Ancient Persia from 550 BC to 650 AD

Josef Wiesehöfer
Translated by Azizeh Azodi

London: I.B.Tauris Publishers, 2001; Pp. xiv,332

Review © 2001 Branislav L. Slantchev

Written by a foremost expert of ancient history, Ancient Persia is an excellent companion to any detailed study of the relevant period of today's Iran and adjacent areas. Although it has a brief chronology in an appendix along with dynastic lists of kings, the book is not a traditional historical account of the political, economic, social, and religious developments throughout the period. As such, it is not useful as an introductory text, or even as a primary text in this field. Rather, the topical organization of the most up-to-date findings in these area studies serves as a great corrective to many of the good histories out there. Written in a scholarly but engaging language, the book has enough detail to keep even specialists interested (everything is also copiously documented) but is not overwhelmed with arcane data which ensures that general readers will find much to enjoy as well. There are very extensive bibliographical essays for those desiring to delve deep into particular topics.

The book is divided in three major parts, each dedicated to a major ruling dynasty (Achaemenids, Arsacids (Parthians), and the Sasanians), with a small interlude on the Macedonian domination following the conquests of Alexander the Great. Each part has at least three chapters: one on the archaeological material on which the analysis is based (bas-reliefs, clay tablets, digs, reconstruction, money, jewelry, and written records by foreigners) along with information on the various interpretations, and the difficulties in reconstruction of events. These chapters constitute an engrossing read by themselves because they expose some of the incredibly painstaking work and the enormous uncertainty that ancient historians often face. Many of the "testimonies" are illustrated with drawings, photographs, and sketches.

The next chapters in each part deal with "the king and his subjects," or with the political organization of the empire. It begins with a general description of the extent of the king's political authority, his legitimization (through claiming divine ancestry or, in the later stages, genealogical relationship to earlier rulers), the rules of succession, and the main claims to fame (e.g. code of laws, military exploits, etc.) associated with particular rulers. Next, the social organization ("stratification") is described, along with the relations between king and the major members of the aristocracy. Finally, the system of revenue extraction is depicted, along with economic commentary on the advantages and disadvantages of the different, and usually combined, methods of direct taxation, tributes, and "gift" giving. The chapter in the Achaemenid part also has an extensive critique of the common Greek bias that still abounds in modern works.

The next chapter deals with the administration of the empires, the organization of the military, the influence of the religious cults, the economy and trade, and the everyday life of peasants (who formed the majority of the population). These chapters are also useful because they highlight the diverse cultural and ethnographic composition of the Persian empires, and document the remarkable religious tolerance of their rulers (nominally followers of the Zoroastrian religion) who preferred to accommodate all creeds and beliefs as long as their proponents did not threaten the internal order of the empire. (It was because Manicheans were openly opposed to the king's rule and Christians were suspect as sympathizers of the Romans that both sects were persecuted under the Sasanians.) Where data are available, the standard of living can be estimated based on prices of basic necessities and lists of salaries. These chapters are also rounded off with a discussion of cultural developments.

The book also has an absorbing "conclusion" that is really the story of the fascinating struggle to decipher the Old Persian cuneiform inscriptions on the ancient reliefs and tablets, first by Grotefend in 1802 and then, independently and more correctly, by Rawlinson in 1846.

Ancient Persia is a remarkably balanced book despite its corrective function. Although it does not pick a direct fight with many of the older historical works on the subject, its lucid exposition and convincing arguments (backed by a wealth of newly-deciphered data) make for an excellent contribution in its field. The departure from traditional reliance on Greek and Roman historians (all of them with particular bones to grind and therefore largely suspect in their impartiality) and the almost exclusive use of direct archaeological sources create a picture of a mighty empire vastly different from the biased anti-oriental depiction of the ancient (and many modern) authors. The field still awaits the full translations of the tens of thousands of cuneiform tablets excavated during the last century and doubtless many of the conclusions will be slightly modified. Unfortunately, the prospects of learning much more about the Arsacid reign are very slight due to the general lack of written testimonies from this turbulent era. Still, it is unlikely that the new translations, when they are published, will radically alter our understanding of the Achaemenid and Sasanian reigns.

November 24, 2001

---

@book{wiesehofer-01,
    title     = {Ancient Persia from 550 BC to 650 AD},
    author    = {Josef Wieseh\"{o}fer},
    year      = 2001,
    publisher = {I. B. Tauris Publishers},
    address   = {London},
    isbn      = {1-86064-675-1 (pbk.)},
    notes     = {Tr. Azizeh Azodi; index, bibliographical essays, maps; Pp. xiv,332}
}