Ancient Persia: An Enthralling Overview of the Achaemenid Persian Empire

by Enthralling History

With unimaginable wealth, palace intrigues, birthday parties featuring fine wine and endless desserts, lavish architecture and gardens, an underground water system, and a 1,500-mile Royal Road, the ancient Persian Empire captures the imagination.

Under Cyrus the Great, ancient Persia exploded into the world’s first mega-empire, spanning three continents and over 40 percent of the global population at its zenith. The Achaemenid Empire stretched from India to Greece and from Russia’s southern border to Egypt and the Sahara. It left an indelible mark on the history of Asia, Europe, and Africa.

Step back in time to examine how the Persians impacted world history. How did they create a multi-ethnic empire that was ahead of its time in respecting all ethnicities and religions? With a captivating narrative that draws the reader in, this meticulously researched book will usher you through ancient Persia’s mesmerizing and magical history.

Unpack these fascinating were the origins of the Persians? How did they live in ancient times?What engineering feat helped the Medes and Persians conquer Babylon without a battle?How did Cyrus the Great overpower the entire Middle East?Did Xerxes really lead a million-man army into Greece?What queen served as a commander in the Persian navy?Why did a eunuch poison two kings and most of the royal males?How did Alexander the Great conquer the entire empire in lightning speed?And much, much more!
To explore the stunning history of ancient Persia, scroll up and click the “add to cart” button!

Genres: History

214 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 5, 2022

Reviews

[Athena · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an interesting read but honestly, the PoVs of that era is limited to the records from a few probably biased sources. This is specifically true for Achaemenid empire as Persepolis was burned and destroyed after Alexander’s attack.

The main source of the information provided is Herodotus, a very well-known Greek historian, which made it hard for me to shake the feeling of a “biased tale” throughout the book.

Either way, it was a fun read that showed how both Persians and Greeks shaped many aspects of today’s human life.

[Philip Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative

These are my type of history books. Not too long but told very cleverly and keeps your interest till the end. Good overview and truly enthralling

[william k stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding!

I learned so much. If you like Captivating History, this is the best book I've read to date. Detailed, yet not boring.

[Jerry Jares · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, I first understood that the Persian Empire's rule was divided into parts: the Achaemenid, Seleucid, Parthian, and Sassanian dynasties. Another interesting tidbit is that some early Persians called themselves "Aryan," meaning 'noble' or 'free.' The name of the country 'Iran' means "the land of the Aryans." In the early pages of this eBook, the author says that Persian history was eventful; that was no understatement.

After reading the second chapter, I understood why the Prophet Mohammad was so emphatic about warriors only taking "an eye for an eye." When Persians (and other tribes and nations of the Middle East) fought, they killed all their enemies and burned their towns to the ground. War, as described in this book, was horrifying. The palaces and temples were desecrated, the population was murdered or sent elsewhere as enslaved people, and the towns and villages burned to the ground. The Persians, and other groups, punished groups by sending the citizens to other areas in the kingdom and allowing Persians to inhabit these disenfranchised people's former lands.

I sometimes wonder just how old a city is (that is described as such); this book satisfied that question with the city of Susa. The town has been carbon-dated; a Neolithic culture was founded in Susa around 4395 BCE. When discussing large swaths of land, it would be helpful to have maps or illustrations of the areas under discussion. There are some, but I search maps online to understand troop movements.

The chapter on Cyrus was enlightening. His death was dramatic and stunning. The last paragraph did a great job of explaining why people considered Cyrus to be great. He may have conquered countries, but he allowed them autonomy, respected their traditions and culture, and promoted their prosperity. Cyrus was a great military leader and administrator of his lands.

It added much to the discussion when the author discussed how various groups fought battles. The wild story about releasing cats, rams, ibises, and dogs when the Persians set out to conquer the Egyptians was terrific. Later, the author took the time to explain how so many Persians could be killed when the Persians mistakenly attacked through Marathon's swamps. Also, the Persians had never experienced the Greek phalanx formation; thus, they were disoriented and confused.

After reading the latter chapters, I had to quit for a while. This book describes why I've cut back on reading history. The authors think that readers only want to hear about battles and wars. There were so many pages of unrelieved bloodshed and wars that I had to quit reading. Breaking up non-stop war with some info about the people's religion or lives or foods (they ate) would relieve the non-stop slaughter. I recognize that the author added a chapter on arts, culture, and religion. Later, there was also information about the rule, governance, and economy. However, they seemed too little, too late.

The Persians were so victorious because they left the conquered people's religion alone, allowed them to self-govern, and adopted many of the conquered people's innovations. All peoples were encouraged to participate in the Persian economy. Lawwise, the Persians were a significant step forward. They required rational evidence (not the trial by ordeal - a woman must survive being thrown in the river to show she was innocent). Also, women were allowed to testify, a significant change from previous legal rules. The Persians were masters at leading multicultural and multi-ethnic groups by treating each group respectfully.

[Jan Aiyulian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how this book used stories at the beginning of many of the chapters, which brought the people alive. This high-action book's outstanding narrative kept me engaged as it explored the origins of the Iranic people and then followed them through the centuries. What Cyrus the Great accomplished in a few short years is mind-blowing! The palace intrigues, the murders of almost the entire royal family, and Persia’s ongoing confrontations with Greece kept me turning pages. This book will be enjoyed by a wide audience range – its meticulous research will appeal to history buffs, and students will find it easy-to-read and fun.

[William Dicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

History for the masses

There are many people who dislike history, because in their minds, it is just a dreary subject. However, this book was written in such a way as to make it accessible, understandable, and enjoyable.

I will definitely recommend this book to those who aren't into history, but would not mind trying it out.

For those who like history, you will not be disappointed.

[Debbie Benson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. The history of Ancient Persia was interesting to read but I found it to be a bit blood thirsty with all the wars and betrayals.

[Gianluca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely suggested

Very good collection. Fairly described and detailed. This is my fifth book from
this author. It won't be the last