Persis

Quick Facts: Who was Persis?

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Persis

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Historical region in south-western Iran, corresponding roughly to modern Fars province.

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Origins & Early Life

Persis, also called Persia proper, is a historical region in south-western Iran, roughly corresponding with Fars province. Iranian speaking peoples, also known as Iranic speaking peoples, are thought to have initially migrated from Central Asia giving rise to the ethnic group later known as Persians. They would then have migrated to the current region of Persis in the early 1st millennium BC. The ancient Persians were present in the region of Persis from about the 10th century BC. They became the rulers of the largest empire the world had yet seen under the Achaemenid dynasty which was established in the late 6th century BC, at its peak stretching from Thrace-Macedonia, Bulgaria-Paeonia and Eastern Europe proper in the west, to the Indus Valley (India) in its far east.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The ruins of Persepolis and Pasargadae, two of the four capitals of the Achaemenid Empire, are located in Fars. The Achaemenid Empire was defeated by Alexander the Great in 330 BC, incorporating most of their vast empire. Several Hellenistic satraps of Persis are known (following the conquests of Alexander the Great) from circa 330 BC, especially Phrasaortes, who ruled from 330 to 324 BC; Orxines, who usurped his position and was then executed by Alexander; and the Macedonian general Peucestas, who learned the Persian language and followed local customs, implementing a persophile policy. Peucestas retained the satrapy of Persis until the Battle of Gabiene (316 BC), after which he was removed from his position by Antigonus. A short period of Antigonid rule followed, until Seleucus took possession of the region in 312 BC.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

When the Seleucid Empire was established, it possibly never extended its power beyond the main trade routes in Fars, and by the reign of Antiochus I or possibly later, Persis emerged as a state with a level of independence that minted its own coins. "Frataraka" Governors of the Seleucid Empire Several later Persian rulers, forming the Frataraka dynasty, are known to have acted as representatives of the Seleucids in the region of Fārs. They ruled from the end of the 3rd century BC to the beginning of the 2nd century BC, and Vahbarz or Vādfradād I obtained independence circa 150 BC, when Seleucid power waned in the areas of southwestern Persia and the Persian Gulf region. During an apparent transitional period, corresponding to the reigns of Vādfradād II and another uncertain king, no titles of authority appeared on the reverse of their coins. The earlier title prtrk' zy alhaya (Frataraka) had disappeared.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Persis

True or False: “The Achaemenid Empire's peak stretched as far east as the Indus Valley in India.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): The text explicitly states that the empire at its peak extended to the Indus Valley (India) in its far east.

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