A quick look at the Persian Empire as we get started on our unit.

1. 7th Grade Ancient World History
The Persian Empire
Quick dive into “What to know”

2. Persian Empire
Things to keep in mind
They exist in an arid climate
Things essential for survival anywhere:
• Food
• Water
• Shelter
The create their own way of getting water to their
communities, which provides the water needed for people
to drink and for agriculture.
How?

4. Persian
EmpireThe Qanat System
• A series of aqueducts that bring water from deep inside the
ground through man made tunnels to where they need the water.
• A series of dams to store the water for later use.

5. • It was a monarchy. It has a king
• They conquered new territory and claimed it as under their rule.
• Did have their own religion, Zoroastrianism.
• Good/Evil
• Three leaders you need to know:
How it ruled
Persian Empire
• Cyrus the
Great
• Darius the
Great
• Xerxes

6. Persian Empire
Cyrus the Great
He was an amazing warrior, his soldiers loved him,
and… he was a good guy.
• After defeat people could still worship their own
religion.
• Could maintain some control over their territory.
• Let the Jews move back to Jerusalem and had the
Temple once destroyed by the order of Neo
Babylonian ruler, King Nebuchadnezzar, to be
rebuilt.

7. Persian Empire
Darius the Great
He expanded the empire even bigger, built big things, and… he was a
good guy
• Built big things
• Built fancy gardens
• Made sure that the builders got paid for their hard work building
it
• He set up new systems of power and control
• He set up Satraps (like states and governors for each)
• Built a new capital for the empire names Persepolis
• Built the Royal Road, network of 1700 miles of trade routes
• Started in long standing war with the Greeks. Lost at Marathon
and starts the Greco-Persian Wars

8. Persian Empire
Xerxes the Great
He expanded the empire even bigger through war with Greek Empire City-
States
• Put down insurrections in Babylonia - Destroyed their statues and
outlawed their worship to gods like Marduk
• Took revenge for Darius’ loss at Marathon
• He took a fleet of 1,000 ships and an army of 100,000 men to Greece.
• The army defeated the Greeks on land
• The Greek navy was too strong for the Persians
• Tricked the Persians into going through a narrow waterway. Ships
were crowded together. Their fleet was destroyed
• Without their ships, the Persians could not deliver food and supplies to
their army. The army was eventually defeated
• Xerxes is assassinated and the Empire starts to fall apart

9. Persian Empire
Lasting Legacy
Might be the foundation for Western civilization that
Greece is given credit for
• Freedom to govern with support from Persian
infrastructure
• Freedom of worship
• Multinationalism (Egypt, Babylon, Macedonia)
• Not big on slavery
Trade routes that would shape future empires
Inspired the next generation of leaders (Alexander)