Throughout ancient history, there have been many ancient battles in which had two great and powerful empires were fighting due to control over land, one’s belief system, and wanting an abundance of resources. Of these empires, two of them, the Greek and the Persian, were at enmity with each other. These empires were about as similar as the moon and the son, in fact, they were almost polar opposites. Although in many instances the Persian and the Greek empires have an abundance of differences, there are also some similarities.
Persia was founded by Cyrus the Great. Cyrus the Great was born some time in between 580 to 590 B.C.E., but information about him did not emerge until 550 B.C.E. (Stockdale) Cyrus originally took over Medes, but several years later, he conquered and joined together Lydia, Cilicia, Croesus and Media to create the Achaemenid period of Persia. One of Cyrus’ greatest gestures that he performed was when he took over Babylon. Babylon at the time was ruled by a cruel king, and after Cyrus took over, he set free about 40,000 Hebrew slaves. Each empire was founded by different people and in different ways. Persia was founded by a single man, whereas Greece was not founded by one single person, but was founded by a group settlement in 6000 BCE called the Neolithic settlement. Before the Neolithic period, there was evidence of burials found in Argolid, Greece, but the first sign of food producing economy, seafaring, and hut construction started during the Neolithic period.
Religion is another factor that differentiates Greece and Persia. During the Achaemenid Period, the main religion of Persia at the time was Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrianism was brought into Persia by the royal family at the time, and because Zoroastrianism was what the royal family believed, most of the people of the Persian Empire choose to believe in it. Although Zoroastrianism was the main religion at the time, the king would not get persecute the people who did not believe in Zoroastrianism. The kings were very open about his people believing in other religions. Greece on the other hand, did not even have a religion until 146 B.C.E when Christianity entered the empire. Before Christianity had entered Greece, they believed in their mythological stories. Each myth or story had a lesson to be learned by the reader. Greece and Persia’s religion is another factor that makes both of these empires so diverse from each other.
Another major difference between the Greek and the Persian Empire was the way each empire ran their government. Greece was originally a monarchy, but later on, Athens, one of the city states of Greece, started the first ever democracy. Greece was also set up as individual towns called city states. The five most powerful city-states were Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Megara, and Argos. Persia was always a monarchy. In Persia, there were 20 provinces and each province was called Satrapies, and their governors were called Satrap (Guisepi). Although it was a monarchy, the Persian rule was not as strict as some other countries. Cyrus the Great was not strict on having a set religion throughout the empire, although of the biggest crimes, was lying. If you were caught lying, the Persians believed that you would be sent to hell. Even if Persia was an empire that was not as strict, I think that a democracy is a much better way to rule than a monarchy. With a democracy, you can obtain everyone’s opinion, where as in a monarchy, the ruler can make every decision on his own without anyone questioning or objecting his decision.
Although Persia and Greece had their differences, there were also a slight number of similarities. One of the biggest similarities is that the men were played the dominant role. Men were the only ones who can hold a position in office. In the Greek empire men were the only citizens that could vote. Another similarity that the Persians and the Greeks shared is their love for wine. In Greece they had a God for wine named Dionysus. Dionysus was a demigod, for half mortal and half immortal, and his father was the King of the gods, Zeus. He was made immortal by his father, for which Dionysus was mortal before he became an adult. Zeus thought his son was worthy, so he turned his immortal, and so Dionysus became the god of wine. It is said that wine making and drinking has been in Persia since the Achaemenid period, which was the first Persian “dynasty” (Daryaee).
The abundant differences in which the Greek and the Persian empires have overruled the limited number of similarities they share. Although their love for wine and dominant gender share the likeliness of these two empires, government system, religious beliefs, and the way each empire was found makes the Greek and the Persians a lot more diverse than most people will think. For those reasons, I believe that it is easier to contrast than to compare the Greek and Persian empires.
Persia was founded by Cyrus the Great. Cyrus the Great was born some time in between 580 to 590 B.C.E., but information about him did not emerge until 550 B.C.E. (Stockdale) Cyrus originally took over Medes, but several years later, he conquered and joined together Lydia, Cilicia, Croesus and Media to create the Achaemenid period of Persia. One of Cyrus’ greatest gestures that he performed was when he took over Babylon. Babylon at the time was ruled by a cruel king, and after Cyrus took over, he set free about 40,000 Hebrew slaves. Each empire was founded by different people and in different ways. Persia was founded by a single man, whereas Greece was not founded by one single person, but was founded by a group settlement in 6000 BCE called the Neolithic settlement. Before the Neolithic period, there was evidence of burials found in Argolid, Greece, but the first sign of food producing economy, seafaring, and hut construction started during the Neolithic period.
Religion is another factor that differentiates Greece and Persia. During the Achaemenid Period, the main religion of Persia at the time was Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrianism was brought into Persia by the royal family at the time, and because Zoroastrianism was what the royal family believed, most of the people of the Persian Empire choose to believe in it. Although Zoroastrianism was the main religion at the time, the king would not get persecute the people who did not believe in Zoroastrianism. The kings were very open about his people believing in other religions. Greece on the other hand, did not even have a religion until 146 B.C.E when Christianity entered the empire. Before Christianity had entered Greece, they believed in their mythological stories. Each myth or story had a lesson to be learned by the reader. Greece and Persia’s religion is another factor that makes both of these empires so diverse from each other.
Another major difference between the Greek and the Persian Empire was the way each empire ran their government. Greece was originally a monarchy, but later on, Athens, one of the city states of Greece, started the first ever democracy. Greece was also set up as individual towns called city states. The five most powerful city-states were Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Megara, and Argos. Persia was always a monarchy. In Persia, there were 20 provinces and each province was called Satrapies, and their governors were called Satrap (Guisepi). Although it was a monarchy, the Persian rule was not as strict as some other countries. Cyrus the Great was not strict on having a set religion throughout the empire, although of the biggest crimes, was lying. If you were caught lying, the Persians believed that you would be sent to hell. Even if Persia was an empire that was not as strict, I think that a democracy is a much better way to rule than a monarchy. With a democracy, you can obtain everyone’s opinion, where as in a monarchy, the ruler can make every decision on his own without anyone questioning or objecting his decision.
Although Persia and Greece had their differences, there were also a slight number of similarities. One of the biggest similarities is that the men were played the dominant role. Men were the only ones who can hold a position in office. In the Greek empire men were the only citizens that could vote. Another similarity that the Persians and the Greeks shared is their love for wine. In Greece they had a God for wine named Dionysus. Dionysus was a demigod, for half mortal and half immortal, and his father was the King of the gods, Zeus. He was made immortal by his father, for which Dionysus was mortal before he became an adult. Zeus thought his son was worthy, so he turned his immortal, and so Dionysus became the god of wine. It is said that wine making and drinking has been in Persia since the Achaemenid period, which was the first Persian “dynasty” (Daryaee).
The abundant differences in which the Greek and the Persian empires have overruled the limited number of similarities they share. Although their love for wine and dominant gender share the likeliness of these two empires, government system, religious beliefs, and the way each empire was found makes the Greek and the Persians a lot more diverse than most people will think. For those reasons, I believe that it is easier to contrast than to compare the Greek and Persian empires.