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Sources of Ancient Persia - Coggle Diagram
Sources of Ancient Persia
Written Persian Sources
Royal inscriptions, historical chronicals, law decrees, orders of kings + satraps, administrative letter + private letters.
Royal Inscription + Official Sources
Written in Old Persian: Elamite + Akkadian
Inscribed on building, rock faces, royal tombs, clay tablets, stone vases + seals
Cyrus Cylinder
1st half narrated by god Marduk who describes how bad Nabonidus was (mistreated the people in Babylon)
2nd half narrated by Cyrus Recounts: how he restored the temples, took good care of the gods etc.
Behistun Rock
Detailed and lengthy royal inscription of Darius' account on gaining the throne
Fortification Tablets
Evidence of economic matters including taxation, labour system, land holdings, trade routes, etc.
Treasury Tablets
Mostly during Darius + Xerxes times
Many deal with the payment of workers at Persepolis
Important sources of evidence for economic admin in the Persian Empire
Biblical Sources
Includes the
Book of Ezra
, records the edict of Cyrus II, the reconstruction of the Temple of Jerusalem and the correspondence between Jewish authorities + Persian Kings
Reliability debated, however, most historians consider the Aramaic sections genuine
Greek Writers
Herodotus + Xenophon -> Greek perspective
Rethinking Persian History
Relied on Greek interpretation
Today earlier interpretation has been challenged e.g., Kuhurt + Briant
Archaeological Sources
Palace Ruins
Coins
Other Objects
Buried Treasure
Oxus Treasure