Technology in Ancient Civilizations: the Persians

Technology in Ancient Civilizations: the Persians

The Achaemenid Empire[10], also called the First Persian Empire, spread from 550 to 330 BC. It spanned from the Balkans and Eastern Europe, to the Indus Valley in the East. Persia was a hostile environment, and it’s empire was built only upon invention and determination. Water was hard to find, but a Persian engineer built a breakthrough system of irrigation channels by using nothing but stone chizels. In 700 BC the different tribes became together under a dynasty, but it was when Cyrus the Great took power in Persia in 559 BC, in the beginning of the Achaemenid Dinasty, that history was redefined. He expanded rapidly, by not enslaving his conquests but by recognizing the local religions and beliefs and allowed them to persist. In 539 BC he conquered Babylon, freeing the Jewish that had been captive there for years. He is referred to in the bible as the Messiah. His heir, was called Darius the Great, would become one of the greatest kings and builders of all times. In 518 BC he built Percepolis[11], a tremendous engineering challenge for the time. By 500 BC, Persia became the largest empire in history, even exceeding the size and wealth of the Roman Empire at it’s height.

Like the Romans later, the Persians took the best and most advanced ideas from the cultures they conquered, then developed them even further into technologies uniquely their own. The workers were imported from all over the empire, builders of magnificent palaces, roads and infrastructure. Percepolis would be the main monument of Persian power and glory. The cities palaces were adorned with gold and silver, expensive tapestries and colorful tiles depicting dignified leaders from conquered lands.

Persia was a cradle of science in ancient times. Persian scientists contributed to the current understanding of nature, medicine, mathematics and philosophy. 

1.     Water and drainage system: it was unrivaled anywhere. Plumbing drainpipes would be covered by water that was also brought in along the channel system. Their knowledge of channels and irrigation systems was used in warfare and to provide for their crops in an arid landscape.

2.     The Royal Road[12]: a long paved road was built to connect North Africa with India. It extended for 1500 miles of the Empire and was called the Royal Road, going through mountains, forests, deserts. Watchmen were posted all along the road for safety.

3.     Masoleum of Mausolus[13]: it is located in Halicarnassus in Turkey, and is defined as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It was built in 353 BC by the Queen in memorial of the perished King. She sent for the best architects and engineers in the Empire, building one of the most magnificent and luxurious buildings in mankind’s history.

4.     Technological advances: they invented the wind power machine and the first distillation of alcohol. They created the first batteries (known as the Baghdad Battery). They were also experts in Iron technology.

Eventually, the Persians soon became a threat to another civilization: the Greek. The Greco-Persians Wars[14] spread from 499 BC to 449 BC, and symbolized the beginning of the collide between these two great civilizations. Finally, in 330 BC after many years of battle Alexander the Great reached Persepolis. Persepolis was conquered and burned down, as an act of revenge to the previous burning of Athens by the Persians. Alexander continued his conquests towards the East, absorbing a large part of the Persian Empire into the Greek. Later, the Romans conquered the Greeks and absorbed them into the Roman Empire as well. We will see that NeXT.