• The Persians grew into a powerful empire under Kings Cyrus & Darius

• With a powerful army, the Persians conquered Mesopotamia, Egypt, & India

• The “10,000 mortals”- the elite force of the king’s army

• Mesopotamia lacked natural barriers leading to frequent invasions

Persian religion was Zoroastrianism, which viewed life as a struggle between good & evil

• Persians believed in heaven & hell as consequences for how they lived their lives

Zoroastrianism influenced the views of the   afterlife in Judaism, Christianity, & Islam 

Persians controlled their empire in a variety of ways:

• Persian kings were tolerant & allowed conquered people to keep their languages & religions

• Rather than destroying or looting conquered cities, King Cyrus would show respect for local customs

• Ex: Ended the Babylonian captivity of the Jews

Persian kings were tolerant over conquered peoples and allowed them to keep their religions and customs

a)True b) False

Persians did NOT believe in Heaven or Hell

a)True  b) False

King Darius divided the empire into 20 provinces each ruled by a satrap (local governor)

Satraps were the “eyes & ears of the king,” collected taxes, & delivered tributes to the royal palace. Informed the king of uprisings