Trade, Money and Measures
It is recognized that Persia was the first empire to introduce the exchange of goods for coinage and developed from a barter economy
into a money economy. With the increased trade across the empire, it became vital that transportation and travel became more efficient and effective.
To this end, hundreds of miles of roads were built and even a postal service was introduced as links in this vast domain. Together with the construction and improvement of existing roads, a public works system was introduced and a standardized weights and measures system was also put into practice. Many rulers have contributed to the various achievements of the Persian Empire, most notable of them being the Emperor Darius.
Darius the Great and The Hanging Gardens
The ongoing ambitions of the Emperor Darius were extended into the building of Palaces and other structures for the City of Persepolis. At the same time, the great achievement of extending the Empire did not stop; neither did the expansion related to their arts and culture. Their legal system was refined and civilized to be compatible with their philosophy of tolerance. As far as architecture is concerned, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon could perhaps be considered as one of the great achievements of the Persian Empire and a form of art.
Managing the Empire
There have been and probably always will be, comparisons made between the empires of Persia, Greece and Rome; whilst they all were renowned for a certain brutality, it was perhaps deemed necessary given the cultures and beliefs of the times? The Persians, again through the foresight of the Emperor Darius, realized the ever increasing need for communication and an effective bureaucracy was developed. It was decreed that the Empire should be divided into twenty provinces; for each one a Governor was appointed. It was further implemented that people native to the particular provincial area, were appointed to directly govern at a local level.
Discover More by Yourself
In a subject as diverse, complex and fascinating as achievements of the Persian Empire, it will be in your own interests to research the type of courses available. Ensure they meet your specific criteria and ascertain the costs
Dynamic Learning Online is an interesting, economical and easily understandable self tutoring course. It gives an excellent overview of the times from Anshan, Darius to the invasion of Persia by Alexander and beyond. References are given to other supporting material and you will be able to learn at your own pace.
Glasgow University offers a distance learning course, which is described as seeking “to unravel the myths behind the empire and ask if it was deserving of its decadent reputation. It covers an introduction to the Persian empire using both the written and the visual sources”. The accreditation given is “The Persian Empire, 559-330 BC 4 Credits towards CertHE (ACE) offered in Glasgow information was verified on 07 Sep 2010.”
The courses offered, generally appear to originate from a university source. Due to their complex, specialized nature and the overall subject content, the cost will be dependent upon your own criteria. A full three year course from the University of Newcastle, places their costing at £3225.
References and Image Credits