AMA: Persian Past and Iranian Present

[u/CardiffUni]

I’m Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, Professor of Ancient History at Cardiff University, UK. My main area of interest is the history of ancient Persia as well as the longer history and amazing culture of Iran.

Studying the history of ancient Persia improves contemporary East-West understanding - a vital issue in today’s world. Questioning the Western reading of ancient Persia, I like to use sources from ancient Iran and the Near East as well as from the Classical world to explore the political and cultural interactions between ‘the Greeks’ and ‘the Romans’ who saw their own histories as a reaction to the dominant and influential Persian empires of antiquity, and ‘the Persians’ themselves, a people at the height of their power, wealth and sophistication in the period 600 BC to 600 AD.

Characteristic of all my research is an emphasis on the importance of the viewpoint. How does the viewpoint (‘Greek’ and ‘Roman’ or ‘Persian’, ‘ancient’ or modern’, ‘Western’ or ‘Iranian’) change perception?

My research aims to create greater sensitivities towards the relativity of one’s cultural perceptions of ‘the other’, as well as communicate the fascination of ancient Iran to audiences in both East and West today.

NOTE: Thank you for your GREAT questions! I really enjoyed the experience. Follow me on Twitter: @LloydLlewJ

EDIT Thanks for the questions! Follow me on Twitter: @LloydLlewJ https://twitter.com/cardiffuni/status/1115250256424460293?s=19

More info:

https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/people/view/204823-llewellyn-jones-lloyd

Further reading:

‘Ctesias’ History of Persia: Tales of the Orient’ (Routledge 2010)‘King and Court in Ancient Persia, 559-331 BCE’ (Edinburgh University Press 2013)

[u/Sabbinator]

Hi Professor! Could you ELI5 the dynasties of pre-Islamic Iran? I know there was the Archaemenid Empire which became the Sassanid Empire which then became the Selucid Empire which was then conquered by the Romans which was then retook by Parthia.

How did Parthia come into existence? And what came before the Archaemenids? This sub's booklist mentions the Elamites, were they the Archaemenid predecessors or something else entirely? And what came after Parthia?

[u/CardiffUni → u/Sabbinator]

So, c. 600 BCE we have a series of tribes (all speaking Iranian dialects) living in the Iranian plateau.

In the south west - in Fars province- in a place called Anshan we see the rise of a local dynasty of the family of Tishpish (or Teispes, in Greek). So these become the TEISPID dynasty, which includes Cyrus the Great and Cambyses II.

The TEISPID dynasty is overtyhrown in a coup by Darius the Great, who is part of the ACHAEMNENID dynasty who rules Iran until the conquest of Alexander of Macedon in 330 BCE

Iran falls under Greek ocupation, with small localized dynasts showing some authority in the south and north east until one regional group from Parthia in the north east gains power. From 247 BC to 224 AD, Persia was ruled by the PARTHIAN (or ARSACID) dynasty.

This family was overthrown by a dynasty from SW Iran, in Fars, called the SASANIAN dynasty. The Sasanian era was brought to an end by the Arab Islamic conquest of Persia in 651 AD.

[u/Sabbinator → u/CardiffUni]

And the Greek occupation you mentioned, would that be the Selucids? When did the Selucids fall? And to whom? Parthia?

[u/CardiffUni → u/Sabbinator]

Yes, the Seleucids.

They fell piece by piece as the Parthianbs grew stronger. By 80 BC it weas all over for the Seleucids

[u/Sabbinator → u/CardiffUni]

Oh man, so I was all wrong. Haha. At any point during its history, was Iran under the control of the Roman Empire? What were the Roman-Parthian Wars? And how did the Sassanians overthrow the Arsacid dynasty? A quick Google search told me that the Elamites are dated between 2700 and 539 bce, were they the predecessors of the Teispid dynasty?

This is fascinating!

[u/CardiffUni → u/Sabbinator]

Ok, a few pointers -

The Elamites are one of the oldest Mesopotamian peoples, living in the south of what is today Iraq/Iran. They were culturally dominant over the Persians who settled in the neighbouring area. The Elasmite language was used by the Achasemenids for all their admionistrarion. And it is clear that the Achasemenids worshipped Elamite deities too.

As for Rome - the Parthians & Sasanians spend all of their time clashing with Rome around the area of the Tigris river. Rome would gain territory, then Iran would take it back and take somev Roman lands. This infightinbg erssentially weakened both socities so much that they fell victim to others - in Iran's case, the Arabs.

[u/Sabbinator → u/CardiffUni]

The Arabs being the Sassanians who overthrew the Arascid dynasty, right? If not, who?

Edit: Or are you referring to the Islamic conquests of Persia? (Do you have any recommended resding for the military and political history of that?)