Persia Cyrus the Great, After His Victory

Persia

Cyrus the Great, after his victory over the Medians, founded the Achaemenid Empire. The Achaemenid Empire would become one of the most formidable in the ancient Near East/Central Asia. One of the reasons why the Achaemenid grew in power, wealth, and stature was due to the unique combination of a strong centralized government and the satrapy system. Another reason why the Persian Empire grew and lasted as long as it did was that its rulers understood how to turn diversity into a strength. Thus, Persian leaders capitalized on the ethnic, linguistic, and religious diversity of their regions in order to remain strong.

From the time of Cyrus the Great, the Achaemenid Empire demonstrated remarkable and astute leadership. Although the Persian notion of king tended to be theocratic in tone, Cyrus was nevertheless an egalitarian leader, which is why he was able to rule over diverse populations without significant, at least recorded, discord. The satrapy system was the cornerstone to Cyrus's success as a leader, and the satrapy system lasted throughout the Achaemenid Empire.

The satrapy system characterized the administrative and political institutions of ancient Persia since Cyrus. Under this system, the King allowed the satraps to rule over their regions as they saw fit, according to the needs, circumstances, customs, and languages of that area. The satraps enjoyed a high degree of autonomy, and themselves oversaw administrators at the smaller, local levels. The satrap system is akin to the modern American system in which local, county, state, and federal politics all coexist in one system.

Although he was deemed to be divine and his position hereditary rather than elected, the King himself maintained control over the satraps through an organized bureaucratic system. Achaemenid leaders tended to be well liked, which is why harmony reigned throughout the extent of the empire. The King's domain was religious as well as spiritual; but he would have to interact with numerous officials in government in order to communicate about the diverse regions under Achaemenid control. Also part of the satrapy system included unified armies and courts. There were federal, or king-level, court systems as well as local ones.

Thus, the Persian emperors emphasized the multi-lingual, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious differences of their subjects by allowing his subjects a strong degree of freedom. The reason for the King's decision to serve as an egalitarian leader was to maintain peace and prevent uprisings that would certainly have resulted if a group of people were unhappy with their governance. The satrap system ensured that local voices were heard and heeded. Instead of imposing a state religion or normative system, individuals were permitted to practice their own faiths and speak their own languages. Encouraging peace and stability, the Persian rulers made their mark in history. Conflict did occur, and was inevitable, but often manifested as power struggles between social classes such as between the aristocratic classes and the monarchy.