Describe The Relationship Between The Persian Empire And Seleucid
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The Persian empire was founded by Cyrus the Achaemenid after Medes people migrated from central Asia to the area between India and the Mediterranean. Cyrus expanded his rule beyond Iran to Egypt’s borders. His son, Cambyses, captured Egypt, further expanding the empire. The empire was at its largest under Darius with a population of 35 million and a capital of Persepolis. This was mostly due to his support for religious and ethnic tolerance and free classes. The empire was decentralized and divided and controlled by 25 satrapies that reported to the emperor. Communications and trade were successful due to Royal Roads and there was also standardized coin. The fall began with Xerxes when he no linger supported tolerance which led to chaos. Then the Greeks invaded and the Persian Wars occurred for 150 years. After Alexander the Great captured the capital it was all over and Persia exchanged hands several time from ineffective empires.
Post Alexandrian empires included the Seleucid, Parthian, and Sasanid empires. The Seleucids came first and were the most ineffective as they were heavily opposed by the Persians that they ruled. Similarly to the Seleucids, the Parthians followed a Achaemenid system of government. However they were more successful…show more content… The empire was decentralized and the highest class consisted of the rulers that shared power with bureaucrats, warriors, and clan leaders. The majority of the society was made up of free classes, which meant anyone could join in. Social classes in the city were merchants, artisans, and government workers while in the countryside the classes mainly consisted of peasants and workers that built the qanat tunnels and performed the tasks no one else wanted to do. There were also slaves that were mainly prisoners of war or civilians that rebelled and the free class system did not apply to