Iranian Tribal Confederation
Medes
Persians
others
Geography
In direct contact with most civilized zones;
Arc of habitable land; mountain valleys, oases, North
Open to massive nomadic
invasions (
Early Migrations, 1700-1000 BC
Early Indo-Aryan nomadic tribal chariot warriors
Branch into Hurrian territory with chariots
existence of Indo-Aryan gods and names among Hurrians
Branch into
Rig Veda
Middle Branch settles in
Zarathustrian literature earliest written records
1250 Central Zagros
Iron Age culture in region.
No obvious break
in pottery or settlement patterns to historic times.
Small Tribal States 1000-705 BC
Early tribal confederations
Medes dominate Persians and others
Urbanization and civilization
Assyrian Domination 843-625 BC
increasing contacts and cultural absorbtion
Tribal organization makes complete conquest difficult
843-714
Shalmaneser III and later Assyrian
kings campaign against "Parsua" the land of the Persians. [ARA]
835
Shalmaneser III campaigns against the Medes (Mada),
inflicts tribute on "27 kings" of the Medes. [ARA]
745-705 Conflicts of Assyrians against Medes, Persians and Mannaeans of same region.
Persians still in Zagros
region. [ARA]
735 Medes form tribal
confederation based on center at Zakruti
713 Sargon II receives submission from 45 Median city
chiefs, has rule over 34 Median districts. [ARA]
714-680s, Persian tribes migrate to Persis
(
Phraortes 675-653
legendary?
=Kashtariti
unites Iranian tribes
raids
establishes
basic independence
653, Death of Phraortes, king of Medes in battle against Assyrians [H
1.102]
Scythians
nomadic horse archers
from
Invasion of
severe
disruption in Media,
645-615
Scythians allied with Assyrians in N Mid-East [H 1.103-6]
651 Revolt of
Persians (Cyrus I) and Babylonians
640 Ashurbanipal conquers
Allied with Neo-Babylonians
Conquered Assyrian Empire
Age of Zarathushtra
= Zoroaster
628-551 BC?
Iranian Prophet
defeated and dispersed the Scythians
reunites Iranian tribesmen
c620 Kyaxares reforms Median army
[H 1.73]
615-612 War
between Kyaxares of Media and
614 first failed siege of
612 sack of
610 defeat of last Assyrians
at
Conquest of
border
at Halys river with
590-585 War
between Alyattes of
585 Battle of
the Eclipse, peace with
Legendary story
of Astyages and Cyrus the Great [H 1.107-122]
555 Cyrus of
Persia allies with Nabunaid of Babylon against the
Medes
555-553
Babylonians conquer
[DANE 87; EMH
23-24]
550 Revolt of Medes and Persians
under Cyrus. [DW 279]
Cyrus deposes Astyages and becomes king of Iranians [H 1.123-9]
547 Cyrus
captures
547 Cyrus
defeats and captures Croesus of Lydia
547, Pteria
546, Thymbra
546 Revolt of
the Ionians is quelled by Harpagus [H 1.154-64]
545-40 Cyrus
conquers the eastern lands of
=
546-5 Famine and
rebellion on
539 Cyrus
captures
538
Persian Propaganda [Cyrus cyl., Isaiah 42]
restoration of
Capture of
537-530,
campaigns in the east
530 Cyrus
campaigns against the Massagetae (Shaka)
= eastern Scythians
Cyrus
is killed in battle [H 1.201-14]
[EMH 24-25]
530 Cambyses becomes King [H 2.1]
526-525 Conquest
of
524 Failed campaign against
524, Failed
campaign against the Ammonian Oases [H 3.26]
522
"Madness" and Death of Cambyses [H 3.28-38,
3.61-7]
522, Civil War
[DW 342]
522 Mar 11 - Sep
29 Rule by Bardiya (Smerdis)
brother of Cambyses
522 Sep 29
Darius and "The Seven" assassinate Bardiya [H
3.68-84]
Darius
elected king [H 3.84-7]
522-518 Revolt of most Persian provinces [DW 343-5]
major series of wars Darius recovers the Empire (Behistun inscription)
521 Revolt
of
522-519,
Successful campaigns in
516-513,
Darius conquers the
519, war with
the Scythians/Shaka
c518-510 building of the
European
Campaigns
513
Persians conquer of
513 Unsuccessful
Campaign against the Scythians of the Balkans [H
1.83-144]
513-11 Megabazus, Satrap of
expands Persian control in
513-2 Conquest
of
499-494 Ionian
Revolt
[H
5.28-6.48; DW 218; EMH 26-7]
498
Athenian expedition to
496
Thracians revolt and drive out Persians, Scythians invade
494 Battle
of Lade [H 6.6-16]
capture of
492 First
Persian Invasion under Mardonius
captures
Persians
demand Greeks pay homage [H 6.48]
Campaign
of
23
satrapies, efficient but excessive tax system [H 3.89-105]
Royal
residences in
New Royal
roads and communications
Standardized
weights and coins
King's
eyes
Royal patronization of Zoroastrianism (Mazdaeanism).
486-484, Revolt
of
480-479 Second
Persian War
[H
7.1-9.106; DW 343-4; EMH 29-32]
480
Campaigns of
480,
480-79
Persian occupation of part of
479
479,
479,
Persians retreat from
Later Persian Wars {479-448} [EMH 32]