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In 530 B.C., the Persian empire formed under a powerful ruler named Cyrus, who established the Achaemenid dynasty.  He conquered the Medes and established trade routes to India and the Mediterranean.  In 525 B.C., Cyrus's son Cambyses expanded the empire further to Egypt and parts of Arabia.  He established loyal governors in distant lands known as "satraps", who were carefully watched by a special force called the "King's Eyes and Ears" to prevent any rebellions.  The distant lands sent taxes and soldiers to the king; in return the king protected them and allowed local customs and traditions to continue (most other empires harshly suppressed local customs).  The Persian empire founded their own religion called Zoroastrainaism, which described life as a struggle between good and evil in the expectation that good would ultimately prevail.  Its sacred text was called "Avesta".

In 530 B.C., the Persian empire formed under a powerful ruler named Cyrus, who established the Achaemenid dynasty.  He conquered the Medes and established trade routes to India and the Mediterranean.  In 525 B.C., Cyrus's son Cambyses expanded the empire further to Egypt and parts of Arabia.  He established loyal governors in distant lands known as "satraps", who were carefully watched by a special force called the "King's Eyes and Ears" to prevent any rebellions.  The distant lands sent taxes and soldiers to the king; in return the king protected them and allowed local customs and traditions to continue (most other empires harshly suppressed local customs).  The Persian empire founded their own religion called Zoroastrainaism, which described life as a struggle between good and evil in the expectation that good would ultimately prevail.  Its sacred text was called "Avesta".

The greatest Persian ruler was Darius I, who was in power for nearly 40 years (521-486 B.C.).  He expanded his empire to the coast of North Africa and Macedonia, and established a capital at Persepolis.  He introduced a currency (coins) for trade, imposed a common calendar, and built the 1,600 mile Royal Road across the Middle East.  Mail was carried by couriers on the Royal Road, and it was a Greek historian (not the U.S. Postal Service) who described the couriers like this:  "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stop these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."

The greatest Persian ruler was Darius I, who was in power for nearly 40 years (521-486 B.C.).  He expanded his empire to the coast of North Africa and Macedonia, and established a capital at Persepolis.  He introduced a currency (coins) for trade, imposed a common calendar, and built the 1,600 mile Royal Road across the Middle East.  Mail was carried by couriers on the Royal Road, and it was a Greek historian (not the U.S. Postal Service) who described the couriers like this:  "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stop these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."

'''Fast-forward to the 20th century''': The Nazis, as ignorant as they were, used the term "Aryans" to refer to Nordic people, and as a result of the incorrect Nazi usage the term "Aryan" today is misleadingly used to describe blond and blue-eyed people descended from Northern Europe rather than from the Persian region (the region between India and Europe, or Indo-European).  After Darwin's theory of evolution became popular in England and Germany around 1900, racists claimed that the Aryans (Nordics) were superior to everyone else.  One of the worst of these Darwinian racists was the Englishman Houston Stewart Chamberlain, who insisted that Aryans were responsible for all of human progress, and that Jewish people were inferior because they did not descend from the Aryans (note, by the way, that Hebrew did not descend from the Aryan language).  

'''Fast-forward to the 20th century''': The Nazis, as ignorant as they were, used the term "Aryans" to refer to Nordic people, and as a result of the incorrect Nazi usage the term "Aryan" today is misleadingly used to describe blond and blue-eyed people descended from Northern Europe rather than from the Persian region (the region between India and Europe, or Indo-European).  After Darwin's theory of evolution became popular in England and Germany around 1900, racists claimed that the Aryans (Nordics) were superior to everyone else.  One of the worst of these Darwinian racists was the Englishman Houston Stewart Chamberlain, who insisted that Aryans were responsible for all of human progress, and that Jewish people were inferior because they did not descend from the Aryans (note, by the way, that Hebrew did not descend from the Aryan language).  

Let's return back to the ancient world.  The glory days of the Persian empire were from 550 to 331 B.C., and were discussed in detail earlier in this lecture.  The Old Testament mentions Persia frequently during this time period.  When the Persians took over Babylon, Daniel served under Cyrus and Darius (who threw him into the lion's den).  The Persians are also seen in the Bible in the story of Esther, when King Xerxes I held what might be called a "Miss Persia" beauty contest.  Esther, a beautiful Jewish girl, won the contest and would go on to save her people because of her remarkable courage.  It is the Book of Esther that first refers to the Hebrew people as "Jewish", and it was written around 300 B.C.

 

Let's return back to the ancient world.  The glory days of the Persian empire were from 550 to 331 B.C.  It was during this time period that Persia is seen often in the Old Testament.  When the Persians took over Babylon, Daniel served under Cyrus and Darius (who threw him into the lion's den).  The Persians are also seen in the Bible in the story of Esther, when King Xerxes I held what might be called a "Miss Persia" beauty contest.  Esther, a beautiful Jewish girl, won the contest and would go on to save her people because of her remarkable courage.  It is the Book of Esther that first refers to the Hebrew people as "Jewish", and it was written around 300 B.C.

The Persians controlled a vast amount of territory, including most of the Middle East, Turkey and a portion of Northern Africa -- primarily under Cyrus the Great.  Accordingly, the Persian empire was one of the first great empires of the world.  They were unstoppable and greatly feared until Alexander the Great conquered them and far more.

The Persians controlled a vast amount of territory, including most of the Middle East, Turkey and a portion of Northern Africa -- primarily under Cyrus the Great.  Accordingly, the Persian empire was one of the first great empires of the world.  They were unstoppable and greatly feared until Alexander the Great conquered them and far more.