Download or read book From Cyrus to Alexander written by Pierre Briant and published by Penn State Press. This book was released on 2002-06-23 with total page 1217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Around 550 B.C.E. the Persian people—who were previously practically unknown in the annals of history—emerged from their base in southern Iran (Fars) and engaged in a monumental adventure that, under the leadership of Cyrus the Great and his successors, culminated in the creation of an immense Empire that stretched from central Asia to Upper Egypt, from the Indus to the Danube. The Persian (or Achaemenid, named for its reigning dynasty) Empire assimilated an astonishing diversity of lands, peoples, languages, and cultures. This conquest of Near Eastern lands completely altered the history of the world: for the first time, a monolithic State as vast as the future Roman Empire arose, expanded, and matured in the course of more than two centuries (530–330) and endured until the death of Alexander the Great (323), who from a geopolitical perspective was “the last of the Achaemenids.” Even today, the remains of the Empire-the terraces, palaces, reliefs, paintings, and enameled bricks of Pasargadae, Persepolis, and Susa; the impressive royal tombs of Naqsh-i Rustam; the monumental statue of Darius the Great-serve to remind visitors of the power and unprecedented luxury of the Great Kings and their loyal courtiers (the “Faithful Ones”). Though long eclipsed and overshadowed by the towering prestige of the “ancient Orient” and “eternal Greece,” Achaemenid history has emerged into fresh light during the last two decades. Freed from the tattered rags of “Oriental decadence” and “Asiatic stagnation,” research has also benefited from a continually growing number of discoveries that have provided important new evidence-including texts, as well as archaeological, numismatic, and iconographic artifacts. The evidence that this book assembles is voluminous and diverse: the citations of ancient documents and of the archaeological evidence permit the reader to follow the author in his role as a historian who, across space and time, attempts to understand how such an Empire emerged, developed, and faded. Though firmly grounded in the evidence, the author’s discussions do not avoid persistent questions and regularly engages divergent interpretations and alternative hypotheses. This book is without precedent or equivalent, and also offers an exhaustive bibliography and thorough indexes. The French publication of this magisterial work in 1996 was acclaimed in newspapers and literary journals. Now Histoire de l’Empire Perse: De Cyrus a Alexandre is translated in its entirety in a revised edition, with the author himself reviewing the translation, correcting the original edition, and adding new documentation. Pierre Briant, Chaire Histoire et civilisation du monde achémenide et de l’empire d’Alexandre, Collège de France, is a specialist in the history of the Near East during the era of the Persian Empire and the conquests of Alexander. He is the author of numerous books. Peter T. Daniels, the translator, is an independent scholar, editor, and translator who studied at Cornell University and the University of Chicago. He lives and works in New York City.

Download or read book Cyropaedia Books I IV written by Xenophon and published by . This book was released on 1914 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book A Companion to the Achaemenid Persian Empire 2 Volume Set written by Bruno Jacobs and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2021-08-31 with total page 1747 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A COMPANION TO THE ACHAEMENID PERSIAN EMPIRE A comprehensive review of the political, cultural, social, economic and religious history of the Achaemenid Empirem Often called the first world empire, the Achaemenid Empire is rooted in older Near Eastern traditions. A Companion to the Achaemenid Persian Empire offers a perspective in which the history of the empire is embedded in the preceding and subsequent epochs. In this way, the traditions that shaped the Achaemenid Empire become as visible as the powerful impact it had on further historical development. But the work does not only break new ground in this respect, but also in the fact that, in addition to written testimonies of all kinds, it also considers material tradition as an equal factor in historical reconstruction. This comprehensive two-volume set features contributions by internationally-recognized experts that offer balanced coverage of the whole of the empire from Anatolia and Egypt across western Asia to northern India and Central Asia. Comprehensive in scope, the Companion provides readers with a panoramic view of the diversity, richness, and complexity of the Achaemenid Empire, dealing with all the many aspects of history, event history, administration, economy, society, communication, art, science and religion, illustrating the multifaceted nature of the first true empire. A unique historical account presented in its multiregional dimensions, this important resource deals with many aspects of history, administration, economy, society, communication, art, science and religion it deals with topics that have only recently attracted interest such as court life, leisure activities, gender roles, and more examines a variety of available sources to consider those predecessors who influenced Achaemenid structure, ideology, and self-expression contains the study of Nachleben and the history of perception up to the present day offers a spectrum of opinions in disputed fields of research, such as the interpretation of the imagery of Achaemenid art, or questions of religion includes extensive bibliographies in each chapter for use as starting points for further research devotes special interest to the east of the empire, which is often neglected in comparison to the western territories Part of the acclaimed Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World series, A Companion to the Achaemenid Persian Empire is an indispensable work for students, instructors, and scholars of Persian and ancient world history, particularly the First Persian Empire.

Download or read book Xenophon s Cyrus the Great written by Xenophon and published by Macmillan + ORM. This book was released on 2007-04-01 with total page 143 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This classic portrait of the ancient Persian king is “still the best book on leadership” (Peter F. Drucker). Cyrus, a great Persian leader, was so widely and memorably respected that a hundred years later, Xenophon of Athens wrote this admiring book about the greatest leader of his era. Among his many achievements, this great leader of wisdom and virtue founded and extended the Persian Empire; conquered Babylon; freed 40,000 Jews from captivity; wrote mankind’s first human rights charter; and ruled over those he had conquered with respect and benevolence. According to historian Will Durant, Cyrus the Great’s military enemies knew that he was lenient, and they did not fight him with that desperate courage which men show when their only choice is “to kill or die.” As a result the Iranians regarded him as “The Father,” the Babylonians as “The Liberator,” the Greeks as the “Law-Giver,” and the Jews as the “Anointed of the Lord.” By freshening the leader’s voice, style, and diction, Larry Hedrick has created a more contemporary Cyrus, and also contributes an introduction describing him and his times. A new generation of readers, including business executives and managers, military officers, and government officials, can now learn about and benefit from Cyrus the Great’s extraordinary achievements, which exceeded all other leaders’ throughout antiquity.

Download or read book CYRUS THE GREAT The Conqueror Who Founded the First Persian Empire written by History Titans and published by Creek Ridge Publishing. This book was released on 2021-08-28 with total page 82 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Greeks called him Cyrus, the Elder, due to his magnanimous efforts to bring the Middle East together and establish a solid administration and bureaucracy. To this day, he still inspires us thanks to his tolerance and eloquent ruling. He was a pioneer of human rights and laid out rules that spearheaded freedom and equality. Cyrus was recognized as a polytheist who favored worshipping many gods at a time. He turned from one god to another, according to his agenda and circumstances. He prayed to a god who could fulfill his desire and lead him to victory, which was noted during his rule in Babylonia. The former Babylonian ruler did not allow his people to worship their god and imposed hard labor, making life unbearable for thousands, but when Cyrus overtook the throne, he allowed Babylonia's people to follow their religion and worship their god, which increased their trust and admiration in Cyrus.

Download or read book Persian Empire written by George Rawlinson and published by Good Press. This book was released on 2023-11-17 with total page 309 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The First Persian Empire was a country of the Achaemenid dynasty, based in Western Asia, founded by Cyrus the Great. Ranging at its greatest extent from the Balkans and Eastern Europe proper in the west to the Indus Valley in the east, it was larger than any previous empire in history. This book describes conquests of the greatest Persian emperors, Cyrus the Great, Darius I and Xerxes I and the expansion of their country. Contents: Extent of the Empire. Climate and Productions. Character, Manners and Customs. Language and Writing. Architecture and Other Arts. Religion. Chronology and History.

Download or read book Discovering Cyrus written by Reza Zarghamee and published by . This book was released on 2018-05-22 with total page 728 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Some of the most fascinating human epochs lie in the borderlands between history and mystery. So it is with the life of Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Empire in the sixth century bce. By conquest or gentler means, he brought under his rule a dominion stretching from the Aegean Sea to the Hindu Kush and encompassing some tens of millions of people. All across this immense imperium, he earned support and stability by respecting local customs and religions, avoiding the brutal ways of tyranny, and efficiently administering the realm through provincial governors. The empire would last another two centuries, leaving an indelible Persian imprint on much of the ancient world. The Greek chronicler Xenophon, looking back from a distance of several generations, wrote: "Cyrus did indeed eclipse all other monarchs, before or since." The vision of the biblical prophet known as Second Isaiah anticipates Cyrus' repatriation of Jews living in exile in Babylon with these words of the Lord: "He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please." Despite what he achieved and bequeathed, much about Cyrus remains uncertain. Persians of his era had no great respect for the written word and kept no annals. The most complete accounts of his life were composed by Greeks. More fragmentary or tangential evidence takes many forms - among them, archaeological remains, administrative records in subject lands, and the always tricky stuff of legend. Given these challenges, Discovering Cyrus: The Persian Conqueror Astride the Ancient World is a remarkable feat of portraiture. In his vast sweep, Reza Zarghamee draws on sources of every kind, painstakingly assembling detail, and always weighing evidence carefully where contradictions arise. He describes the background of the Persian people, the turbulence of the times, and the roots of Cyrus' policies. His account of the imperial era itself delves into religion, military methods, commerce, court life, and much else besides. The result is a living, breathing Cyrus standing atop a distant world that played a key role in shaping our own.

Download or read book The Cyrus Cylinder and Ancient Persia written by John Curtis and published by British Museum Press. This book was released on 2013 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Cyrus Cylinder is one of the most famous objects to have survived from the ancient world. The Cylinder was inscribed in Babylonian cuneiform on the orders of the Persian King Cyrus the Great (559-530BC) after he captured Babylon in 539BC. It is often referred to as the first bill of human rights as it appears to permit freedom of worship throughout the Persian Empire and to allow deported people to return to their homelands. It is valued by people all around the world as a symbol of tolerance and respect for different peoples and different faiths, so much so that a copy of the cylinder is on display in the United Nations building in New York. This catalogue is being published in conjunction with the first ever tour of the object to the United States, along with sixteen other objects from the British Museum's collection. The book discusses how these objects demonstrate the innovations initiated by Persian rule in the Ancient Near East (550 BC-331 BC), a prime example being a gold plaque from the Oxus Treasure with the representation of a priest that shows the spread of the Zoroastrian religion. The book offers a new authoritative translation of the Cyrus Cylinder by Irving Finkel and the publication of two fragments of a cuneiform tablet that show how the Cyrus Cylinder was most probably a proclamation and not just a foundation deposit.

Download or read book Alexander the Great and His Empire written by Pierre Briant and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2010-07-21 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents a short history of Alexander the Great's conquest of the Persian empire, from the Mediterranean to Central Asia. This book sets the rise of Alexander's short-lived empire within the broad context of ancient Near Eastern history under Achaemenid Persian rule, as well as against Alexander's Macedonian background.

Download or read book The Iran Primer written by Robin B. Wright and published by US Institute of Peace Press. This book was released on 2010 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A comprehensive but concise overview of Iran's politics, economy, military, foreign policy, and nuclear program. The volume chronicles U.S.-Iran relations under six American presidents and probes five options for dealing with Iran. Organized thematically, this book provides top-level briefings by 50 top experts on Iran (both Iranian and Western authors) and is a practical and accessible "go-to" resource for practitioners, policymakers, academics, and students, as well as a fascinating wealth of information for anyone interested in understanding Iran's pivotal role in world politics.

Download or read book History of the Persian Empire written by A. T. Olmstead and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2022-08-29 with total page 671 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Out of a lifetime of study of the ancient Near East, Professor Olmstead has gathered previously unknown material into the story of the life, times, and thought of the Persians, told for the first time from the Persian rather than the traditional Greek point of view. "The fullest and most reliable presentation of the history of the Persian Empire in existence."—M. Rostovtzeff

Download or read book Persians written by Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones and published by Basic Books. This book was released on 2022-04-12 with total page 489 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A stunning portrait of the magnificent splendor and enduring legacy of ancient Persia The Achaemenid Persian kings ruled over the largest empire of antiquity, stretching from Libya to the steppes of Asia and from Ethiopia to Pakistan. From the palace-city of Persepolis, Cyrus the Great, Darius, Xerxes, and their heirs reigned supreme for centuries until the conquests of Alexander of Macedon brought the empire to a swift and unexpected end in the late 330s BCE. In Persians, historian Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones tells the epic story of this dynasty and the world it ruled. Drawing on Iranian inscriptions, cuneiform tablets, art, and archaeology, he shows how the Achaemenid Persian Empire was the world’s first superpower—one built, despite its imperial ambition, on cooperation and tolerance. This is the definitive history of the Achaemenid dynasty and its legacies in modern-day Iran, a book that completely reshapes our understanding of the ancient world.

Download or read book Cyrus the Great written by Hourly History and published by Independently Published. This book was released on 2019-06-25 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cyrus the GreatCyrus II of Persia was one of the greatest leaders that the world had ever known; he was the one in whose footsteps other empire builders would follow. From Alexander the Great to countless Roman emperors and Ottoman sultans-it was the mighty shoes of Cyrus that they all attempted to fill. Inside you will read about...✓ Early Life and Legend ✓ The Persian Empire is Born ✓ Love and Marriage ✓ Cyrus' Last Stand ✓ Aftermath and Succession And much more! More than merely a successful conqueror, Cyrus the Great is known just as much for being a great liberator as he is known for his conquests. He was even credited in the Bible as the one who freed the Jews from their long-held Babylonian exile. By the time of his death, Cyrus controlled more land and people than anyone before him. Under his dominion were countless principalities, nationalities, ethnicities, and religions of all kinds. In contrast to many other powerful rulers, Cyrus did not seek to oppress his subjects or interfere with their way of life, religions, or local customs. It is for this reason that, as great as his temporal conquests may have been, the benevolence of Cyrus the Great's leadership stands as his greatest attribute of all. The life of Cyrus the Great remains as an unparalleled testament in the annals of history.

Download or read book Cyrus the Great written by Jacob Abbott and published by . This book was released on 1903 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Cyrus the Great written by M. Rahim Shayegan and published by Ilex Series. This book was released on 2018 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cyrus the Great re-contextualizes Cyrus's epoch in light of recent scholarship. Themes include: Mesopotamian antecedents of his religious policy, the idiosyncratic genesis of Persian imperial art; Babylonian exile and the Bible; Hellenistic and Arsacid genealogical constructs; and his enigmatic evanescence in Sasanian and Muslim traditions.

Download or read book King of the World written by Matt Waters and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2022 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Cyrus the Great was a transformational figure: an exceptional leader, general, and visionary. He was also the founder of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, which dominated the world stage from the Mediterranean to the Indus during the sixth through fourth centuries BCE. When Cyrus took the royal title "King of the World" in 539 BCE, it was closer to a literal reality than for any ruler before him in history. Cyrus the Great thus was an object of fascination even in antiquity, well-regarded among several peoples in almost every accounting of his life. This book treats the stories of Cyrus' birth, conquests, and reign through multiple perspectives, grounded in analysis of ancient sources from the Persians, Elamites, Babylonians, Judeans, and Greeks. Cyrus the Great remains a worthy object of attention for the imprint he left on world history, anywhere the ancient Achaemenid Empire touched in antiquity, and its legacy thereafter"--

Download or read book Encyclopedia Iranica written by Ehsan Yarshater and published by Routledge. This book was released on 1982 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: