Chapter 9, Section 1 pages 260-265
Persia Becomes and Empire
1a. How do the Medes (meeds) fit into Persian history?
They rule the Persians for about 150 years
b. Roughly, what years do are the Medes involved?
From 700-550 BC
2a. By the time Cyrus dies, what had he created?
The largest empire in the world
b. (From the Cyrus the Great Biography box on page 261): Why did the Babylonians and the Jews
both respect Cyrus?
Bab: they still got to worship their own gods
Jews: weren’t slaves any more, and got to return to their homeland
c. Identify something in your life you would call a custom—Cyrus let conquered people keep theirs:
I’ve always worn a tie as a teacher
3a. Cyrus kept the army organized and loyal. Identify/explain who were the:
Immortals:
the heart of the army—10,000 of the most skilled
Calvary:
soldiers on horses who shot arrows
b. Which group do you want to be in and why?
Persian Empire Grows Stronger
1a. Why did Cambyses (Kam-be-sis) get to rule?
He was Cyrus’s son
b. How/why did Darius get to be ruler?
He killed all his rivals for power
2a. A province would be similar to what here in the US?
States
b. What three jobs did the satraps (say-traps) or governors have to do for Darius?
Collect taxes, be judges and put down rebellions
c. How did Darius make sure the satraps knew who was boss?
Had officials visit to make sure they stayed loyal
Called himself “king of kings”
3a. WHY was building roads so important?
Connected different parts of the empire
Allowed messengers to travel quickly
b. What was the most important road called?
The Royal Road
c. Why was building a new capital at Persepolis (per-sep-pole-is) so important to him?
He wanted it to reflect the glory of his empire
d. Is there anything about the new religion called Zoroastrianism (zor-roast-tree-an-ism) that sounds familiar?
That there’s good and evil in the world
People should help on the side of good
The Persians Fight Greece
1. What was Darius’ problem with the Greeks?
Some city-states sent soldiers to fight against the Persians during a revolt
**what country today makes up most of what was called Asia Minor?**
2a. What is the name of the place near Athens were the Persian War began?
The plains of Marathon
b. What weapons do you see on the vase on page 263?
Spears, shields and bows
c. Look at the picto-map on the top of page 265. Why were the Greeks able to defeat the Persians in this
battle, despite having less men?
They lured the Persians into the middle of their forces and surrounded them
3a. For round two in this war, by 480 BC, who had become the leader of the Persians?
Xerxes
b. What jobs did Sparta and Athens handle for the Greeks?
Sparta-fight the army (on land)
Athens-fight the navy (on water)
c. The Spartans LOST at Thermopylae (thur-mop-pole-ee): why was this important?
They slowed the Persians down
d. What advantage did the Athenians use in the battle of Salamis?
They had smaller boats that could be steered easier than the bigger Persian boats
e. Where was the last battle of the Persian War?
Plataea (Plah-tea-ah)
f. Why are the Greeks seen as the winner?
They saved their homeland from being conquered