Social Sciences and History / Unit 3 SSH 0211 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Persia: Empire by Leniency
Captions available
The idea
Cyrus the Second united Medes and Persians in five fifty BCE, took Lydia, and let conquered Greeks keep language, religion and culture for loyalty and tribute. Darius added the Royal Road, standard law and coinage, and satrapies.
In practice
A messenger covering sixteen hundred miles in a week by relay.
Where people slip
Zoroastrianism was dominant under a policy of tolerance. Leniency, not terror, was the innovation.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
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