A PRELIMINARY SURVEY COMPRISING A CURSORY VIEW OF THE SWEEP OF EVENTS, AND A TABLE OF CHRONOLOGY B.C. THE MEDIAN OR SCYTHIAN EMPIRE The Scythians or Manda, a people whom the Greeks confused with the Mada or Medes, were a part of the nomadic Indo-Europeans that migrated into Western Asia from southern Russia. They descended upon and quite obliterated the ancient kingdom of Ellipi, east of Assyria and stretching to the Caspian Sea. In the Ellipian capital of Ecbatana they seem to have effected quickly the organisation of a state recognised as a danger to Assyria as far back as the reign of Esarhaddon. Of the early rulers at Ecbatana we have no accounts except those of Herodotus and Ctesias. From these we must assume: 700 Deioces, the first leader or prince mentioned by the Greeks. He lives at a time of great Assyrian power and seems to have been a vassal of the kingdom, but he was probably the founder of his empire. Apparently he did not rule at Ecbatana, for the kingdom of Ellipi was still in existence. 647 Phraortes (Frawarti) succeeds. He extends the power of the Manda, and in his reign the kings of Persia and Elam are made his vassals. 625 Cyaxares succeeds. About this time the Scythians first invade Assyria. They burn Calah, but are unable to take Nineveh. They sweep over the land as far as the border of Egypt, where Psamthek pays them to turn back. 610 Sin-shar-ishkun, king of Assyria, attacks Nabopolassar of Babylon. The latter calls upon the Manda to help repel the invaders. The Manda immediately respond and attack Nineveh. 607 Fall of Nineveh before the Manda. They take possession of the old kingdom of Assyria as far as the Babylonian frontier, and begin conquest of the countries of the north. Cyaxares makes war on the Lydians, the people of Urartu, Media, Minni, and others. 585 Ishtuvegu (Astyages) succeeds. His empire extends in the north and west as far as the river Halys. 553 For some reason, not yet clear, Ishtuvegu proceeds against his vassal Cyrus, king of the Elamite province of Anshan. 550 Ishtuvegu is betrayed by his soldiers to Cyrus and made prisoner. The Elamite king takes Ecbatana, and becomes king of the Manda. End of the Median or Scythian empire. THE PERSIAN EMPIRE The country of Parsua or Persia was first settled by Iranian tribes of Indo-European origin. The leading ones were the Pasagardæ, Maraphians, and Maspians. These lived by agriculture, cattle raising, and horse breeding, but in the mountains and desert steppes there were many nomadic tribes such as the Mardans, Kossæans, and Sagartians. Our earliest knowledge of Persian history is obtained from the Assyrian monuments, and the country seems to have been in vassalage to the mightier conquerors and to have recovered, in a measure at least, its independence whenever a weaker monarch ascended the Ninevite throne. The first historical dynasty, according to Greek historians, is the Achæmenian, and of its origin we know nothing; the founder, Achæmenes, is probably a mythical character. FIRST PERIOD THE EARLY ACHÆMENIANS AND THE ELAMITE DYNASTY (730-521 B.C.) 730 The first historic king, Teispes, rules about this time. His attainment to power is probably connected with some relaxation of the Assyrian grip. His successors, according to Herodotus, are Cambyses, Cyrus, and Teispes II. The last seems to have conquered the Elamite province of Anshan, which on his death went to his son Cyrus, and the throne of Persia to Ariaramnes. From the latter half of the seventh century B.C. reign, independent of each other, the two lines. of the Achæmenians of which Darius speaks-one in Anshan, where by conquest the entire ancient kingdom of Elam was absorbed, the other in Persia. Both houses become vassals of the emperor of Ecbatana. Ariaramnes is succeeded by Arsaces, and then by Hystaspes, and in Elam, Cyrus I, according to the accounts of his grandson, by Cambyses, the father of Cyrus the Great. 559 Cyrus the Great succeeds Cambyses on the throne of Elam. The Elamite takes Ecbatana and obtains possession of the Median or Scythian empire. His career of conquest begins. 549 Cyrus enters Assyria and takes a district belonging to Babylonia. 547 King Croesus of Lydia, fearful of Cyrus' power, determines to attack him, and forms a coalition with Aahmes II of Egypt, Nabonidus of Babylon, and the Spartans. 546 Cyrus meets Croesus in Cappadocia. The latter, defeated in two battles, retreats to Sardis and sends for his allies, who do not appear. Sardis falls in the autumn. Cyrus now calls himself king of Persia. Hystaspes probably remains his vassal, as he had been that of Ishtuvegu. 545 The whole of Asia Minor is in Cyrus' hands. It is divided into satrapies with strongly organised governments. Greek cities in Asia Minor gradually subjected. 549-539 Cyrus annexes Bactriana, and makes numerous successful expeditions in the East. |