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The Persian Empires: Rise and Fall

From the early Medes to the Arab conquest, this ten‑minute film traces the political, cultural and economic milestones of Persia’s successive empires.

Chapters

• 0:07 Foundations of the Medes and Early Persia
• 1:52 Achaemenid Empire at Its Height
• 3:37 Parthian Resilience and the Silk Road
• 4:46 Sasanian Zenith and the End of Persian Rule

On-screen text

• 0:07 Foundations of the Medes and Early Persia
• 0:14 Foundations of the Medes and Early Persia
• 0:31 Medes first appear in Assyrian records (714 BC) Historical record · Assyrian annals of Sargon II (714 BC)
• 0:49 Ecbatana as Median capital The Institute's interpretation · Herodotus, Histories 1.145
• 1:07 Cyrus claims liberation of Babylon (539 BC) Historical record · Cyrus Cylinder (539 BC)
• 1:25 Herodotus on Cyrus's Median ties The Institute's interpretation · Herodotus, Histories 1.146
• 1:43 Gold daric spreads across empire Historical record · Achaemenid gold daric (c. 500 BC)
• 1:52 Achaemenid Empire at Its Height
• 1:59 Achaemenid Empire at Its Height
• 2:16 Behistun lists Darius's empire Historical record · Behistun Inscription (c. 520 BC)
• 2:34 Royal Road connects Sardis–Susa Historical record · Herodotus, Histories 7.23
• 2:52 Gold daric spreads across empire Historical record · Achaemenid gold daric (c. 500 BC)
• 3:10 Greek victories end Persian invasions Historical record · Herodotus, Histories 7.1‑7.9
• 3:28 Persepolis burned by Alexander (330 BC) Historical record · Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 5.5
• 3:37 Parthian Resilience and the Silk Road
• 3:44 Parthian Resilience and the Silk Road
• 4:01 First Parthian coin shows Arsaces I Historical record · Parthian silver coin of Arsaces I (c. 247 BC)
• 4:19 Parthians defeat Crassus at Carrhae The Institute's interpretation · Cassius Dio, Roman History 53.24
• 4:37 Parthia links Silk Road to Rome The Institute's interpretation · Zhang Qian’s reports to the Han court (c. 125 BC)
• 4:46 Sasanian Zenith and the End of Persian Rule
• 4:53 Ctesiphon, Sasanian Empire, c. 600 AD
• 5:53 Taq‑e Bostan, 7th c. relief Historical record · Rock relief at Taq‑e Bostan (7th c.)
• 7:15 Sasanian Empire, 651 AD – End of Persian rule

Sources

Historical record: Assyrian annals of Sargon II (714 BC) · Cyrus Cylinder (539 BC) · Achaemenid gold daric (c. 500 BC) · Behistun Inscription (c. 520 BC) · Herodotus, Histories 7.23 · Herodotus, Histories 7.1‑7.9 · Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 5.5 · Parthian silver coin of Arsaces I (c. 247 BC) · Shapur I inscription at Ka'ba‑ye Zartosht (c. 262 AD) · Rock relief at Taq‑e Bostan (7th c.) · Chronicle of ʿAbd al‑Malik ibn al‑Husayn (c. 8th c.)

The Institute's interpretation: Herodotus, Histories 1.145 · Herodotus, Histories 1.146 · Cassius Dio, Roman History 53.24 · Zhang Qian’s reports to the Han court (c. 125 BC) · Al‑Biruni, Kitab al‑Hind (c. 1030) quoting earlier Sasanian sources

Sound: synthesized ambient (wind, drone, water) (CC0 — made by SoapBox). Made in 157 s of CPU.