The Achaemenid Empire Flashcards
Genesis
Development in many ways mirrors Macedonia
Medes establish independence from Assyria in 7th c
Persians under Cyrus overthrow Medes in 6th c
Claims ancestor - Achaemenes
Cyrus the Great
Comes to power 559 Overruns Middle East Liberator? Lets Jews return to Palestine Dies 530
Cambyses
Cyrus's son Conquers Egypt Mixed reputation Hdt, 3. Some Egyptians liked him
Dynastic wobble and stabilisation
Coup against Cambyses
Things stabilise with Darius
Expands the empire both east and west
Organisation
Single currency - the Darin Royal roads 20 provinces Satrap Semi-independence?
Capitals
Ecbatana
Pasargadae
Persepolis
Susa
Darius and the Greeks
499-493 - Ionian revolt
Destruction of Sardis - hdt. 5.105
492 - subjugation of Thrace and Macedonia
490 - invasion and battle of marathon
486 - Egyptian revolt prevented another invasion of Greece
Xerxes
Invasion of Greece 480 Overruns most of northern Greece Plataea, thespiae and Athens destroyed Defeat at salamis 479 defeat at plataea Driven back by Delian league Assassinated in 465
Stagnation and decline
Artaxerxes I offers Themistocles asylum
More trouble in Egypt
Peace of Calais 449 - loss of Ionian cities
Artaxerxes death leads to instability
406/5 - loss of Egypt to Nectanebo
404-1 civil war between Cyrus the younger and Darius ii
Resurgence
Artaxerxes ii comes to throne in 404/1 Kings peace 387 - regain of Ionian cities Artaxerxes iii comes to throne in 358 Forces peace on Athens 355 Defeats rebellious satraps in 353 Crushes rebellion in Sidon 345 Reconquers Egypt 343
The army
Both a royal army and an army raised by satraps
Mercenaries
Constant feature of Persian armies
Also hire generals
Xenophon’s 10,000
Cavalry
Much more formidable
Range from very light to fully armoured
Most armed with palton
