]] [[es:Persia]] [[eo:Persio]] [[fa:تاریخ ایران پیش از اسلام]] [[fr:Perse]] [[fy:Perzyske Ryk]] [[gl:Persia]] [[zh-classical:波斯]] [[ko:페르시아 제국]] [[hi:फ़ारस]] [[hr:Perzija]] [[id:Kekaisaran Persia]] [[it:Persia]] [[he:ממלכת פרס]] [[la:Imperium Persarum]] [[lt:Senovės Persija]] [[hu:Perzsa Birodalom]] [[mk:Персија]] [[ms:Empayar Parsi]] [[fj:Na Matanitu ki Perisia]] [[nl:Perzische Rijk]] [[ja:ペルシア]] [[no:Perserriket]] [[nn:Persia]] [[pt:Pérsia]] [[ro:Imperiul Persan]] [[ru:Персидская империя]] [[sm:Le Malo o Peresia]] [[sk:Perzská ríša]] [[sl:Perzija]] [[sr:Персијско царство]] [[sh:Perzija]] [[fi:Persia]] [[sv:Persiska riket]] [[vi:Đế quốc Ba Tư]] [[tr:Pers İmparatorluğu]] [[tl:Imperyong Persyano]] [[uk:Персія]] [[zh:波斯]]