Category: Persian Empire
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The Persian Empire After its Defeat in Greece (ca. 479-425 BC)
Much has been written about the David-and-Goliath story in which the small coalition of Greek city-states defeated the vast Persian Empire stretching from Bulgaria to India. Though the victories in the two Graeco-Persian Wars were certainly a watershed moment for Greece, inaugurating its golden age of art, theater, philosophy, and politics – they were actually…
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Persian Rule in Egypt – The Twenty-Seventh Dynasty (525-333 BC)
Egypt was originally conquered by the Persians under Cyrus the Great’s son Cambyses, who invaded and subjugated Egypt in 525 BC. It remained under Persian control for over a century – the so-called Twenty-Seventh Dynasty (525-404 BC). Persian control over the fertile land along the Nile survived Persian defeats in the wars with the Greeks,…
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Pixodarus the Satrap: Navigating Great Power Conflict
The Persian satrapal (or provincial) issues could easily be mistaken for true Greek coins from the mainland – they feature Greek gods and goddesses, in many cases use the Greek language, and are struck on Greek denominational standards. The coins of the satraps of Asia Minor, particularly the issues of the southern province of Cilicia,…