Ancient Persia had a large imperial bureaucracy that governed its vast empire from the Indus Valley to the Nile River. Bureaucrats were assigned to different provinces to administer on behalf of the king. The Persian government also built an extensive Royal Road system connecting major cities across the empire to facilitate communication and trade. Culturally, Persians followed a moral code emphasizing bravery, honesty and righteousness, and the dominant religion was Zoroastrianism which viewed the world as a battle between good and evil.

1. PERSIA
Government, Culture, and Religion

2. CNN STUDENT NEWS

4. Ancient Persia

5. GEOGRAPHY
• Built on earlier Central
Asian and
Mesopotamian
civilization following the
conquering of Babylon.
• It was the largest empire
in the world at the time,
stretching from the
Indus Valley to the Nile
River

6. IMPERIAL BUREAUCRACY
• Bureaucracy is a system
in which government
officials make decisions
for the government.
• Bureaucrats were
assigned to govern the
different provinces of
Persia. They served as
“the eyes and ears of
the king.”

7. BUREAUCRACY
• Civil Service programs
gave government jobs
to the people who best
deserved the work.
• Jobs weren’t awarded
based on family lineage
or wealth.

8. ROYAL ROAD
• System of roads that
stretched over 1,600
miles.
• Relay stations and rest
stops had fresh horses
and provisions.
• Messengers could
travel the entire stretch
in 7 days.

9. CULTURE OF PERSIA
• Followed a moral code
that stressed bravery
and honesty.
• Men should “ride horses,
draw a bow, and speak
the truth”
• Did not engage in
outside trade. They
thought trade was a dirty
practice

10. BUILDING AN EMPIRE
• The Persian government
tolerated the people that
they conquered.
• They tolerated their religion,
language, laws and way of
life.
• Cyrus Cylinder
• Iran/Iraq war , in 539 B.C.E.
• “the first declaration of human
rights.”
• It establishes Cyrus as a king
and denounces the previous
king of Babylon, but then it
talks about peace.

11. ZOROASTRIANISM
• Religion of Ancient Persia
• The Prophet Zoroaster
preached that there was a
divide between good and
evil. Humans had to
choose their path. All of
those that fought for good
would be rewarded with
eternal life.