Civilization: Persia versus Greece and Rome
Part One
Based on the latest Archeological, Historical and Scientific discoveries and facts.
Ahreeman X
October 5, 2007

L. Persian Imperial Achaemenian Lotus Banner Carrier
C. Derafsh kaviyani Jewels Banner of Sassanids (224 AD - 651 AD)
R. Persian Imperial Achaemenian Standard Bearer

Chapters Index
______________

Civilization Chapter 1
Civilization Chapter 2

Introduction

I believe that History is a Science; therefore, my approach to the history is through the latest archeological and scientific facts. Unlike the average historian who looks at the history as dogma and unchangeable written words similar to Bible and Torah, I deal with scientific changes. I do not deal with fantasy and myths created by Greek Story-Tellers and Hollywood film-makers, but I deal with science, archeology and historical facts. Before I write a book, an article or in general a historical document, I always study the latest scientific facts and the most up-to-dated archeological discoveries. I look at history as a living and changing Science. I am a "Scientific Historian" versus the over 95% of the historians of the past and the present whom are "Dogmatic Historians".

I would like to analyze deep in to a few issues. The public opinion in the west (by majority) due to historical ignorance and mass media propaganda (Hollywood, Television, etc.) is that the foundation for the western civilization came from Greece and Rome while Persians were barbarians who damaged and destroyed the western civilization! They assume that the cradle of civilization were Greece and Rome. The western public is also brainwashed in the belief that Greece and Rome were highly civilized while Persians were savage dogs! Again the western public believes that Greece and Rome were democracies while Persia was a rootless and ruthless dictatorship. Now I would like to analyze these accusations and clarify through research, that if these were based on historical lies made up in Greece and Hollywood or if they are the truth! So again, let us itemize these common western beliefs,

Average Westerner believes:

I. Greece and Rome were foundations for the western civilization while Persians were backward barbarians against the west.

II. Greece and Rome were superior civilizations while Persians were inferior savage dogs.

III. Greece and Rome were advanced democracies while Persia was a ruthless dictatorship.

Myth and fiction or truth and historical reality?

Persian Homa Column-top

The average western public believes in what they see in the Hollywood movies and Television Channels! The average public also has the attention span of an ant and they can't remember the events of a month ago, set aside the events of a few years or decades ago! The average youth (student) in the west (specifically America) is too occupied with Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll to even distinguish between Comic Books and Hollywood fictions and then the historical realities! They are too shallow to even read anything aside Graphic Novels, set aside historical research!

History of Anti-Persian Animosity in the West

The Western concept of "Anti-Persian" (Anti-Iranian) has nothing to do with the events of the past 29 years (Islamic Republic of Iran) and terrorism, yet the West (specifically America and Britain) have been "Anti-Persian" going back to the Shah's time (before 1979) and even before that, all the way back to the second world war (WWII) and beyond (Safavids). The cause is the massive propaganda throughout the history via Greek Bias Historians, Roman Bias Historians, Hollywood, Television and now Graphic Novels and Comic books!

Achaemenid Persian Empire Map
Achaemenid Dynasty (559 BC - 330 BC)

This is not Anti-Islam or Anti-Terrorism or Anti-East but this is pure Anti-Persian agenda which had caused the massive propaganda throughout the history to also make the western public to become Anti-Persian! This is a well-calculated attempt by the western historians, western media, western politicians and western governments to brainwash the western public and the western youth and to mold their brains into Anti-Persian Hatred mode.

Persian Achaemenid Portable Siege Tower

The animosity of the west and their imperialist intentions towards the Persian territories is nothing new. It all started with the Portuguese and the British imperialistic intentions towards the Persian Empire during the Safavid Dynasty (1501 -1736) and Afsharid Dynasty (1736 - 1749); however, the Safavid and Afsharid Persian Empires of the 16th through 18th century were too powerful of a regional and Asian empires for the western powers to mess with!

Even at the beginning of the Qajar period (1794 - 1925), while the last Persian Emperor, Aqa Mohamad Khan of the Qajar Dynasty was ruling the Persian Empire (1794 - 1797), the western powers dared to set foot in the Persian territories! By 19th century, the decline of the Persian superiority had started and the Persian Empire became the Kingdom of Pars. Little by little, Russians, Ottomans and British started to each create a sphere of influence in Iran (Persia or Pars); however, the foreign powers could never actually colonialize Iran, even though they had colonialize the whole Middle East, Near East, Central and south Asia!

Achaemenid Siege Tower at the parade for the 2500 Years Celebrations of The Persian Empire which was held on 1971 at Persepolis, Pasargad, Tent City and Shiraz in Iran.

The foreigners could not colonialize Iran but they managed to annex many states of Iran. Throughout the 19th century, Russians managed to defeat the declining Persia in many battles and had annexed many Persian territories such as Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, part of Kazakhstan, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Ossetia of Russia. Russians added all these territories to their empire until the fall of the Soviet Union which all of them became independent nations.

In the meanwhile, the British had their share of our territories, and they helped themselves with creating protectorates and fabricated nations out of our states such as Afghanistan, Baluchistan half of Pakistan and Bahrain.

So basically every nation in the region which their names ends with the "istan" syllable, was once a state of Iran (Persia)! Either Russians or British stole it from us and created a fabricated nation of "something-istan" out of them!

Western powers dared to colonialize Iran until the WWII when they actually occupied our nation (Pahlavi Era) and they forced Reza Shah the Great in to exile. Americans, British and Russians jointly occupied Iran and forced a regime change in Iran! Iran became the "Bridge of Victory" for the Allies to defeat the Axis powers! Allies used the Iranian Railroads and road systems to send raw material, goods, foods and weapons from the Persian Gulf to Russia. This had caused the defeat of the Nazi Germany.

Going back in history, Iraq was also originally a state of Iran (Mesopotamia) and the British had invented another fabricated nation named Iraq! Even in Iran-Iraq war Americans supported and backed Iraq against Iran.

Persian Immortals - Blue Units

Persian Immortals - Elite (Gold) and Blue Units

Persian Immortals - Elite (Gold) Immortals in action

Persian Immortals - Chita hunting as war exercise

Persian Immortals - Lion hunting as war exercise

Darius III and Persian Immortals (before a campaign against Alexander)
L - R: Immortal Standard Bearer (with Achaemenid Golden Eagle Banner), Immortal Commander, Shahanshah Darius III of Achaemenid

So as you see, the western animosity and imperialistic intentions towards Iran does not start with the Islamic Republic of Iran (1979 - present) but it goes all the way back to the Safavid Persian Empire (1501 -1736). Noting new folks.

Persian War Chariot

I am going to post a compare and comparison document of Greece and Rome versus Persia. Now I will state the results of my historical research and with the latest up-to-date and scientific evidence, I shall at last, give you a straight answer about this whole ordeal.

How the Jews were treated by Greece and Rome vs. Persia?

The famous Coliseum in Rome was built by pillaging the Jews of Israel out of their riches and their forced slave labor! Jews were the subjects of discrimination, abuse and torture, starting not from the Nazi Germany years (1933 - 1945), but way back in the history. Almost every single civilization and empire (except the Persian Empire) had predatory behavior towards the Jews! The Jews were abused, discriminated against, mentally and physically tortured, their properties were confiscated, were pushed in to forced slave labor, and they were actively exiled and murdered during these periods of history:

Nazi Germany and their allies
Soviet Russia and their allies
The First World War European Empires
Industrial Age Europe
Renaissance Europe
Spanish Empire Inquisitions
Papal Catholic Rome during the Dark Ages Europe
Roman Empire
Greco-Macedonian Empire
Greek City States
Egyptian Empire
Babylonian Empire
And many more civilizations and historical periods.

Basically the only grand empire, which protected the Jews and gave them sanctuaries, was the Persian Empire!

When Cyrus the Great invaded and captured the Babylonian Empire, he freed over 42,000 Jews from the slavery of Babylon! These Jews were dragged against their will from Israel to Babylon (Mesopotamia) and were forced in to slavery. Cyrus freed them and relocated them back to their homeland, Israel.

Atlas of the Iran Maps Index - Maps of the Persian Empire

Cyrus The Great, Darius The Great and Xerxes The Great were named in Bible (Old Testament AKA Torah) and remembered as saviors of the Jews. Cyrus is the patron saint of the Jews.

The Cyrus Cylinder

Who says Persians are Aryan Racists? Who says Persians are Anti Semitic? Who said Persians are Nazis? This garbage is fabricated in Hollywood, Western Media and Western Anti Persian Propaganda Machines!

Yes, we are mostly Aryans while the cheesy American Ku Klux Klan and Nazis are not even Aryans, but they are Anglo Saxons, yet they call themselves Aryans and they call us Rag Heads!

Yes, we do have some Nazis inside and outside Iran and we do have Anti-Semitism inside and outside Iran, amongst the Persians.

But this does not mean that a race (Persians) and a nation (Iran) are Anti Semitic! Throughout the history the Persian Empire was the protector of the Jews.

Westerners assume that the Persian Empire existed only during the Achaemenid Dynasty (559 BC - 330 BC)! The fact is that the Persian Empire existed during (559 BC - 1797 AD)! There were times that the Empire was invaded and taken over by savage barbarians (Greeks, Arabs, Mongols, etc.), yet the Empire and the Persian civilization did not abolish! The first Persian Emperor was Cyrus The Great (559 BC - 530 BC) of Achaemenid Dynasty and the last Persian Emperor was Aqa Mohamad Shah (1794 - 1797) of Qajar Dynasty.

Iran Dynasties and Monarchs of 8000 Years

First and Last Persian Emperors

L - R: Courthouse Servant, Xerxes and Spearbearer (with Achaemenid Golden Eagle Banner). The Golden Eagle was first designed by Cyrus The Great as the first official banner and state flag of Iran.

Before Islam had entered Iran (651 AD), large scale Anti Semitism did not exist in Persia. There were times of hardships for the Jews, for instance during certain period of Xerxes' reign; however, with the help of characters such as Emperor Xerxes and Empress Esther, Jews were saved and their rights were protected. Jews were always welcomed in Persia and their rights were protected same as the other Persian Citizens.

After Islam had entered Iran, with it, the Anti-Semitism and Discrimination had also entered Iran! Those 222 years of occupation of Iran under the Arabo-Muslim had effected the psyche of the Persians.

222 Years of Struggle for Independence of Iran (651 AD - 873 AD)

But Iran has 8000 years of history, the oldest civilization in the world! 222 years of Arabo-Islamic brainwash could not wipe out the ancient Persian Culture and teachings of the Persian Philosophers.

8000 Years of Iranian History!

Zoroastra and Zoroastrianism, The Real Story!

Eventually Iran was liberated by Yaqub Leis Saffarid and the Persian masses. Arabo-Muslim were kicked out of Iran; however, their infectious disease (Islam) had somewhat remained in the brains of the Persians!

Throughout the Iranian (Post-Islamic) history, there were times that Anti-Semitism had existed in Iran. Every time Islam was a strong element in the government and somewhat controlled the Persian Empire (Safavid era), there were heavy Anti Semitic waves in Iran; however, mostly Persians were not heavily Anti Semitic.

Now, since 1979 (birth of Islamic Republic of Iran), again Islam is in charge and so the Anti-Semitism is back in power! As you see, Persia and Persians are not Anti Semitic, but every time Islam becomes in charge of Iran, then the Nazism and Islamism will glorify the Anti-Semitism in the brains of the Persian Youth!

Persian Elephant Unit - Achaemenid period

So as we see,

In Greece, both during the city-states and during the Empire (Alexander), Jews were basically treated as dirt. At most their properties were confiscated and they were exiled and at least they were discriminated against.

In Rome, Jews were brought as slave labors and their riches were confiscated to build Coliseums!

In Persia, the Jews were welcomed to live in peace with equal rights the same as all Persian Citizens.

How the Slavery was practiced in Greece and Rome vs. Persia?

Let us do a historical analysis on the question of slavery in ancient times. Shall we?

Slavery in Greece

Slavery was openly practiced in Greece. Salves and slave labors were a solid base of the Greek economy in Greek city-states. Read any Greek historical document and you will see that even Greek Historians and scholars such as:

Thales (624 - 546 BC)
Pythagoras (582 - 500 BC)
Herodotus (484 - 425 BC)
Democritus (460 - 370 BC)

Do admit that slavery and slave labor were "legitimate" practice in Greece!

Slavery in Rome

Slavery was a normal part of the Roman life and a solid base of the Roman Empire.

What were the Romans doing for Pastime?

In gigantic coliseums, Romans entertained themselves by:

a. Devouring of prisoners by wild beasts such as lions.
b. Public Execution of the prisoners of wars.
c. Gladiator fights which at last someone got killed.

Romans had joys and fun while watching lions eating the prisoners alive! If that was not enough, they enjoyed public executions in coliseums! And if that was not enough, their pastime favorite was Gladiator Fights in coliseums!

Romans would fill up coliseums by tens of thousands to watch Gladiators brutally fight one another and at last kill each other! This was amusement to them! This was the greatest entertainment to them!

The Roman emperor, who would have thrown the most magnificent Gladiator Fights, would become the most popular emperor amongst the Romans!

These gladiators were basically prisoners of wars or slaves whom were given a choice between prison or gladiator fights! Can you picture that?

At least if they would choose the gladiator fights, they would become famous as heroes (like today's American fake wrestlers)! But the difference is that American Wrestling is a fake entertainment but Gladiator Fights were as real as it could get!

Romans were recreating the famous historical Roman Battles in the coliseums! For example, a group of Roman prisoners would play the role of the roman Legions (chariots, cavalry, infantry, etc.) and a group of foreign slaves and prisoners would play the role of Barbarians (that's what Greeks and Romans called everyone who was not Greek and Roman)! The recreations were all theatrics; however, the gladiator battles were bloody real!

Gladiators would fight one on one or group fights, but eventually some gladiators would end up dead, to entertain the "Civilized Romans"! Once the winner would slaughter the loser, he would become a National Hero! At this point, Romans would cheer him and cheer the Emperor who had thrown the ceremonies (Gladiator Fights). At this point emperor would wave at the Romans like a god! At this point, Roman Senators, Imperial courthouse members, masters of ceremonies and other aristocracy would get erections due to the violence, murder and public cheerings!

Do you see how civilized were the Greeks and Romans?!

Beautiful Roman Examples of Civilization!

Allow me to name a few glorious moments in history of Rome. These were great Roman Civilization's fabulous moments:

Emperors Nero and Caligula

Nero and Caligula were the perfect examples of Gladiator Fight Throwers and Masters of Ceremonies! Both were psychopathic murderers. At last Nero had burned Rome and Caligula mass slaughtered many Romans in a bloody orgy of S&M!

Rebellion of Spartacus

Spartacus (Anti slavery rebellion) was another great example of how civilized were the Romans! Spartacus was a slave gladiator who was fed up with the Roman bloody lifestyle and oppression of the slaves and prisoners for being forced in to fights or prisonment.

Romans used to give the slaves, two choices between gladiator fights or prisonment. At least as gladiators they would eat well, live well and be worshiped by the violence loving Romans, but in prisons, they would simply rot!

Finally Spartacus made a mass rebellion. Spartacus was a revolutionary. Spartacus was killed in the battle and over 6000 of his followers were crucified by Rome.

Massacre of Christians

Slavery and violence were the norms of the Roman Empire. Crucifixion of Christians is one of the perfect examples. Not that Romans crucified Jesus Christ, who was a revolutionary of his time, but for over 300 years after Jesus, they systematically had crucified the Christians inside and outside the Coliseums! They crucified the Christians in public as a fun pastime for the Roman Citizens to come and watch!

Public executions in the most brutal way would effect the psyche of the people, not to revolt against the mighty Imperial power of Rome. Public executions were also fun pastime recreations for Romans to watch. Romans would fill up the coliseums by tens of thousands, buy munchies and drinks and watch these executions! It was kind of like football and Baseball, Roman Style!

Saint Maurice along with over 6000 of his Christian followers were killed by the Romans. Mass execution and crucifixion of Christians and anyone who did not submit to the Roman way was a norm in the Roman Empire! Jesus and Christians for over 300 years were crucified and slaughtered by the Romans.

Kindness of Romans towards Animals!

Romans did not even spare the animals! Romans did not hunt for food, but for sports! If these animals were not hunted for sports, then they would have captured and brought to Roman cities for participation in the recreation of the famous Roman Historical Battles or simply to be used as predators to fight the gladiators. Eventually these animals would either die in theatric battles or by the hands of the gladiators! It was a survival game, so either the gladiator had to survive or the beast! Just picture the Romans would cheer and jump in joy to see these survival matches!

Romans are responsible for the complete extinction of various species. Extinction of various animals by Romans are world famous! Rare breeds of Caspian Tigers and White Elephants were extinct due to Roman Violence and Greed! Where are the liberal animal rights groups to bitch and moan about it?

What were the Persians doing for pastime?

We had invented games such as Polo, where two teams were riding horses and playing ball with their sticks (Hockey on Horse-top). Our Persian Stadiums were filled with Persians watching our national sports such as Polo, Wrestling (Real Persian Wrestling), Archery, Horse-top Archery (Archery while riding horses) and Horse Races.

Persian Polo Miniature Painting - 16th century Tabriz

Our Persian audience would gather to watch Persian Immortals (Elite Persian Forces) do combat practices, ride horses, cavalry, infantry and navy simulation battles and wrestling.

L + C. English Female Polo Team players (White Shirts)
R. Iranian Female Polo Team player (Dark Shirt)

Our Persian audience would gather to watch our Persian Heroes play chess and polo. At the same time Romans and Greeks were getting erections watching gladiators, slaves, prisoners and animals get slaughtered!

L. English Female Polo Team player (White Shirt)
R. Iranian Female Polo Team player (Dark Shirt)

Iranian Female Polo Club Match - Persian Teams in action

Iranian Female Polo Club Match
Polo (Chogan) is one of Iran's National Sports.

Now, once again ask yourselves:

Who was civilized and who was not?
Greeks and Romans loved to call Persians, barbarians!
Who were the barbarians and who were the civilized?

Was Slavery practiced in Persia?

Persian Empire was the only super power in the history of Earth, which did not practice slavery!

What Made Persian Empire So Great?

For once and for all, allow me to clarify this issue,

Slavery was nonexistent in Iran before Islam. Before 651 AD, we did not have slavery in the Persian Empire. Slavery was not practiced in the Persian Empire. In Hollywood lies such as The 300 Movie, you will see Xerxes is walking on top of slaves' backs (while bent over) to walk down from his massive throne to the grounds. Xerxes did not have a gigantic throne, which was carried by slaves from battle to battle, while he was resting like a god on the throne! Xerxes had a modest Imperial throne (more like a chair) which he was sitting on it behind the battlefields, when he was not participating in the command decisions around the battlefields. In other words, when he would get tired, then he would rest on this chair.

L - R: Arteshbod (General) Hydarnes, Shahanshah (Emperor) Xerxes (sitting) and Arteshbod (General) Mardonius observing the battle front in the 300 Spartans film (1962)

Xerxes had no slaves, no gigantic throne and no glorious harem with 1000 wives! Hollywood is mixing up Imam Hussein (the 3rd Shiite Imam) of Arabo-Muslim with Xerxes! Hussein had 1000 wives but Xerxes did not! Xerxes was a playboy, he had many lovers such as Artemisia and married a few wives such as Esther but the rest is Hollywood garbage!

Xerxes (486 BC - 466 BC) in 300 Spartans film (1962)
This is a realistic interpretation of Xerxes (Kheshayar Shah).

L. Grand Admiral Artemisia I of Halicarnassius (Persian Imperial Navy)
R. Emperor Xerxes I of Achaemenid
Xerxes and Artemisia in 300 Spartans film (1962), a realistic portrayal.

Grand Admiral Artemisia of the Persian Imperial Navy

Famous Historical Persian Women

Xerxes up close
L - R: Arteshbod (General) Hydarnes, Shahanshah (Emperor) Xerxes (sitting) and Arteshbod (General) Mardonius observing the battle front in the 300 Spartans film (1962)

So slavery did not exist in the Persian Empire (before Islam). Persian Empire was the only super power in the globe, which did not practice slavery. Persian philosophy was Anti Slavery. While Greece and Rome were capturing slaves and building their economies on slaves' backs, we were giving freedom to the slaves! Educate yourselves:

Persian System of Government
A Democratic Federal Empire!

Persia's system of government was a primitive and elementary form of A Democratic Federal Empire! Artemisia I, was not of the three main Satrapies (Media, Persia and Parthia), yet she was a Persian and according to the Persian Law, all citizens of the Empire were Equal, in religion, rights, and in expression. Persia was governed like a fearful Empire, yet unlike what Herodotus' pro-western revised history states, Persia was a Democratic system of government in nature.

Artemisia I of Halicarnassius
Grand Admiral of the Mighty Imperial Persian Navy (Achaemenid Dynasty)

Artemisia's Persian Trireme Battle Ships

Persian Trireme Replica

Large Persian Trireme Replica

There was no slavery practiced at the time. Cyrus even freed 42,000 Jews from slavery of Babylonians. Darius kept up the tradition and of course Xerxes followed the tradition of his ancestors Cyrus and Darius the fair Shahanshah. Persia being an Empire with many colonies and Expansionism policy, emphasizing on Pure Persian Pride, Aryan Culture, Zoroastrianism, and Aryan Race, yet it was in an absolute Democratic style of the internal governing system and state of homeostasis. It might sound contradictory but Persia was a Democratic and Federal Empire in nature. Internally, all citizens of the Persian Empire had equal rights. Once one would dedicate and devote himself to the Empire, as a servant of the Empire he would have equal rights to everyone else of his own social class in the whole Empire. Now do not mix this with the differences between social classes and the social system.

L. Cyrus The Great (559 BC - 530 BC) built the foundation of the Persian Empire.
R. Darius The Great (522 BC - 486 BC) established and organized the Persian Empire.

Aristocracy, Holy Zoroastrian Temple system, Military, administrative, merchantship, public, etc., they all had their own social classes, but this was the norm of the world during that era and century. Still Persian Empire was a Democratic Empire internally and in comparison to many totalitarian slavery systems of Empires and Kingdoms of that era in 6th, 5th, and 4th centuries BC, Persia was a role model. One can easily refer to History books; even Bible and Torah had mentioned this fact. Persian Justice was legendary.

Persia was either the sole super power in the globe or one of the 2 super powers at the time. Persia had many Khashtarahs (states) aka Satrapies. Each were "Self Governing" (Federalism) themselves. Each Khashtara of Persia had total autonomy governing themselves. They were only dependants to the central government (Persepolis) for foreign policy (diplomacy) and military decisions (wars).

Let me clarify this issue to all of you:

Iran had invented Federalism.

That's right. You heard it right. Persian Empire was a Democratic Federal Empire. We did not practice slavery, we did not enslave other races, we did not treat others like dirt, we did not have a brutal central government (like Rome), we freed slaves (Cyrus), we gave equal rights to "All" citizens of the Persian Empire (Darius) and all our states had internal autonomy (Federalism). We invented the concept of Human Rights (Cyrus Cylinder) and we invented Federalism (in primitive form).

The Cyrus Cylinder

The Darius Inscription

History of Federalism in Iran

Pre-Islamic Persia was governed as a Federal system. Centralism had entered Iran via Islam. Post-Islamic Persia practiced Centralism. The fact is that Centralism same as slavery was an Islamic practice, which was presented to Iran by the Arabo-Muslim.

Grand Admiral Artemisia and Emperor Xerxes taking a walk in Persepolis

I beg you not to believe in every garbage you read in Comic Books and watch in Hollywood Movies.

One more time, I ask you:

Who gave civilization to the world?
Who created Federalism?
Who invented the concept of Human Rights?
Who was civilized?

Greece and Rome or Persia? Next page

Part One
Part Two
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