1 of 4

The Persian Empire

Banducci-polis

2 of 4

Persian Empire

  • Largest and most impressive empire in 500 BCE
  • Conquests reached from Egypt to India
  • Imperial system

3 of 4

Persian Imperial System

  • Governors oversaw the 23 provinces
  • Respect to different cultures and religions within the empire
  • Uniform taxes across the provinces
  • “Immortals” = military; used to protect imperial rulers and expand borders

4 of 4

Infrastructure

  • Royal Road - 1700 miles of road uniting the empire
    • caravans of merchants could cross in 3 months
    • imperial couriers could cross in 1-2 weeks
  • Underground irrigation system
  • Canal linking the Nile to the Red Sea