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An example of Iranian painting.
Alexander the Great tried to reconstruct a mighty power from the Greek and conquered Persian Empire. This effort, however, was short-lived and quickly crumbled after his death. In contrast, the empire that Cyrus founded lasted not only beyond his death, or to the end of the Achaemenid empire, but it has survived to this day. About 2,500 years later, the influence of the Persian Empire still lives in the hearts of those descendants of that great king. This next portion of this project is a reflection of this. In preparation for this assignment, I interviewed a dear friend of mine who is Iranian and deeply proud of her Persian heritage. These are the results of this interview.
My friend spent most of her life in Iran in the capital city, Tehran. This city is in the northern part of Iran near the Caspian Sea. She is old enough to remember and share stories of life under the last Shah before the Islamic Regime moved into power. She shared that the Iran that she grew up in was very different than the Iran that exists today. The last Shah of Iran (in her opinion) embodied what the Persian Empire had stood for: tolerance of religious differences, a value of education, impressive military might, and investment in Persian art and culture. It is not that these things do not still exist in one form or another to this day, but they have changed considerably in the last 30+ years.
When asked what she knew of ancient Persia (particularly Persia during the Achaemenid Empire) she shared much of what has already been discussed in this project, stressing the importance of Cyrus the Great's character, his tolerance of religion, and the advanced way in which he thought. She noted that the way in which King Cyrus was thinking, the value he placed on tolerance of religion, the dignity of human life, and an acceptance of different cultures, are values that we consider commonplace in the 21st-century United States, but that did not exist in Cyrus' time. She also noted that in the Persia she knew and loved, women were respected, valued, and given a respectful position in society; she believes this is a remnant of King Cyrus' influence on the way the Persian Empire viewed human rights.
My friend also noted the importance of Zoroastrianism's influence on Persian identity. She said that most Iranians hold to the three fundamental beliefs of Zoroastrianism:
Good Thoughts
Good Words
Good Actions
These three beliefs which are intended to be a guide for your whole being (heart, mind, and speech) are respected in Iran and one's life should try to follow them. As an example of how important they are: my friend noted that these three beliefs are written on plaques and can be found in many Iranian households.
This symbol of Zoroastrianism is called the Faravahar and whose meaning has become attached to the Persian Empire. My friend said that she has a necklace with this symbol on it.
My friend's national identity is Iranian, but her cultural identity and heritage are Persian. Her "Persian identity is [her] pride". When she thinks of her culture: the style of her cooking, the form of her music, the beauty of her art, the choreography of her dance it is all Persian. Obviously, there are other cultural influences that play into the culture of any ethnic group. But the reason it is significant to her is that it represents her cultural identity which is different from that of present-day Iran. The next several hyperlinks are examples of Persian culture that survive to this day.
The above videos are examples (traditional and more contemporary examples) of some of the beautiful music that Irani artists have created. My friend is a talented musician who was classically trained on the piano and is a much sought-after teacher.
These next two links are examples of the intricate balance of their cooking (which is really an art form in itself)
and the beauty (and good taste!) of their Chaii. According to my friend, some of the best hospitality in the world is found in the home of the Iranian. "If you came for a visit to Iran", she told me, "people would be competing over who gets to have you over."
These last two links are examples of Iranian art in the form of jewelry and traditional dances. It is quite breathtaking and elaborate! It is interesting to note as you observe the different art forms, how unique dancing, for example, is to each region of Iran. This mirrors the different influences that have contributed to the Persian culture over the years: from Russia to the North, Turkey in the Northeast, and the Nomadic tribes that called Iran their homeland.
An example of Persian Mosaic, this writing stand was given to my family as a gift.
In conclusion, when I asked her why her cultural identity is so closely associated the Persian empire, she ended with this: "Now we have nothing, but we used to have such a great empire... [a lot of this changed] because of Islam." Persian is her nationality because it represents for her a glorious time of freedom, it represents greatness, the chance to have an identity, the respect for human rights, opportunity, and a time in their history when they valued the good things in life. She called the Persian Empire the "Golden Age" of Iran. This golden age still exists and is the hope and beauty that lives on in the vibrant heart of the Persian people to this day.
What Can We Learn?
What Can We Learn?
What can we learn from the Persian Empire, the Achaemenid Dynasty, and King Cyrus? The lesson that is foremost on my mind is the power and importance of leaving behind a legacy for those who are coming after you. How do you leave a good legacy? There are many factors, but by observing the life of King Cyrus, we can see how imperative it is to have a good character. Not many can say that even those who were their enemies respected them. This, to me, is one of the greatest indicators of the powerful influence that King Cyrus' life had on those around him. He was not perfect, no one is, and he was a ruler and a military leader who expected obedience, but his people loved and respected him despite this. Why? Because he respected them and treated them with dignity and honor.
But there is another crucial aspect to a legacy. It is one thing to leave a good name for yourself through your good character, but our legacy also depends on others passing it down to the next generation so that those who are coming after can learn from our story too. One of the saddest comments my friend said to me in our interview, was that the Persian identity was not being passed down to the younger generation. There are those who are growing up in modern-day Iran, who do not know of the Persian Empire and its greatness: not only in wealth but also in its beliefs and ideas. When a legacy is no longer being passed down to the next generation, that is the quickest way for a piece of history and the lessons we can take from it, to die and fade into the mist of history that is no longer remembered. If we can learn nothing else from the Persian Empire (and they left us with a lot to glean!), it should be: a good character is what wins you favor in the sight of others, and it is this legacy that is left as an example for those in the future to learn from, and we hope they would pass it down to others so they can learn from it too.
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