Persian History and Culture Trivia Quiz

Answer: Achaemenid Empire

The Persians were a wandering tribe of Indo-Europeans, people who settled between India and Europe. They made their home in Persia, modern Iran, sometime around 1000 BC, and are named after Achaemenes, a minor ruler of the group sometime during the eighth or seventh century BC, to whom later rulers traced their descent.

Cyrus the Great, also known as Cyrus II, began the Achaemenid Empire by overthrowing the overlord of the Persians, Astyages, and seizing control of all his vassals. During his thirty year reign, Cyrus fought many wars of conquest, which enabled him to create an empire.

The incorrect choices are all empires that existed later in Persian history.

Answer: Medes

The Medes left behind no written records, so what is known about them comes from the Greek historian Herodotus, and other people who had contact with them. While the Persians occupied the southern part of the Iranian plateau, another group of Indo-Europeans, the Medes, who arrived to the area at approximately the same time, occupied the northern part.

It is known that when Cyrus the Great overthrew the Medes, the Persians had the status of vassal. Although Cyrus had married a Median princess, it appears that within a very short time he began to plot a rebellion, defeating them within three years. When the Median capital city of Ecbatana fell to Cyrus' army, he assumed control of the entire empire; Ecbatana became the summer residence of the kings of the First Persian Empire, and the city continued to be important due to its location at a crossroads for trade.

Answer: Indus Valley

While there is a bit of confusion regarding who built the First Persian Empire to its fullest extant - was it Darius I or his son, Xerxes? - there is no doubt the Indus Valley was its eastern boundary. Cyrus the Great originally began expansion in the area, however, it was Darius I, known as Darius the Great, who continued building the empire.

He created three satrapies, or provinces, in the Indus Valley; it is, however, unclear if a Persian satrap was appointed to serve in these areas or if local rulers were allowed to retain control.

In the east, the First Persian Empire stretched to the northern regions of Egypt and Libya.

Answer: Ionian Revolt

The policy during the First Persian Empire was typically one of fairness and toleration to people who were conquered, as long as they kept the peace, paid their taxes, and fulfilled their military obligation. When Cyrus the Great conquered Lydia, the Greek city-states in the western part of Asia Minor, called Ionia, that were considered to be part of Lydia, became part of the First Persian Empire. The area was controlled by the satrap, or governor, who lived in Sardis, and those independent Greeks in Ionia were not happy.

In 499 BC the leader of Greek colony of Miletus, Aristagoras, joined with the Satrap of Sardis in an unsuccessful attempt to conquer a Greek island. To turn attention away from his failure, Aristagoras led a revolt and burned the city of Sardis. The Persians, in turn, did the same to Miletus in 495 BC. The Ionian Revolt was just the beginning of a series of conflicts between the Persians and Greeks called the Greco-Persian Wars that lasted from 499 BC-449 BC.

Answer: Darics

Not only did Darius the Great standardize the system of weights and measures to facilitate trade, he also minted gold coins that were used throughout the empire. Historians believe that the minting of coins became a Persian custom after their defeat of the Lydians, who are credited with using the first coins in history.

The daric, known for its purity of 95.83%, weighted 8.4 grams, and typically was stamped with the picture of either the Persian king or a warrior holding a weapon of some sort. It took twenty sigloi, the silver coin minted by the Persians, to equal one daric.

After the conquest of the First Persian Empire, many of the coins were melted down and reissued as a different form of currency.

Answer: Sparabara

The Persian army was composed of people from the many regions eventually conquered by the Persians, however, core groups, like the Immortals, who were immediately replaced when killed, and Sparabara, were composed mostly of native Persians. Many historians believe today that the Sparabara was the army's backbone, and consisted of Persians who trained from childhood to serve in the army.

They wore linen armor and carried wicker shields and two-meter long spears. Although they were not professional soldiers - during times of peace they would return home to farm and graze animals - they were competent and well-trained.

Answer: Chariot archers

Herodotus wrote that "the armored Persian horsemen and their death dealing chariots were invincible". The Persians may have been the first to use four horse chariots, but it is known for certain that they attached scythe blades to the wheels. Chariot archers were also equipped with other weapons, such as spears and swords, and the horses were fitted with armor. Over time, the use of the chariot became more ceremonial, but archers fitted with composite bows continued to be an integral part of the military.

Answer: Qanats

Many historians believe the use of qanat technology originated within the First Persian Empire. An underground system of tunnels and shafts allowed for the transportation of water from its source, usually a water well or aquifer, to the surface by using gravity. This system was able to deliver a regular flow of water that did not depend upon the amount of precipitation an area received.

This was an ingenious invention, considering the fact that the qanat systems could not easily be damaged by enemies or natural occurrence such as earthquakes. The continuous flow of water not only allowed for crop irrigation, but also led the ancient Persians to create beautiful gardens that are still copied today.

Answer: Darius III

Darius III ruled the First Persian Empire from 336-330 BC. A probable distant member of the ruling dynasty, Artashata, who became Darius III, had been made the Satrap of Armenia after proving his bravery in battle. From there he held other important jobs, such as being in charge of the royal postal service. He took over the throne after discovering the treachery of a eunuch at court.

Darius III was killed by the Persian satrap of Bactria, Bessus, who wanted his power. According to the Greek historian, Plutarch, his body was recovered and sent back to Darius' mother who at the Persian capital of Persepolis for royal burial. Bessus was mutilated and publicly executed.

Answer: Alexander the Great

Why did Alexander the Great invade Persia? Many historians believe that it was in retaliation for what the Persians had attempted to do in Greece, and that might have been some of his motivation. Alexander wished to build an empire larger than his father's and Philip himself was planning an invasion of Persia at the time of his assassination.

Since the Persians ruled much of the nearby territory, they were a constant threat. And - Alexander needed money. When Alexander took the capital at Susa (the ancient Persians had four capitals), the people voluntarily surrendered and gave him a treasury that consisted of 50,000 silver talents. According to Plutarch, when Alexander looted the capital at Persepolis, he took so much treasure that he needed "ten thousand pair of mules and five thousand camels" to carry it away. After the death of the last Persian king, Alexander began appointing satraps, adopting Persian customs, and even married one of the dead king's daughters. His rule, however, was short-lived as he died in Babylon just seven years later.