persian empire & hellenistic greece Flashcards
achaemenid empire
-iron age
-first persian empire
-founded by cyrus
-global hub of art, science, religion
-middle years known as pax persica
-ended when alexander the great invaded
darius the great
-fourth king of achaemenid empire, ruled at peak
-unified empire by standardizing units, made aramic official language, built crazy roads
behistun inscription
-along royal road
-trilingual relief carved into mount behistun in western iran
-praises king darius
-key to deciphering cuneiform
zoroastrianism
-founded by perian prophet zoroaster
-old monotheistic religion
-still practiced in parts of iran and india
xerxes I
-known tyrant, uprisings in egypt under him, lost control of much of egypt
-tried and failed to invade greece
-policies and endeavors lost persia money (led to heavy taxation
-began decline of persian empire
hellenistic
-from hellazein for “to speak greek,” “to identify with the greeks”
-area ruled by greejs
-lasted until last hellenistic state was conquered in 31 bce
seleucus I
-seleucid empire
-one of the most successful generals
-merged east and west cultures
-empire known for tolerance
-empire was huge, began to naturally fracture
ptolemaic dynasty
-established by ptolemy i, general of alexander
-capital was alexandria
-only ppl w greek ancestry could rule, egyptians had limited power
-peaceful but segregated
-fought w seleucid empire
-trade (alexandria was center, standardized coinage)
-women could go to school and be patrons
-ended when rome invaded in 31 bce
cyrus the great
-small tribal leader turned conquerer and founder of achaemenid empire
alexander the great
-born in macedonia, son of phillip ii
-took over macedon
-lived to 33, only ruled 13 years
the battle at actium
-octavion killed cleopatra and marc antony
wars of diadochi
-battles and conflicts between successors
pompey the great
-conquered seleucid empire contributing to its fall
