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Iranian history represents a rich blend of legend, mythology, recorded
fact and living tradition. Several civilizations have risen in various
parts of the country at different times, each leaving its own impression
on the subsequent development of Iranian history.
The oldest known civilization in Iran is that of Elam in the 10th
century B.C. and the Assyrians in the 8th century B.C.
Other major Iranian civilizations are Media,
Achaemenids,
Parthians and Sassanians. Unfortunately, most of the
landmarks of these civilizations were demolished during the Arab
and subsequent Mongol and Tatar invasions. The 16th century Safavids
civilizations that has the most lasting number of monuments has inherited
from both Persian civilization and its invaders. Many other dynasties
and monarchies succeeded the country until the Pahlavi, that was once again
demolished by the Islamic Revolution under the leadership of Imam Khomeini,
in a way similar to its predecessors.
Iran has a long history of almost 7,000 years since the Aryans
emigrated to the Iran Heights. Aryans gave their name to this land
and called it "land of Aryans" or Iran.
Achaemenid appeared in the 550 B.C. was the first unified dynasty and
until it was conquered by Alexander of Macedonia (Eskandar e Maghdooni)
in 330 B.C.,
Iran prospered as "The Great Persian Empire" for more than two centuries.
Contributions of the Achaemenians to the worlds culture are numerous.
Cyrus (Xerxes) The Great (550 B.C.) was the first emperor who conquered
Elam and
gave Jews freedom. He was also the first one who declared and practiced
human rights. In the Great Persia Empire from East China to Libya,
many nations were coexisting and all were declared free to pactice their
own religion and follow their own traditions and customs.
Daryush The Great (500 B.C.) was the first emperor who commited to
digging the ancient Suez Channel, joining the Red and Mediteranian sea.
There are many landmarks left from the Achaemenian period
mostly in Persepolis and Naghshe-rostam near present Shiraz.
A detailed history of Iran: pre-Islamic period
A brief history of Iran:
- ~750 BC
- The Medes era. Deioces (728 to 675 BC) was the founder of
the Median knigdom. The Median capital Ekbatane or Hegmatane
(Hamedan) was founded in this era.
- ~600 BC
- The Achaemenids era. The capital of Achaemenids was located in
Fars in southwestern Iran.
Many present day landmarks, such as Takhte-jamshid and Persepolis
are from this era.
- 329 BC
- Defeat of the Achaemenids by Alexander. Aryo-barzan, a brave Persian
commander fought to death with all his personnel and couldn't
stop Alexander to invade and destroy the capital.
- ~250 BC
- The Parthians era began by defeating the Greeks.
- 226 AD
- The Sasanid era. The Sassanians overthrow the Parthians and
established a vast and wealthy empire that included the Central
Asia, Middle East, Turkey and North Africa.
- 570-632 AD
- The birth and death of Muhammad (S.A.), the prophet.
- 642 AD
- The Arab invasion. The Sassanid emperor Yazdgerd III was
defeated by the Arabs at the Battle of Nahravan. Bisotoon, the
capital of the Sassanian was destroyed. The palace and library
hosting more the 20,000 old books and scripts were set on fire.
- ~800 AD
- Uprising of the Shi'ite movement in Khorasan (Northeastern Iran)
by Abu Moslem Khosasany who fought the Arabs and established the
first independent Persian state in Khorasan.
- 867 AD
- The birth of the Saffarid dynasty by Yaqub Saffar who was the
first leader to unite Persians under the Shi'ite flag.
- 874 AD
- The rise of the Samanid dynasty in Northeastern Persia. Eventually,
Samanid overthrow the Saffarids in 900 AD.
- 962 AD
- Ghaznavid dynasty established in eastern Iran. The capital was
Ghazneh located in present day Afghanistan. The Ghaznavids could
defeat the Samanids in the early 11th cent and established a vast
kingdom from India to Syria.
- 1040 AD
- The Seljuqians era began by defeating the Ghaznavids at the Battle
of Dandanqan, near Marv. Seljuqians' reign ended with the death
of Sanjar, the last king of this dynasty around 1160 AD.
- ~1160 AD
- The rise of Kharazmshahian in Northeastern Iran.
- 1220 AD
- The Mongol invasion. The Mongols captured nearly all Persia except
the Fars. In Bukhara and Samarkand, they ruined and killed
more than one million residents. Later the Il-Khanid dynasty was
established in central Persia.
- 1380-87 AD
- The Tatar invasion under the command of Timur and the reign
of the Timurid rulers started.
- 1502 AD
- Safavid dynasty was established by Shah Ismail.
- 1729 AD
- Nader Shah established the Afsharian dynasty by driving the
Afghans out of Persia. He also captured Dehli and North India.
- 1751-1794
- Zandian dynasty.
- 1796-1925
- Qajarian dynasty. Nehdzat Mashrooteh or the Constitutional Movement
happend in this era and the first constitutional government was established.
- 1925-1979+
- Finally Pahlavi dynasty, a constitutional monarchy ...
Concentrating on modernization, education and establishing
close diplomatic relations with the Western countries were among
the main objective of the King Reza and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
The gap between the government and people's will, mostly due to
corruption, ultra-speed modernization of the society and what was
called unfair diplomatic relations, led to the Islamic movement in
1979, that established a kind of republic called Islamic Republic.
- 1979- today
- The Islamic Republic ...
- ???? - infinity
-
- (to be continued ...)
A 4000 years old ceramic.
24 cm height, found near Arak, in central Iran. (gif image file)
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A 3000 years old stone bowl. 7.8 cm height, found in
Kerman, in southern Iran. (gif image file)
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Apadana palace. Achaemenian period (500 B.C.) near Shiraz.
(gif image file)
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Ruins of Persepolis. Achaemenian period (500 B.C.) near Shiraz.
(gif image file)
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Tomb of Cyrus II The Great. Achaemenian period (500 B.C.) near Shiraz.
(gif image file)
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Some stone carving in Persepolis. (gif image file)
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Another stone carving in Persepolis. (gif image file)
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A 2500 yeras old golden cup. Achaemenian period. (gif image file)
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Dusk over Persepolis. (gif image file)
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A Bronze roundel. 25 cm tall, from the Sasanid period (300 A.D.)
displaying the King's hunting practice. (gif image file)
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