Geographical context

Geographic Context- Persepolis

Geophysical landscapes of the Persian Empire. 

Divisions of the Empire: 20  Satrapies

The Persian Empire, under Darius I, was divided into 20 satrapies or provinces. These satrapies were governed by appointed officials called satraps, who were responsible for maintaining order and collecting tribute for the king.  

Major cities and the royal roads. 

People of the Empire.

The Achaemenid Persian Empire, at its height, encompassed over twenty nations or provinces, known as satrapies, according to the Getty Museum. These were diverse regions stretching from modern-day Greece to India. There were between 23-26 satrapies. 

Darius' Suez Canal (Pharaoh's Canal) 

This canal, built by Darius I of Persia, allowed for ships to sail from the Indian Ocean, up the Red Sea, through the canal to the Nile River, which would allow them to reach the Mediterranean Sea.  

Governing a large Empire

Managing a large area of territory was challenging.  In order to stay in power, the Persians needed to assist in meeting the needs of the people, and help them in times of crisis (such as invasions, famines, or natural disasters).  In order to do this, the Persians, like all other large empires, needed the following:

• Communication and Transportation Systems (i.e. roads, canals, postal systems/couriers, network of spies that report to the king)

• Hierarchy System of Government able to rapidly respond to issues (i.e. systems of governors and city officials, establishing provinces, known as satrapies)

• Strong Army and Navy (can handle threats and uprisings both from inside and outside the empire)

Transportation Systems (roads, canals, lodging) in the Imperial System

• Military: Allow for rapid deployment of the army to handle threats.

• Government: Allow for circulation of messages and government officials throughout the empire.

• Economy: the citizens of the empire will use the roads and waterways as a safe method to travel and trade throughout the empire (and beyond).

Questions

• 1. Define and explain Transhumance Pastoralism.  How would this subsistence pattern impact the lifestyles of the people living in this region?  How did this practice impact the Persian's seasonal use of imperial capitals?   

• 2. What advantage would there be for subdividing the empire into smaller provinces (satrapies)?

• 3. Explain the impact that ancient roads would have on the following areas: security of the empire; administration of the empire; and commercial activity in the empire. 

Resources 

Human resources

Around 50 million people, Persians and Medes at the core who did not pay tax. 

46 different nationalities- paid tax, contributed troops, ships and cavalry when required. Cyrus organaised them into satrapies when he created the Empire. 

Reliefs from Persepolis show them delivering tribute. 

Physical resources. 

Expansive plains and plataeus

Horses were bred on cooler plateaus and were a crucial cavalry element in the Persian army 

Large grazing pastures for sheep and goats

Building resources- forests of oak, walnut and cedar trees and quarried stone. 

Herodotus writes extensively about the ample Persian wealth

Gold from Sardis, Bactria and India

Electrum from Lydia

Wool from Ionia

Horses from Babylon

Corn from Egypt

Source A: Herodotus on the wealth of the Persian Empire, taken from Histories, Book 3, in his discussion of Darius' system of tribute:

"Now of all the nations, the Indian nation paid the greatest amount of tribute; they paid 12,249 kilos  of gold dust. This was the greatest amount of all the nations—not only in gold but in value."

It does not even try to bear trees, fig, vine, or olive, but Demeter's grain is so abundant there that it yields for the most part two hundred fold, and even three hundred fold when the harvest is best. The blades of the wheat and barley there are easily four fingers broad; and for millet and sesame, I will not say to what height they grow, though it is known to me; for I am well aware that even what I have said regarding grain is wholly disbelieved by those who have never visited Babylonia. They use no oil except what they make from sesame.1 There are palm trees there growing all over the plain, most of them yielding fruit, from which food is made and wine and honey. 

What does Herodotus reveal about the natural resources of ancient Persia? 

More from this link https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Herodotus/3d*.html 

Source B: Darius's inscription on the wealth he utilized in the building of Susa.

I am Darius, the great king, the king of kings, the king of all countries, the son of Hystaspes, the Achaemenid.

This palace which I built at Susa, from afar its ornamentation was brought. Downward the earth was dug, until I reached rock in the earth. When the excavation had been made, then rubble was packed down, some 40 cubits in depth, another part 20 cubits in depth. On that rubble the palace was constructed.

And that the earth was dug downward, and that the rubble was packed down, and that the sun-dried brick was molded, the Babylonian people performed these tasks.

The cedar timber, this was brought from a mountain named Lebanon. The Assyrian people brought it to Babylon; from Babylon the Carians and the Yaunâ [=Greeks] brought it to Susa. The yakâ-timber was brought from Gandara and from Carmania.

The gold was brought from Lydia and from Bactria, which here was wrought. The precious stone lapis lazuli and carnelian which was wrought here, this was brought from Sogdia. The precious stone turquoise, this was brought from Chorasmia, which was wrought here.

The silver and the ebony were brought from Egypt. The ornamentation with which the wall was adorned, that from Yaunâ was brought. The ivory which was wrought here, was brought from Kush and from India and from Arachosia.

The stone columns which were here wrought, a village named Abirâdu, in Elam - from there were brought. The stone-cutters who wrought the stone, those were Yaunâ and Lydians.

The goldsmiths who wrought the gold, those were Medes and Egyptians. The men who wrought the wood, those were Lydians and Egyptians. The men who wrought the baked brick, those were Babylonians. The men who adorned the wall, those were Medes and Egyptians.

Darius the King says: At Susa a very excellent work was ordered, a very excellent work was brought to completion.

May Ahuramazda protect me, my father Hystaspes, and my country.

What does this inscription reveal about the wealth of the Persian Empire? 

How did Darius utilise the Empire to create imperial buildings in Susa? 

Engineering an Empire: water management and building https://www.clickview.net/primary/videos/4121481/the-persians?context=series&contextId=4008219 

Herodotus- India Gold digging ants. 

"So when the Indians come to the place with their sacks, they fill these with the sand and ride away back with all speed; for, as the Persians say, the ants forthwith scent them out and give chase, being, it would seem, so much swifter than all other creatures that if the Indians made not haste on their way while the ants are mustering, not one of them would escape. So they loose the male trace-camels that they lead, one at a time (these being slower than the females); the mares never tire, for they remember the young that they have left. Such is the tale. Most of the gold (say the Persians) is got in this way by the Indians; there is some besides that they dig from mines in their country, but it is less abundant."

Herodotus claimed that in a desert region of India, there were "ants" bigger than foxes but smaller than dogs that dug up gold dust while burrowing in the sand. He said: These “ants” lived in sandy areas rich in gold. As they dug their tunnels, gold dust came up with the sand. The local people would collect the gold when the ants weren’t around. Because the ants were fierce, the locals would use tricks and speed to grab the gold and escape.