Failed Revolt Inside The Persian Empire Darius example essay topic

History 110-2 Brian Greenwald Test 1 1. Hatshepsut Hatshepsut was born right around 15th century BC in ancient Eygpt. She was the daughter of the Pharaoh, Tuthmose I and his wife Aahmes. Upon the death of her two brothers, Hatshepsut was in an exceptional position to gain the throne when her father passed away. However, Tuthmose II was the son of Tuthmose I, though a son not with Aahmes but with a commoner. Tuthmose II did actually ascend the throne upon the death of his father; however, Tuthmose II had a rare skin disease and died only after three or four years on the throne.

The heir to the throne was actually Hatshepsut's nephew Tuthmose except he was too young to assume the responsibilities of rule so Hatshepsut ruled in his place at first as a queen dowager. Hatshepsut first ruled as queen dowager, however she was not about to give up her rule that easily. The significance of this decision was the ancient history she was about to make by becoming the first female pharaoh ever. She was strong enough and liked enough in ancient Eygpt that she stole the throne from her nephew and ruled for twenty-two years until her death in 1458 BC. Other than being the first female pharaoh, she also is remembered for her mortuary that she built for herself, and precedented building a mortuary temple and a funerary-cult temple separate. 2.

Pyramid of Djoser The step pyramid of Djoser is positioned at Saqqara, just south of Memphis. The pyramid started out as a mastaba, which was a temple that precedented the great pyramids. The Pyramid of Djoser was then expanded six different times to six stages toward the height of over 200 feet. The architect credited with its designs was the king's vizier named Imhotep. A vizier was a high priest in ancient Eygpt. The pyramid was built during the third dynasty around 2630 B.C. The pyramid was built for King Djoser who was the second king of the third Dynasty.

He was also known as Netjerykhet, the son of Khasekhemwy. Djoser ruled for almost two decades and was credited with the building of the Pyramid of Djoser The Pyramid held a statue of Djoser and the statue was the first piece of work in stone yet to be found. The pyramid was also the frontrunner of the pyramids found at Giza. It was an archaeological wonder considering the times and the supplies that were available to Im otep and his workers. 3.

Uruk The city of Uruk was situated about 200 miles south of Baghdad, on a branch of the Euphrates River in Iraq, or near Wark a, Iraq. Uruk was founded at about 3500 BC and it became the first major city in Sumer. Gilgamesh built the walls of the city Uruk and dedicated the city to Ishtar who is the goddess of love, reproduction, and war. The city was built because of the uniting of Ubaid settlements. The building of the city marked the transition from Neolithic Ubaid villages to Sumerian cities.

The city is significant because it marked the beginning of civilization in the Mediterranean world. Uruk was by far the biggest settlement, with the most striking buildings and most importantly there are traces of writing that started in the city. The biggest significance about this city was that it was Mesopotamia's and the worlds' first city. 4. Darius I Darius I ruled the Persian Empire from 521 to 486 BC.

Darius was not known for his military conquests, but more for his new ideas for governing his vast empire. Darius occupied the city of Susa, and built the city of Persepolis. He divided the Empire into 20 regions, each governed by a Satrap, or a governor. Asia Minor was divided by the satrapies of Lydia, Caria, Cappadocia, Cilicia, and Armenia.

The responsibilities of the satraps included governing over there provinces and gathering and transferring taxes for the royal treasury. Darius was only unsuccessful only on the battlefield. Because Athens had helped, a failed revolt inside the Persian Empire Darius spent the next twenty years trying to destroy Athens. On his first attempt, he sent a vast navy to the coast of Athens, however the ships never got there because they were wiped out by a storm. His second attempt looked favorable until the Persian army was wiped out at the famous battle of Marathon. Darius's rule was significant because his reign was not known for what he did on the battlefield, but what he did administratively.

He knew that he could not control the whole empire by himself so he made provinces that were still all loyal to the crown and he appointed governors to run them. He was also very tolerant of non Persians in his empire, the fact that he let them keep most of there institutions was unheard of at this time. He also made a standardized currency and he created a system of weights and measures. He also built a new royal residence and a ceremonial capital. He made canals and made the famous "Royal Road". The road spanned sixteen hundred miles from Susa to Sardis.

5. Code of Hammurabi Hammurabi, who was an Amorites King, made this code around the 1700's BC. The code is now famous because of an impressive eight foot stele that was discovered in Iran. It contained legal issues that were common in this time. Hammurabi's point of making the Code was so that his entire empire had a uniform set of laws that they could all follow.

This Code was significant because it was the first actual set of laws that were uniform throughout an empire. Until that time, the king would decide what would happen using his judgment. Now subjects had a set of laws that they could follow so they would know what would happen for any given infraction. 1. Persian Empire vs. The Assyrian Empire The Persian Empire and the Assyrian Empire were two civilizations that were very successful at conquering and had different views about governing there territories, however these two empires both made one mistake that brought them down. Cyrus created the Persian Empire when he conquered the Medes and then conquered the whole of Asia Minor.

By the time, Darius I reached the throne the Persian Empire was the biggest empire yet to be created. The empire stretched from the Indus River in the east to Egypt in the south to the Greek coast in the west and to the Caucasus Mountains in the north. The Assyrian empire was created on terror. They thought that if they terrified their subjects then their subjects would be too afraid to revolt or talk against them.

The Assyrian Empire it seems was the precursor to the Soviet Union. The Assyrians would extract their dues through threats that if they did not those people would succumb to the completely Assyrian military machine. The empire was built on terror and it stayed together through the threat of terror. These two civilizations were the same in the way that they both started out as different tribes swearing allegiance to each other and that is how they started their particular civilizations.

They both shaped the religious and political traditions of their neighbors by terror (Assyrian way) or through political and religious tolerance (Persian way). Both of these empires understood the importance of transportation and lines of communication. In Persia, Darius built the Royal Road and in Assyria, their kings built an extensive network of roads. Both Empires also understood that one person could not rule an entire empire by himself so both empires split there territories up and had provincial governors rule them. They both also made one mistake that ended their empires, in Persia Darius made the mistake of trying to defeat Athens repeated times after he had been defeated, this opened the door for Alexander the Great to conquer all of Persia.

In Assyria, there terror tactics turned against them as hatred of the Assyrian Empire grew throughout the known world. The terror that the Assyrian Empire was known for had now brought them down. Even though they were the same in some ways, they were two very different empires. The Persians started conquests and then they had a period of piece while Darius governed his empire. In Assyria, they were always fighting because of the hate for the Assyrian people. In Persia different religion was tolerated, however, in Assyria, the king was the head of the church and state and different religions were persecuted.

2. Any Empire If I could live in any one of the empires, I would probably pick Babylon under the rule of Hammurabi. I would pick this because I would have a set of rules to follow so I knew that if I did something I would have to pay a set consequence. Also, Hammurabi understood that conquests do not just include brute force, alliances, and pitting two different territories against one another that it would be easier to conquer.

Even though I owed allegiance to Marduk, I would have religious freedom and that is important. Also under Hammurabi there was a great period of piece, it seems that every other Empire to this time had there whole history in battle. I would want to live in a place where there are battles from time to time, but for the most part, we would live in piece. I also picked this empire because it seemed like it was the most stable. The code of laws stabilized the empire and having a strong, smart, great ruler I would not have to worry about conquest from another people while he was alive. I picked this empire because I believe in a set of laws and a strong and tolerant leader.

I believe when any civilization has those foundations in them then it would be a good place to live. I would want to live in peace, and I would, I would also like to have a standard set of laws, and I would, and finally I would also like to know that when I woke up in the morning I wouldn't be part of another empire, or that if someone did something to me or my family that that person would get punished no matter who he or she was. I am not saying that Hammurabi Empire was flawless, but what civilization in the history of time is, it is just the civilization that we have studied so far that makes the most sense to me, until we get to the Roman Empire.