WorldHistoryStudyGuide:Persia

RisetoPowerandNewLands:
ThePersianEmpirerosetopowerwithastrong,largearmy,buttheyalsoroseto
powerbyacceptingthelawsandcustomsoftheregionstheycontrolled.Theydid
notimposetheirownreligionorgodsontheconqueredpeopleandlands,but
dealtwiththemsmartly.ThePersianemperorDariussetupamodelgovernment
bydividingtheempireintosatrapies(provinces),whichwereeachheadedbya
satrap.Hedrewupacodeoflawsandmovedtovisithispeople.Healsosetupa
moneyeconomy,whichgreatlyimprovedefficiencyandtheabilitytotradeand
growasanation.
Zoroaster:
SincethePersiansweresoculturallydifferentandseparated,theyneededa
unifyingforcethatbroughtthemtogetherandstrengthenedtheirspirit.They
foundthisinZoroastersphilosophyofDualism.Zoroasterwasareligiousthinker
whowantedtoreformAryantradition.Dualismistheideathateverythingis
groupedintotwooppositecategories:good(AhuraMazda)andevil(Ahriman).
AhuraMazdaalwaystriumphedoverAhriman.Histeachingswereadoptedin
PersiaduringDariustheGreatsreign.
AlexandertheGreatandhisLegacy:
AlexandertheGreat,thekingofMacedonia,conqueredtheGreekcitystatesand
thegreatPersianEmpireusinghisclever,quickarmy.Heoutmaneuveredthe
PersianarmyandinIndiawaseventuallyforcedtoturnback.Hecausedcultural
diffusionandamixtureofideas,inventions,andresources,andallowedforanage
ofscientificadvancementsandnewideas.AfterAlexanderdied,therewasmuch
politicalturmoilaboutwhichgeneralscontrolledwhatland,andthisturmoilgave
birthtomanynewideasandphilosophies,suchasStoicism.

Israelites:
DevelopmentofaMonotheisticReligion:
VeryEarlyIsraelites:
TheveryearlyIsraeliteswerenottrulymonotheistic,becausearcheological
evidenceshowsthattheyworshipeddifferentspiritsandothergodsintheformof
idols.However,afterbeingexiledfromEgypttheytrulyunitedunderonegod,
calledYahweh.Hispowerwassaidtobeabsolute,andhewouldpunishthose
whoworshipedothergods.
TheGodofAbraham:
WritteninGenesis,AbrammadeacovenantwithGodatage99,andchangedhis
nametoAbraham.He,andallhisdescendants,weretobecircumcisedandin
return,GodgiveshimthelandofCanaan.Abrahamsson=Isaac.Isaacsson=
Jacob(renamedIsrael)ThedescendantsofIsraelwerecalledIsraelites.
peopletoGod.
TheExilefromEgyptandMosesCovenantwithGod:
AftertheJewishslavesmiraculouslyescapedfromEgyptandMosessupposedly
partedtheRedSea,theJewishpeoplebondedunderMonotheismandonly
respectedonegod.MosesledtheHebrewsandsupposedlycommunicatedwith
Godatonepoint.GodmadeacovenantwiththeHebrews.Inthecovenant,the
HebrewseternallyhonoredandrespectedYHWH,andYHWHprovidedthe
Hebrewswithland,andprosperityforallgenerationsofHebrews.
Therewerethreereligion:covenant,law,andprophets
GodenteredintoacovenantwiththeIsraelitesinwhichtheyobeyYHWH,and
hetakesprotectsthemandmakesthemprosper.Lawwasimportant,becauseit
helpedexercisedtheobedienceofthecovenantandshowedthatGodwas
allpowerful.Lookbelowforprophets.

ThreeMajorKings:
Saul:

Hewasthefirstking.HehadonemassivevictoryoverthePhilistines,buthedidntplan
forthefutureoftheHebrewswell.Afterhisdeath,theirwasaperiodofanarchy.
David:
DavidreunitedtheHebrews,conqueredthePhilistines,andtookcontrolofallof
Palestine.Heexpandedpoliticalandmilitarypowerandextendedtradingandgrowthin
hisKingdom.HemadeJerusalemthecapital.
Solomon:
SolomonfinishedthetempleofDavid,whichhousedtheArkofthecovenant,Gods
representationonearth.ThekingdomwasattheheightofitspowerandSolomondecided
tohavedifferentregionalrulers.ThisturnedouttobeabadideabecausewhenSolomon
died,theirwasfighting.
AfterSolomon:
TheKingdomsplitintotwoparts,IsraelandJudah.Israelwasinvadedby
Assyrians,butJudahwassparedaslongasitpaidlargetaxes.Then,anewempire
tookcontroloverAssyriaandconqueredJudah.Theymovedallthepeopleto
Babylon,buttheyescaped(thesecondexile).TheytrustedGodtogetthemtothe
promiselandduringtheirexilebecausehehadhelpedMosesandtheirancestors.
Prophets:
Amos:AmoswasafraidoftheAssyrianviolenceandmenace,soheadvocated
theHebrewstoobeythecovenant.Likeotherprophets,hewasworriedaboutthe
Hebrewsworshipingothergods,butunlikeotherprophetshewasalsoworried
aboutsocialinjustice.Hepreachedthatritualswerenotenough,therehadtobe
justice.HepredictedthatYHWHwouldshowhisabsolutepowerbypunishing
andcrushingtheIsraelites.Hispredictionscametrue.TheAssyriansdestroyed
Israel.AdifferentnomadicwarliketribeconqueredJudahlater
Jobs:JobwasanotherprophetwhoemergedafteralltheHebrewsweretakeninto
captivityinBabylon.HepreachedfaitheveninthehardesttimesbecauseGod
alwayshadareasonforhisdecisions,evenifthereasonwasbeyondhuman
understanding.Accordingtoabiblicalstory,Jobhadallhispossessionsandloved

onestakenawayfromhimtotesthisfaithtoGod.Hestayedtruetohisfaith
throughoutthewholetimeandduringthetimewonderedwhygoodmenever
suffer.Attheendhespeakstogodandisrewarded.
Isaiah:IsaiahwasaprophetwhowenttothekingdomofIsraelandtoldthemthat
theywerenotrespectingthecovenantorGod.Hesaidtheyweredoingtoomany
baddeedsandthanmakingenormoussacrifices,whichthemselvesareunjust.He
warnedthepeopleofIsraelthatiftheydidntstarttorespectthecovenantGod
wouldpunishthem.ThepeopleofIsraeldislikedhimgreatly,buttheycouldnt
criticizehimbecausehewasspeakingthewordofGod.

VOCAB

Prophet:AholymanwhocommunicatedwithGodandinterpretedGodsmeanings.

Covenant:Anagreementorcontractthatbringsaboutarelationshipofcommitment
betweenGodandhispeople.

Diaspora:Whenagroupofpeoplemovesoutoftheirnativelandanddisperseamong
otherlands.