What made Darius famous 1. The legendary Persian king Darius I - the king of kings

Subsequently, Darius, according to Herodotus, executed Ariand, who began to behave independently and even began to mint his own coin, which was the prerogative of only the king. The Persian Ferendat was appointed in his place. Polyenus, on the contrary, says that the Egyptians themselves rebelled, indignant at the cruelty of Ariand (he has Oriander). Darius traveled across the Arabian desert to Memphis and found Egypt in mourning for Apis. He announced a 100 talent reward for finding the new Apis and this attracted the Egyptians, who abandoned the rebels. It is believed that this happened in the 4th year of Darius, that is, in 518 BC. e. , from which we have a stela from the Serapeum with an inscription about the death of Apis. But there is the same inscription from the 31st year of Darius, and in general this story is somewhat similar to fiction. Diodorus says that the Egyptians greatly appreciated Darius because he tried to make amends for the misdeeds of Cambyses, and considered him one of their legislators. He also says that the priests did not allow him to place his statue next to the statue of Sesostris, for the latter allegedly conquered the Scythians, but he did not. The absurdity of this story is obvious from the fact that the Scythians are mentioned in the list of subject peoples, but it is typical of Egyptian legends of later times. In any case, throughout the subsequent reign of Darius, Egypt remained calm; Demotic documents dating back to the 35th year of his reign have been preserved.

In Egypt, Darius appears as a pharaoh and with the name Setut-Ra ("Descendant of Ra"). It is known that he was personally in Egypt, and it is also known that temple constructions were undertaken in his name both in the Nile Valley and in the Great Oasis. Hammamat mines were actively exploited for temple buildings during the reign of Darius; They were partly in charge of the natives (for example, Khnumabra, who traced his genealogy to the deified Imhotep), partly by Persian architects, so influenced by Egyptian culture that they prayed to the Egyptian gods, and their inscriptions were made in Egyptian hieroglyphs. Darius left inscriptions on the Isthmus of Suez, the cuneiform version of which reads as follows: “I ordered the digging of a canal from the Pirav (Nile) river flowing through Egypt to the sea coming from Persia. It was dug up, as I commanded, and ships sailed along it from Egypt to Persia, as was my will...” The inscription of Darius, telling of the great task of drawing a canal through the Wadi Tumilat, was produced in five copies, the three Asian common texts being inscribed on one side, and the Egyptian on the other. Here Darius appears as a real pharaoh: his image is placed under the winged solar disk; the deities of the two halves of the Nile connect both Egypt under his name; here, somewhat adapting to the ancient Egyptian style, a list of peoples subject to the Persian kingdom is symbolically depicted. Here are hieroglyphic images of countries that are never, before or later, found in Egyptian texts. Half of the names have not survived, and we do not know whether Punt and Kush, mentioned in the Nakshirustam inscription, were among them. It is possible that the claim to possession of Punt stems from the resumption of navigation on the Red Sea. The cuneiform versions are edited completely differently, far from reflecting the translation. They are, first of all, much shorter, beginning with the usual confession of King Ahuramazda; then Darius proudly says: "I am a Persian, and from Persia I subjugated Egypt". These words are probably not a formal phrase, but a hint of the pacification of the excitement excited by Ariand that took place.

Reasons for Darius' victory over the rebels

Palace of Darius in Persepolis

Thus, during 20 battles, in which about 150 thousand rebels died, the power of the Persian king was restored throughout the territory of the Achaemenid state. Darius's victories over the rebellious peoples were largely due to the lack of unity among them. Darius was supported by regiments of the royal guard (the so-called 10 thousand “immortals”), an army of satraps who remained loyal to him, and garrison troops, which, as a rule, in each region consisted of foreigners. Darius used these troops very skillfully, accurately determining what kind of rebellion in at the moment most dangerous. Not being able to conduct punitive operations simultaneously in all directions, Darius suppressed one uprising, and then threw the same army with which he suppressed the first uprising against other rebels.

Conquest of part of India

Conquests in the Aegean basin

At the same time, conquests continued in the Aegean Sea basin, where the island of Samos was the last large, independent state with a strong military fleet. The tyrant of Samos, Polycrates, was in 522 BC. e. was treacherously killed by the Persian satrap of Lydia Oretes, and Polycrates' secretary Meander began to rule the island. Around 517 BC e. The Persian army, led by Otana, one of the 7 conspirators involved in the murder of Gaumata, captured Samos after a surprise attack. The island was devastated and included in the Persian state, and Sylosont, the brother of Polycrates, who was familiar with him even before the rise of Darius and managed to provide him with a small favor, was appointed its vassal ruler. One of Siloson's brothers, Lithocrates also went into the service of the Persians and was soon appointed ruler of the newly conquered island of Lemnos. In the same 517 BC. e. recognized Persian power and the island of Chios.

Darius' reforms

Administrative division

Statue of Darius

After this, Darius carried out a number of reforms. He divided the state into administrative and tax districts, which were called satrapies. Basically, the borders of the satrapies coincided with the old state and ethnographic borders of the countries that were part of the Achaemenid state. The districts were headed by satraps, just as before, only now they were appointed not from local officials, but from among the Persians, in whose hands all the leading positions of the country were concentrated. Under Cyrus II and Cambyses II, civil and military functions were combined in the hands of the satraps. Now satraps have become exclusively civil governors. In peacetime, the satraps had only a small personal guard at their disposal. As for the army, it was led by military leaders who were independent of the satraps and reported directly to the king. However, after the death of Darius, the separation of military and civil functions was not strictly observed. Satraps and military commanders were closely associated with the central administration and were under constant control of the king and his officials, especially the secret police. Supreme control over the state and supervision of all officials was entrusted to the Khazarapat, who was also the head of the king's guard.

Taxation

Darius's reforms led to significant changes in the system of agrarian relations. Part of the land was taken from the conquered peoples. The Achaemenids distributed this land in large estates for full and hereditary ownership to members royal family, representatives of the Persian nobility, major officials, etc. Such land holdings were exempt from paying state taxes. At the same time, such a system of land use was widely used when the king planted his soldiers on the land, who cultivated the allocated plots collectively in whole groups, served military service and paid a certain cash and in-kind taxes. Around 518 BC e. Darius established a new national tax system. All satrapies were obliged to pay strictly fixed monetary taxes for each region, established taking into account the amount of cultivated land and the degree of its fertility. For the first time, taxes were also imposed on churches in conquered regions. The Persians themselves, as the dominant people, did not pay monetary taxes, but, apparently, were not exempt from natural supplies. Other peoples, including residents of autonomous states (for example, Phoenicians, Cilicians, etc.), paid a total of about 7,740 Babylonian talents of silver (more than 230 tons) per year. Moreover, most of this amount fell on the peoples of the most economically developed countries Asia Minor, Babylonia, Phenicia, Syria and Egypt. Countries deprived of their own silver mines, in order to pay taxes, had to acquire silver through the sale of agricultural products and crafts, which contributed to the development of commodity-money relations.

Coin system

Shekel Darius

Expansion of the territory of the uprising

After the Athenians left, the Ionians sent their fleet to the Hellespont and captured Byzantium there. Most of Caria and Lycia went over to the side of the rebels. Soon the uprising spread to the island of Cyprus. The population of the island was mixed, it consisted of Greeks and Phoenicians, between whom there had been a struggle for a long time. The Greeks sided with the rebels, and the Phoenicians remained loyal to the Persian king. Thus, the revolt spread from the Hellespont to Cyprus. The unrest in Cyprus was especially dangerous for the Persians, since a significant navy and the rich copper mines of the island were now in the hands of the rebels. In addition, by owning Cyprus, the Greeks could block the entry of Phoenician ships into the Aegean Sea.

Military operations in Cyprus

The rebel Cypriots besieged the city of Amafunt, loyal to the Persians. The Persian army, led by the commander Artibius, approached Cyprus on ships. The Phoenician fleet was also pulled there. Then the Ionians arrived to help the rebel Cypriots. The kings of the Cypriot cities chose Onesilus, the younger brother of the king of the Greek city of Salamis, Gorgas, as the commander of the united forces. In the naval battle that took place, the Ionians defeated the Phoenician fleet. But in the battle on land, due to the fact that some of the Cypriots betrayed the common cause and left the battlefield, the rebels were defeated. In this stubborn battle, the commanders of both armies, the Persian Artibius and the Cypriot Onesilus, also died. The Persians restored the power of Gorgus in Salamis and during - 496 BC. e. captured all of Cyprus, spending a whole year pacifying this island.

Defeat of the rebels

Having been defeated in a land battle, the Ionians retreated from Cyprus, and the Persians began to conquer the cities of Asia Minor one after another. In 496 BC. e. the Eretrians, following the example of the Athenians, also abandoned the rebels. At the end of 496 BC. e. In a stubborn battle near the Marsya River, the Persians defeated the Carians, who joined the uprising. In this battle, 2000 Persians and many more Carians died. Retreating, the Carians continued to resist, and even managed to destroy many Persian commanders, luring them into an ambush.

The Lydian satrap Artaphrenes and the military leader Otanus joined forces and began to systematically pacify the rebels. Then, discouraged, Aristagoras transferred power in Miletus to one of the citizens of the city, and he himself went to the region of Mirkin in Thrace, where he soon died. There was no unity among the Greeks from the very beginning. Not all cities and regions joined the uprising, and its participants did not act simultaneously, which allowed the Persians to beat them piecemeal. As a result, when in the spring of 494 BC. e. A decisive naval battle took place at the island of Lada (now part of the mainland), which defended the entrance to the harbor of Miletus; the Samian and Lesbian ships went home. The battle ended in complete victory for the Persian fleet. The fate of Miletus was decided. In the autumn of 494 BC. e. was taken and plundered, most of the population of Miletus was killed, and the survivors were taken to Susa, and then settled at the confluence of the Tigris into the Persian Gulf. In the spring of 493 BC. e. The Phoenician fleet captured the islands of Chios, Lesbos, causing much destruction there, and cities on the Hellespont. After the suppression of the uprising in Asia Minor and punitive expeditions against the islands that took part in it, Persia began to prepare for a campaign in Balkan Greece. At the head of a large expedition, which included both land and sea forces, Darius's nephew and son-in-law Mardonius, married to his daughter Artazostra, was placed. His troops also included Greeks from regions subordinate to the Persians, whom the Persians tried to appease with various concessions.

Invasion of Greece by Mardonius

Warriors of the Persian army.
From left to right: Hadleyan infantry formed the first rank of the Persian phalanx of archers; Babylonian archer; Assyrian infantryman. The warriors wore quilted jackets stuffed with horsehair - a characteristic type of eastern armor of that time.

Marathon Battle

According to Herodotus, Darius intended to personally lead the campaign against Egypt and Athens, but during these gatherings a great feud began among his sons over the kingship, since, according to Persian custom, Darius had to appoint his successor before the campaign. Darius, even before ascending the throne, had three sons from his first wife, the daughter of Gobryas (not porphyry-born), and after his accession - four more from Atossa, daughter of Cyrus (porphyry-born). Of the former sons, the eldest was Artobazanus, and of those born after, Xerxes. As eldest sons from different queens, both claimed power. Thus, Artobazan claimed that he was the eldest in the family and that among all nations, power, according to custom, belongs to the eldest (direct inheritance). Xerxes based his claims on the fact that he was the son of Atossa, the daughter of Cyrus, and Cyrus was the liberator of the Persians. In addition, Artobazan was born before Darius became king, and Xerxes was born after the accession of Darius, when he was already the ruler of the Persians (that is, Artobazan and his brothers are almost bastards, while Xerxes is a porphyry-born heir).

Darius died in October 486 BC. e. at the age of 64, without having managed to restore his power in

The Persian power of the “king of kings” is one of the designations the most ancient state, which was created by the Persian Achaemenid dynasty in the VI-IV centuries. BC e. It was also called the First Persian Empire. It was located in Western Asia and northeast Africa. Towards the end of the 6th century. BC e. The territory of the country was so vast that on its borders were:

• in the east - the Indus River;
• in the west - the Aegean Sea;
• in the south - the rapids of the Nile River;
• in the north - Transcaucasia.

End of Median rule

Before the formation of the Persian state of the “king of kings,” the situation was as follows. The founder of Persia located here is considered to be the legendary Khakhamanish (700-675 BC), who belonged to the Achaemenid family. Hence the name of the inhabitants of the country - Achaemenids; its capital was the city of Anshan. In the 7th century BC. e. the Persian people came under the rule of the Medes.

In 553 BC. e. The Persians, oppressed by the Medes, rose up to fight the rule of the Medes. The uprising was led by Cyrus II, who ruled them. He organized a strong army, and after three years he managed to defeat Media. But he did not stop there. With his huge army, he went further to the west.

Conquest of Nations

Along the way, Cyrus conquered one country after another. After defeating Lydia, he set his sights on Babylonia. But it was not possible to take the large and very well fortified city of Babylon at once. And then Cyrus resorted to a trick. On one of the dark nights, local residents celebrated a big holiday. By order of their leader, the Persian soldiers diverted the water of the Euphrates River to another channel, which they had previously prepared.

As a result, the river flowing through the city became very shallow, and the soldiers forded their way through it into the city. They caught the celebrating residents by surprise during a grand feast. Thus, Cyrus II conquered both the city and the Babylonian kingdom as a whole in one night.

After this, Palestine, Syria, and Phenicia voluntarily recognized the power of the Persians over themselves. As a result, the state ruled by Cyrus II reached the Indian borders in the east, and the Greek cities in the west.

The big advantage of Cyrus II as a ruler was that he respected the orders, laws and religion of the conquered peoples. This contributed to the fact that in the conquered territories local residents rarely expressed their dissatisfaction and did not rebel.

Persian power of the "king of kings"

After Cyrus II died in battle against the Masagetiv tribes at the age of 70, the conquests did not stop, they were continued by his son Cambyses. In 525 BC. e. he subjugated Egypt, but soon died. After him, Darius I, his cousin (522-486 BC), ascended the throne, ruling Persia for 36 years. His subjects called him “king of kings.”

He inherited a huge country, the borders of which he constantly expanded. He made successful trips to regions such as Greece, India, Asia Minor, and the Northern Black Sea region. The king surrounded himself with unheard of luxury. He had a detachment of guards, numbering up to 10 thousand. In his state, Darius I carried out a number of fundamental reforms aimed at improving governance in the territories under his control.

Darius' reforms

The improvements carried out in his power by King Darius I were as follows.

• The country was divided into 20 separate regions called satrapies, headed by a governor - a satrap. He supervised the collection of taxes, the performance of military and labor duties, as well as daily economic affairs.
• Military formations in the satrapies were placed under the command of individual military leaders, subordinate to the king himself and independent of the governors. Both military leaders and satraps pledged to monitor each other and report to the king.
• Throughout the country, Darius sent officials called “ears of the king.” Suddenly visiting one satrapy or another, they reported to the king about violations. Punishments for crimes were terrible. Thieves and robbers lost their arms and legs, and traitors were subjected to terrible torture.
• Each satrapy had its own taxes. A single monetary unit was introduced - the gold darik. In 515 BC. e. the capital of Persepolis (or Parsu) was founded, which became a symbol of royal power.

Having existed for about two centuries, the Persian state of the “king of kings” fell around 330 AD. e. under strong pressure from the troops of Alexander the Great, becoming part of it great empire.

Symbols of power

In addition to denoting a large state, the word “power” has another meaning. It is a symbol of royal power along with the scepter.

The first is a golden ball, which is crowned with a crown or cross, which implies power over the earth. The sovereign apple is already found on Roman coins issued under Emperor Augustus.

The second is the rod, the prototype of which is. Initially, it was borrowed by the bishops of the church as a sign of the power of the shepherd, and then, in a shortened form, by European sovereigns. They already existed in Ancient Greece.

The Russian tsars also had an orb and a scepter. The first attribute came to us from Poland; it was first used as a symbol of royal power in 1557 under Ivan the Terrible. The scepter began to be used in 1584, when Fyodor Ioannovich was crowned king.

Story Ancient world tells about great military campaigns, the seizure of vast territories of neighboring countries and many years of enslavement of peoples. Continuous interstate wars were a common occurrence of that time. Under these conditions, the wisdom and leadership talent of the rulers of antiquity came to the fore, among whom King Darius especially stood out. Who is this, how did he come to power, and what economic peaks did the Persian Empire reach under him?

Coming to power

During the military campaign of King Cambyses, the Persian throne is occupied by the priest Gaumata. Having killed the younger brother of the ruler Bardiya, Gaumata, taking advantage of the external similarity with the latter, declares himself the ruler of the Persian Empire. Having learned about the fraudulent seizure of power, Cambyses hastily returns to the capital, but mysteriously dies along the way.

Initially, the secret coup d'etat went unnoticed. The liar confidently played the role of a representative of the royal family of the Achaemenid state, and only chance helped to reveal the deception.

The military leader Otan, noticing something was wrong, asks one of the harem concubines to carefully examine the new king. When the new emperor was sleeping, the girl studies the face of the false Bardia and notices a stunning fact - the ruler has no ears. The new circumstance speaks of one thing - the person who seized power was punished for his offense, which could not happen to a representative of the royal family.

Otan shares the news with a narrow circle of people belonging to noble families of aristocrats. The decision was made to kill the liar. After the death of Gaumat, 7 people claim the throne. They all unanimously agree on an unusual lot - the new king will be the one whose horse neighs first at sunrise the next day. Darius became the winner.

The first steps of King Darius

Troubled events at the top of the empire caused many enslaved peoples to doubt the power of Darius. Mass uprisings began throughout the entire state.

After a brutal suppression of protests that left nearly 200,000 people dead, the new ruler began to develop and expand his power:

• Administrative reform. A stable system of government has been created, and the military continent has been expanded.
• Single language. Aramaic became the official state language. Predicting possible discontent, the offices of large countries were allowed to duplicate documents in their native language.
• Money. A single banknote- gold Darik(coin weight 8.4 grams).
• Taxes. A progressive taxation system has been developed - the amount of tax depends on the fertility of the lands of a separately selected area.

During his reign, which was almost 36 years, in a territory located from Egypt to India, Darius created an effective mechanism for governing the country. After his death, economic growth stopped and the empire itself began to fall apart.

Military campaigns and expansion of territory

Despite his young age, and Darius became king at the age of 28, the new ruler was always celebrated with military victories. Having established order and discipline in the state, the talented commander began to conquer neighboring countries:

• India. The territory of modern India in 517 BC. consisted of numerous and small states. The underdeveloped tribes were fragmented, which allowed the Persians to capture the entire western part of South Asia.
• Thrace. The lands of present-day Romania and Turkey in 512 BC. were called Thrace. The almost half a million army of the Persian Empire easily captured all the cities located both on the Black Sea coast and within the contingent.
• Islands of the Aegean Sea. Preparations for the fight against unyielding Athens and Sparta began with the capture of all the key islands of the Aegean Sea.

Despite the enslavement of the peoples of many countries, during the Ancient World Darius was considered the most gentle tyrant.

The failures of King Darius

After conquering most of Asia, Darius began to look at the northern part of Europe. Starting in 507 BC, after the campaign against the Scythians, the first failures began:

• Black Sea Scythians. The tsar personally led the military campaign to the shores of the Black Sea. The Scythians, seeing the number of Persians, did not go out to open battle. Retreating into the endless steppes, they burned their houses, stole livestock, and covered their wells with earth. The bloodless and tired army is forced to return home empty-handed.
• Greeks. It was 490 BC, the Persians landed in Attica and approached the city of Marathon. On September 12 of the same year, the famous Battle of Marathon takes place, during which the invincible army of the Persian Empire fails.

Did you know that:

1. The military leader Otanes, who played a key role in Darius's accession to the throne, was given command of the northern part of Asia Minor as a reward.
2. During the passage of an unusual lot, which decided the question of the new ruler of Persia, Darius cheated and agreed with the court groom Ebar. The latter arranged it so that it was Darius’s horse that neighed first.
3. Many historians believe that there was no trace of any priest of Gaumata, and as a result of a coup d’etat he was killed real brother Cambyses - Bardius.
4. The only inhabitants of the empire that did not pay taxes were the Persians. Acting as the dominant people, representatives of this nation occupied all the key positions in the state.
5. The personal guard of King Darius was called the army of “immortal warriors.” The composition consisted exclusively of Persians, and the total number exceeded 10,000 people.

Persia has never known such a wise statesman as King Darius. Who he is can be characterized by simple theses: a great military strategist, an economic reformer and a fair ruler of his people. It was under him that the Persian Empire reached its maximum prosperity, and the territory of the captured lands was subsequently rivaled only by the ancient Romans.

Darius - son of the Persian and Median king Hystaspes (Persian Wischtâspa; 550 BC), grandson of the Persian king Arsham (Persian Aršāma - “Heroic power”), who ruled in Pars from 590 to 550 BC. e., belonged to the junior branch of the ruling Achaemenid dynasty. Darayavuash (Dārayava(h)uš - “Holding good”, “Good-natured”) before he entered the history of the Ancient East under the name King Darius I, was an outstanding person, and already had considerable military experience, since war in those distant times was the normal state of all states, peoples and tribes.

In an inscription from the royal palace in Susa (Iran):
King Darius says: Ahura Mazda, the greatest of the gods, created me, made me a king, gave me this large kingdom, possessing good horses with good people. By the grace of Ahura Mazda my father Hystaspes and my grandfather Arshama both lived, when Ahura Mazda made me king on this earth.

Becoming king of Persia, Darius I the Great,reigned in 522-486 BC. e., suppressed major uprisings against the ruling dynasty by force of arms Achaemenids in Babylonia, Persia, Media, Margiana, Elam, Egypt, Parthia, Sattagidia and revolts of nomadic tribes in Central Asia.

The suppression of anti-Persian uprisings in the subject territories was carried out by a large military campaign, involving the collection of a large army, the attraction of allied troops from among the nomadic tribes, first of all, the capture of rebellious cities and fortresses by assault, the collection of military booty and the punishment of state criminals who rebelled. Darius had two brothers - military leaders Artaban and Artan, who had their own counterparts. The Persian king had to be not only commander, but also a skilled diplomat, since it was more profitable for him to get along with the local nobility than to fight.

Persian power sought to extend its expansion to rich lands, taxes and extortions from the conquered lands constantly replenished the royal treasury. King Darius I drew attention to the neighboring Indian states, in which there was no agreement, but there was a lot of wealth that became easy prey for the warlike Persians.

Near 518 BC e. King Darius I the Great conquered the northwestern part of India - the western bank of the Indus River. Then - the northwestern part of Punjab, located east of this river. The Persian conquests in India continued until 509 BC. e. Darius I sent the Greek sailor and geographer Skilakos to explore the Indus River to the Arabian Sea.

On gold and silver tablets, Darius I reported succinctly but expressively about the enormous size of his state:

“Darius, Great King, King of Kings, King of Countries, Son of Hystaspes, Achaemenid. King Darius says: “ This is the kingdom that I own from Scythia, which is behind Sogdiana, to Kush(Ethiopia), from India to Sardis, Ahuramazda gave me, greatest of the gods. May Ahuramazda protect me and my home.”

After a successful Indian campaign The Persian army Darius I decided to subjugate the Scythians of the Northern Black Sea region. Apparently, not all Scythians knew that the Persian king Darius the Great owned Scythia, and a new campaign 511 BC e. turned out to be unsuccessful for Darius. On the way to distant and unknown Scythia Darius gathered a large army , uniting it with the forces of the subject peoples, and moved across the Danube, the Persian sailors built two floating bridges - one across the Bosphorus Strait, the other across the Danube. To protect the bridge over the Danube, the king had to leave a large military detachment of Persians.

Herodotus admired the military prowess of the Scythians, and collected information about the war of the Scythians with the enemies of his homeland; he wanted to understand what made up the strength of the Scythian tribes. WITH the Cephas fought in their own way , their cavalry was considered invincible. The Scythians avoided direct combat with the Persian army of Darius, luring the Persians deep into the country, they carried out quick and unexpected guerrilla raids on the Persian detachments stretched across the steppe.

A Scythian in Scythian clothes and a “Thracian” hat, armed with a short sword (akinak). The Persians are dressed the same way

The Persians lost the war in the endless Black Sea Scythian steppe, and the world-famous conqueror hastily retreated, Darius fled from Scythia with the remnants of the defeated troops, and The Scythians retained their independence. Thus, unexpectedly for Darius, his inglorious campaign in the Northern Black Sea region ended with huge losses. However, Darius the Great retained control over Thrace and Macedonia (the Odrysian state) and the Black Sea straits.

Under King Darius I the series began Greco-Persian Wars (499–449 BC), which went with varying degrees of success. Military conflicts between Achaemenid Persia and the Greek city-states defending their independence lasted 50 years. The main opponents of the Persian power in these wars were Athens and some Greek city-policies on the Peloponnese peninsula.

The reason for first Greco-Persian War 492 BC. e. there was an uprising of the Greek cities of Asia Minor, which were under the yoke of the satrap - the viceroy of the king of Persia. The uprising began in the city of Miletus. Then Athens sent 20 warships with troops on board to help the rebel Greeks of Asia Minor. Strong Sparta refused to help the rebels in Miletus.

To cut off the connections of the rebel cities on the eastern shore of the Aegean Sea, Darius I assembled a large fleet, who defeated the Greeks in a battle near the island of Lede, near Miletus. The uprising of Greek cities in Asia Minor was brutally suppressed. The help of Athens was the reason for Darius to declare war on the Hellenic world on the Peloponnesian Peninsula on the other side of the Aegean Sea.

Darius I made two large military campaigns against the Greek states. The first one took place in 492 BC e., when the king sent an army to Greece under the command of his son-in-law Mardonia. The land army marched through the southern part of Thrace, and the fleet moved along the sea coast. However, during strong storm near Cape Athos Most of the Persian fleet was killed, and their ground forces, having lost support from the sea, began to suffer heavy losses in frequent clashes with the local population. In the end, Mardonius decided to return back.

In 491 BC. e. Darius I sent envoys to Greece, which were supposed to lead to the obedience of the freedom-loving Greeks. A number of small Greek city-states could not resist and recognized the power of the Persians over themselves, but in In Athens and Sparta, the royal ambassadors of Persia were killed.

In 490 BC. e. The second campaign of Darius I to Greece took place. The king sent a large army against Greece under the command of experienced generals Datis and Artaphernes . Persian army on European territory delivered by a huge Persian fleet. The Persians destroyed the city Erythria on the island of Euboea and disembarked near Marathon, just 28 kilometers from Athens.

Exactly in the famous Battle of MarathonThe Greeks inflicted the heaviest defeat on the Persians during the three Greco-Persian wars. Battle of The Marathon occurred on September 13, 490 BC. e. The small Greek village of Marathon was destined to go down not only in military history, but also in the history of the international Olympic movement.

The Greek army, under the command of the experienced commander Miltiades, one of the ten Athenian strategists, consisted of 10 thousand hoplite warriors from Athens and one thousand of their allies from Plataea (Boeotia) . There were about the same number of poorly armed slaves. Spartans They promised to send significant military assistance, but were late for the start of the battle.

Sixty thousand Persian army headed by one of the best tsarist military leaders Datis . After the landing of Datis' army, the Persian royal fleet was anchored near Marathon. Persian sailors, according to the tradition of the Ancient world, pulled small ships ashore to protect them in case of heavy seas and strong wind. The crews of many ships went ashore to take part in collecting military booty on the battlefield after the victorious end of the battle with the Greeks.

The Persians began the battle using their usual tactics - at the heart of their battle formation was the “victorious” center, who was to split the enemy formation into two parts . Miltiades was well acquainted with the military art of the Persians and took the risk of changing the formation of Greek battle formations, traditional for that time. He sought to cover the entire width of the Marathon Valley with a long phalanx of heavily armed Greek infantry. Thanks to this, it was possible to avoid being surrounded, because Persian commander had light cavalry, but Miltiades did not.

The flanks of the heavily armed Greek infantry rested on rocky hills, through which the Persian cavalry could not pass, being under fire from Greek archers and slingers. As an obstacle to the Persian cavalry, abatis made of felled trees were built on the flanks.

Having strengthened the flanks of the heavily armed Greek foot soldiers, Miltiades deliberately weakened its center, in which he placed selected detachments of Athenian foot soldiers and a small Greek cavalry.

The army of the Persian king and the combined army of the Athenians and Plataeans stood in battle positions against each other for three days. Miltiades did not start the battle because he was waiting for the promised help from Sparta. The Persians also waited, they hoped that their clearly visible numerical superiority would intimidate the enemy.

The Persians were the first to start the battle. Their huge army, poorly maintaining formation, began to roll towards the Greek phalanx, which froze in anticipation of the enemy’s approach, blocking the width of the entire Marathon valley. The very beginning of the battle promised the royal commander a quick victory, in his opinion. The “victorious” center of the Persian army with a ramming blow threw back the center of the Greek phalanx, which, on the orders of Miltiades, launched a counterattack on the attacking enemy. Under the pressure of a huge mass of people, the Greek phalanx still resisted and did not tear itself apart.

After the first attack of the Persians, something happened Datis never expected it. The Greeks inflicted strong blows attacking simultaneously from two flanks, and drove the Persians back. The “victorious” center of the Persians was surrounded by a semi-ring of Greek infantry and was completely defeated. The Persians did not have a large reserve to send to the center of the battle to help the surrounded warriors in the very center of the Marathon Valley.

The Persian army was seized by panic, and it rushed to the seashore, to its ships. Datis, no matter how hard he tried, could not restore order in his army. By order of Miltiades, the Greeks, having restored the solidity of their phalanx, began to pursue the fleeing enemy.

The Persians managed to reach the nearby shore and launch the ships. They set off with all sails and oars away from the shore, fleeing from the arrows of Greek archers.

In the Battle of Marathon, the Persian army was completely defeated and lost 6,400 people killed. not counting the prisoners, and more than one thousand wounded remained on the ships of the Persian royal fleet that left for the east. per day Battle of Marathon on September 13, 490 BC. e. the Athenians lost only 192 of their soldiers.

The victory of the Greeks in the wars with the Persians inspired others Greek city-states to resist Persian rule.

After the withdrawal of Sparta from the war, which, as a land power, was not interested in overseas operations, the leadership of military operations passed to Athens, which headed in 478/477 BC new military-political association — Delian League, or First Athenian Naval League, which included island and coastal Ionian cities. The Union led active attack on the Persians with the goal of finally ousting them from the Aegean Sea, and liberating the Greek cities of Asia Minor from their power. In the 470s, the Persians were expelled from the Thracian coast and from the Black Sea straits zone and the Asia Minor Greek city policies were liberated on the coast.

In 469, the Persians were again defeated by the Athenian commander Cimon in sea and land battles at the mouth of the Eurymedon River, off the southern coast of Asia Minor. The Athenians' attempt to achieve more by supporting new uprising of the Egyptians, ended in failure: the Persians destroyed the Greek fleet in the Nile Delta and suppressed the uprising in Egypt. However, in 450/449 Athenian general Cimon once again defeated the Persians in a naval battle off Salamis in Cyprus, after the Battle of Salamis Athenian representative Callias and the Persians peace negotiations began.

According to the Peace of Callias, concluded in 449, The Persians admitted defeat in the war with the Greeks. From now on, Persian ships were prohibited from sailing into the Aegean Sea, and no troops could be within three days routes from the Asia Minor coast. The Aegean Sea has finally become inland sea Greeks, and the Greek cities of Asia Minor gained freedom and independence, received trade routes and access to sources of raw materials and markets in the Aegean and Black Sea regions. The victory of the Greeks over the Persians provided the ancient society of Greece with the opportunity for further development.

Persian Empire of Darius the Great.

The basis of the Persian state was made up of Western Iranian tribes, united administratively and militarily into one strong and united state under the rule of the king. In the Persian state the Persians occupied a privileged position as the ruling people. The Persians were exempt from all taxes, so all tax burdens and taxes were levied on the peoples conquered by the Persians. The Persian kings always emphasized their “merits and virtues” and the dominant position of the Persians in the state.

The Persians were united by a single language and a single religion - the cult of the supreme god Ahura Mazda was revered (Aves.ahura-mazdā - “Lord the Wise”). In the Avesta, Ahura Mazda is the beginningless Creator, abiding in infinite light, the creator of all things and the giver of all good things, the omniscient organizer and ruler of the world.

Ahura (ahura-) corresponds to Sanskrit असुर asura, epithet of many, especially Varuna. Asuras - this is a kind of Indo-Iranian deities associated with the foundations of existence and morality of human society, “elder gods” as opposed to devas, “young gods.” In Indian tradition further asuras are demonized as “envious of the gods (devas).” IN Zoroastrianism is the opposite the devas are cursed and ahuras are revered predominantly Ahura Mazda.
Mazda(nominal pad. mazdå) - from Proto-Indo-European *mn̥s-dʰeH “establishing thought”, “comprehending”, hence “wise”.

The ancient Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus considered the father of Darius the Great, King Hystaspes boss magicians (a member of the priestly caste of Persia), and talked about his studies in India with brahmins - brahmins the highest varna of Hindu society. The Persian king was considered the ruler of the country, who became by the will of the supreme god Ahuramazda, therefore all Persians must take an oath of allegiance to their king, the viceroy of God on earth.

King Darius I wrote: « By the will of Ahuramazda, these provinces followed my laws; whatever I ordered them, they carried out. Ahuramazda gave me this kingdom. Ahuramazda helped me so that I could master this kingdom. By the will of Ahuramazda, I own this kingdom.”

The Persian king Darius I the Great became famous as a major statesman, politician and military reformer. Under him, the huge Persian state was divided by 24 satrapies are administrative and tax districts. They were headed by royal governors - satraps, who were at the same time chiefs of military forces, located on the territory of the satrapies. Their responsibilities included guarding state borders from robbery attacks by neighbors, primarily nomadic tribes, conducting military reconnaissance and ensuring security along the routes of communication.

Under Darius I, the possessions of the governors (satraps) gradually became hereditary, which contributed to the strengthening of the state.

Darius I streamlined the tax system, which significantly strengthened the well-being of the Persian state, and the royal treasury began to be steadily replenished due to a decrease in financial abuses in the satrapies, and internal popular uprisings against the royal power became much smaller.

To strengthen the power of Persia, king Darius I carried out a serious military reform. Has undergone reorganization tsarist army. The core of the Persian army was infantry and cavalry, recruited from the Persians. This was not accidental - the Persian rulers did not trust troops consisting of non-Persians, since they were prone to treason and avoided risking their lives during military campaigns and battles.

The royal troops were led by military leaders independent of the satraps and subordinate only to King Darius personally. This allowed Darius to avoid the risk of major rebellions in the country involving troops stationed in the satrapies. In critical situations military leaders could act independently , guided only by the interests of the Persian state.

The old ones were kept in an exemplary manner trade routes and new roads were built . The king understood perfectly well that from the prosperity of foreign and domestic trade, Persian road safety for traders the well-being of the state largely depends on income of the treasury and the Persian nobility – main support Achaemenid dynasty. Trade in Persia under Darius I also flourished because many busy trade routes from the Mediterranean to India and China passed through its territory - "The Great Silk Road".

During the reign of King Darius it was restored a shipping canal from the Nile to Suez that connected wealthy Egypt with Persia . King Darius I cared on the development of the fleet and the safety of maritime trade , the well-being of coastal port cities, which brought considerable income to his treasury. According to historians of the Ancient World, the Egyptians revered the Persian ruler on a par with their legislator pharaohs. Even the inhabitants of distant Carthage recognized, albeit nominally, the power of Darius, but in Egypt they wrote and spoke the ancient Egyptian language, in Babylonia - in Babylonian, in Elam - in Elamite, etc.

The minting of gold coins significantly strengthened the financial system of the Persian state. Named after King Darius gold and silver coins "dariki" , circulating in neighboring countries, primarily the Greek city-states engaged in trade. The introduction of gold coins into circulation testified primarily to financial well-being Persia under King Darius I. Gold mines of Persia were a special concern of the tsarist administration.

Large incomes allowed the warlike king Darius to maintain military fortresses and a huge mercenary army, which stood not only on the borders of Persia, but also inside it.

King Darius I , according to the tradition of that time, began to prepare for his death long ago. By his command, in the rocks of Nakshi-Rustam, near the city of Persopolis (“city of the Persians”), A royal tomb was built, decorated with magnificent sculptures, which became the last refuge of the most powerful ruler of Ancient Persia.

On his grave inscription Darius I wrote: “If you think: “How numerous were the countries subject to King Darius,” then look at the images that support the throne; then you will know and know (how) far the spear of the Persian man penetrated; then you will know (that) a Persian man was striking the enemy far from Persia.”

In a palace inscription at Persepolis, the king Darius I prays to Ahuramazda about the well-being of your country and people; he is proud of his origins from the Persian royal family. As can be seen from the Persian inscriptions, the Persian king solemnly promised to repel any attack on Persia.

The direct heirs of Darius showed neither military leadership or diplomatic talents, nor consistency in the foreign policy of Persia.

Having reached its peak during the reign of the crowned commander Darius I (Daraya-vausha), the Achaemenid state after the death of the king began to steadily decline, primarily due to military defeats, and lose one after another the territories of its possessions.

Darius I- Persian king who reigned from 522-486 BC. Under him, the Persian Empire expanded its borders even further and reached its greatest power. It united many countries and peoples. The Persian Empire was called the “country of countries”, and its ruler Shahinshah was called the “king of kings”. All his subjects obeyed him unquestioningly - from noble Persians who occupied the highest positions in the state, to the last slave.

He created an effective, but very despotic system of governing the country, which he divided into 20 provinces - satrapies, giving the rulers unlimited powers. But they were responsible for order in the entrusted territory with their own heads. Throughout the Persian Empire, special officials collected taxes into the royal treasury. Severe punishment awaited all those who evaded. No one could hide from paying taxes. The roads reached the most remote corners of the Persian Empire. In order for the king's orders to reach the provinces faster and more reliably, Darius established a state post office. A special “royal” road connected the most important cities of the Persian Empire. Special posts were installed on it. It was possible to travel on it only on government business. Darius updated the monetary system. Under him, gold coins began to be minted, which were called “dariks”. Trade flourished in the Persian Empire, grandiose construction was carried out, and crafts developed. Measures and weights were standardized; Aramaic began to perform the function of a single trade language; roads and canals were built, in particular the great royal road from Sardis, in the western part of Asia Minor, to Susa, east of the Tigris, and the canal connecting the Nile with the Red Sea was reopened. Darius I built a new capital, Persepolis. It was erected on an artificial platform. In the royal palace there was a huge throne room where the king received ambassadors.

Darius I expanded his possessions to include northwestern India, Armenia, and Thrace. The participation of the Balkan Greeks in the affairs of their relatives from Asia Minor, captured by the Persians, forced Darius to decide to conquer Greece. Twice Darius's campaign against the Greeks ended unsuccessfully: the first time a storm scattered the ships of the Persians (490 BC), the second time they were defeated in the Battle of Marathon (486 BC). Darius died at an old age, before completing the conquest, at the age of sixty-four, and was succeeded by his son, Xerxes I.