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Lecture 23:
Persian Culture and Religion
HIST 213
Spring 2012
Persian Empire at its height
Persian Empire
• Persia ruled by coalition of 7 Royal Families
– Cyrus (Achaemenid family) strongest (but not only)
• Vast Empire:
– from Aegean to Indus River (2500 mi.)
– Aral Sea to Ethiopia
• Benevolent (compared to Assyrians and Chaldeans)
– allowed locals to retain their governmental systems
– enforced a new currency system
– Darius builds FABULOUS capital at Persepolis
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The Royal Road
* Pasargadae
The bridge at Diyarbakir
The Royal Road
1,677 miles (2,699 km) long
• Susa to Sardis
• mounted couriers could
travel distance in 7 days
– outposts were built
– in relay like Pony Express
• James Farley Post Office in
New York City inscribed
with Herodotus’ creed
Pol-e Dokhtar bridge on the Persian Royal Road
History of Herodotus [8.98]
There is nothing mortal which accomplishes a journey
with more speed than these messengers, so skillfully
has this been invented by the Persians. For they say
that according to the number of days of which the
entire journey consists, so many horses and men are set
at intervals, each man and horse appointed for a day's
journey. Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor darkness of
night prevents them from accomplishing the task
proposed to them with the very utmost speed.
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The first one rides and delivers the message with
which he is charged to the second, and the second
to the third; and after that it goes through them
handed from one to the other, as in the torch race
among the Greeks, which they perform for
Hephaestus. This kind of running of their horses
the Persians call angareion.
Persian Engineering
Several Capitals built by various Persian rulers
546 Cyrus II – Pasargade
• remained unfinished until his death in 530
530 Cambyses – Susa
• Neolithic origins
• 2240 BCE
Elamite capital
– Code of Hammurabi
• 540 BCE 1 of 4 Persian capitals under Cyrus
– by 530 became central capital under Cambyses
518 Darius - Persepolis
Cyrus’ capital at Parsagade
• 5:40-end
http://www.
youtube.co
m/watch?v=
8aukC8GBEs
U&feature=r
elated
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Palace at
Persepolis
• Darius moved capital 40 kms
to the south
• building started in 518 BCE
• enormous platform 450 x
300 meters
• Apanda (reception Hall)
– 20 meters high
• http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=nSm68TxRBRo&fe
ature=related
• 4:18- 9:26
Title: Plan of Apadana Palace of Darius and Xerxes, Persepolis. Solid triangles show the processional route taken by Persian and Mede notables; open triangles indicate the way taken by heads
of delegations and their suites.
Date: 518-460 BCE.
Title: Audience Hall of Darius and Xerxes. Persepolis, Iran
Date: ca. 500 BCE.
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Title: Bull capital, from Persepolis.
Louvre, Paris
Date: ca. 500 BCE.
Title: Darius and Xerxes Giving Audience.
Source/ Museum: Archaeological Museum, Tehran, Iran
Artist: n/a
Medium: limestone
Date: ca. 490 BCE.
Size: height 8' 4" (2.5 m)
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Persian Art
Culturally sophisticated
• Did not choose to use art to impose fear in
subjects
• used art to convey homogeneity
– Bas relief to entrance of Persepolis
Idealized Kingship focused on the bow
• Royal archer
– Behistun Inscription of Darius
How Art Made the World (BBC 2006)
Presented by Dr. Nigel Spivey
• Chair of Classical Art and Archaeology at
Cambridge University
Title: Rhyton. Achaemenid.
Source/ Museum: Archaeological Museum, Tehran, Iran
Date: 5th - 3rd centuries BCE.
Medium: gold
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Persian Religion
Zoroastrianism
• Prophet Zarathustra
• worshipped god Ahura-Mazda
– “Lord of Wisdom”
– earliest form of monotheism
• Official religion of
– Achaemenid
– Parthians
– Sassanians Persians
Core Beliefs
• Understands the world as a battleground
against unseen forces:
– goodness (light)
– evil (darkness)
• Humans must choose between good and evil
• Worship at Fire Temples
• Elaborate marriage and Funeral rituals
1. Vohu Manah - Good Thought
2. Asha Vahishta - Justice and Truth
– represented by Fire and Energy
3. Kshathra – Authority and moral conviction
– assisting both poor and rich
4. Spenta Armaiti - Devotion and Serenity
5. Haurvatat - Wholeness of Heart
6. Ameretat – Immortality
– “Heaven” or afterlife
7. Spenta Mainyu - Creative Energy
– only possessed by Human beings
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Key Texts: Avesta
Holy Book called Avesta
• collection of scriptures
• 5 hymns spoken by
Zarathustra
– Gathas
• language resembles
Rigveda of India
From the Avesta
May the desired Fellowship come
for the support of the men and women of
Zarathushtra,
for the support of good mind,
so that the conscience of every person earns
the choice reward, the reward of righteousness,
a wish regarded by the Wise God.
Worship in Fire Temples
• Worship is the Temple of Fire
– fire burns as a symbol of the holiness
of Ahura Mazda.
• Purpose of worship:
– celebrate life
– praise for the wondrous creations of
the world
– contemplate good to deprecate evil
– meditate on God’s creations
• Worship five times a day
– follows arc of the sun
• Communal celebrations
• religious calendar
– worship followed by eating together
– thanksgiving feasts
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Influences on other religions
Zoroastrian ideas:
– moral dualism
– heaven and hell
– “Ages” of sacred time
– an “End of Time” (eschatological world view)
– angelic beings
– numerous prayers throughout the day
• influenced Judaism, Christianity and Islam
Zoroastrian Attitudes towards women
• Woman have position of equality in
Zoroastrian society
– head of the household in the absence of her
husband or widowhood
• Can make decisions affecting land
sales, inheritances, harvesting times,
educational choices, marriage
partners for off-spring etc.
• A woman can speak her views in the
presence of her partner
– her viewpoint accepted as valid
• Must marry a Zoroastrian man to
maintain those rights
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