jjares reviewed The Achaemenid Persian Empire: The History and Legacy of the Ancient Greeks? Most Famous Enemy on + 3280 more book reviews
The Persians were unique in that they did not 'conquer, obliterate and rebuild according to their own terms' but were known by their tolerance of other cultures. As long as they paid their taxes to the Persian king, they could continue to live according to their own customs and culture. Old Persian was the language used for the bureaucracy, but otherwise, groups used their own cultural languages. When the Achaemenid inscriptions were found, they used Old Persian and the languages of the communities that they controlled. This is very different from other capturing groups, who tended to uproot conquered tribes.
The Persians were the first postal system with staging posts every 20 miles along a route. Travel was fast and safe along these roads the Persians built. Interestingly enough, the Persians left little in the way of writings behind, so what we know of them is from the Greeks, who were their sworn enemies. The last page sums up the Persians: They had respect for their subjects, religious tolerance, and promoted trade, art, and culture. They were a stable empire for 250 years.
The Persians were the first postal system with staging posts every 20 miles along a route. Travel was fast and safe along these roads the Persians built. Interestingly enough, the Persians left little in the way of writings behind, so what we know of them is from the Greeks, who were their sworn enemies. The last page sums up the Persians: They had respect for their subjects, religious tolerance, and promoted trade, art, and culture. They were a stable empire for 250 years.
