Persian Empire

From 539 BC to 331 BC, the Persian Empire was the most powerful state in the world. Ruled from
Persia (now Iran), it stretched from Egypt to India. It had rich resources of water, fertile farmland, and
gold. The Persians worshiped a fire god, Zoroaster.
How was the Persian Empire governed?
Persian rulers claimed the proud title of King of Kings and demanded total obedience from their
subjects. Under King Darius, the empire was divided into 20 provinces to try to stop any single region
from becoming too powerful. Each province was ruled by a governor, called a Satrap
What was the Royal Road?
This was the longest highway in the Persian Empire. It ran for more than 1,550 miles (2,500 km) from
Sardis, in western Turkey, to the empires capital, Susa, near the Persian Gulf. A giant network of
roads linked the empires provinces. Messengers traveled on horseback to deliver urgent royal
commands or news, while merchants used camel trains to transport goods.
Royal Palace
In 520 BC, King Darius gave orders for a magnificent new palace to be built at Persepolis, in Persia.
He commanded leaders from all over the empire to bring tributes (forced gifts) to him there.
Biography: King Darius I r. 522486 BC
Known as Darius the Great, Darius I reorganized the Persian government, won great victories in
Turkey, and led an invasion of Greece. But his army was defeated by Greek soldiers at the famous
battle of Marathon in 490 BC. This started a long-lasting war with the Greeks that eventually brought
down the Persian Empire.
Satraps
Satraps were local rulers appointed by the king to govern individual provinces. Their job was to
enforce law and order, and to collect taxes and tributes. They worked with Persias army commanders
to defend the empires frontiers from enemy attack.
Could the Satraps be trusted?
Persian kings did not trust the satraps. They employed special spies, known as the kings ears, to
make sure that the satraps were not stealing taxes and tributes. But some satraps did become
powerful, and plotted against the king. Some joined with enemies of the empire, such as Alexander
the Great, the Greek leader who conquered the Persian Empire in 331 BC.

Persepolis

Persepolis (Old Persian: Pra,[2] New Persian: Takht-e Jamshid or Prseh) literal meaning "city of
Persians",[3] was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire (ca. 550330 BC). Persepolis is
situated 70 km northeast of city of Shiraz in the Fars Province in Iran. The earliest remains of
Persepolis date from around 515 BC. It exemplifies the Achaemenid style of architecture. UNESCO
declared the citadel of Persepolis a World Heritage Site in 1979.[4]