*با سلام و درود به مهمانان عزیز و کاربران گرامی وبلاگ#مهرزاد، ضمن عرض ادب و احترام، این صفحه به منظور اطلاع رسانی و برای نشر آگاهی و در جهت غنی سازی می باشد، خواهشمند است، هر گونه پیشنهاد یا انتقاد را به مدیر سایت بفرمایید. کار ما، با لبخند شما، کامل تر می گردد.

The Establishment of the Greatest Empire of the Ancient World, and if a benevolent empire ever existed, one of the most benevolent in world history is tied to the name of Iran.x

Iran is a state and nation that the world knew as Persia until the early 20th century. In the West, the name Persia often evoked images of a world filled with mystery and opulence, a perception that endured from the age of ancient Greek writers all the way to European travelers like Marco Polo.x

The declaration of Cyrus the Great, famously known as the Cyrus Cylinder, is regarded as an outstanding example among ancient world conquest inscriptions. In it, he proclaims peace and justice across diverse ethnic and religious communities under his steady rule.x

Likewise, the name Iran and Iranian conjures images of Persian rugs, Persian cats, Iranian caviar, and other luxury goods of the sort.x

Today, Iran is often seen as a symbol of defiance against the West and imperialism, and as a defender of the Islamic world, despite threats and sanctions. Yet these are merely a fleeting glance at a civilization with a long and complex history, one that has captivated every visitor from ancient times to the present.x

This is precisely why both ancient and modern Iranian history hold such fascination and prestige for the world.x

The founder of ancient Iran, Cyrus the Great, reshaped the map of the world. For the first time in history, he brought Asia, Africa, and Europe closer together from a political and administrative perspective. His successors established the first global-scale political system and introduced the "hydraulic empire" a political structure that maintained power over its subjects through control and monopoly over access to water.x

In doing so, they brought the civilizations of the Indus Valley, the Nile, and Mesopotamia under a single banner.x

In the Old Testament, the Jews lovingly refer to Cyrus the Great as the Messiah and savior of the Jewish people from their captivity.x

According to Christian tradition, the three Magi, Persian Zoroastrian priests, followed the path of the stars to Bethlehem, traveling far from their own fire temple, to find the Christ child and attend his birth.x

Art and ideas from the East reached the West through the Royal Road and the Silk Road, via Iran.x

During antiquity, the Iranians introduced the world to their beloved sport of polo. This aristocratic game, along with backgammon, served as both an educational tool and a means of physical training for ancient Persians.x

Chess is another cultural product worth mentioning.x

The surviving golden plates from ancient Iran depict the artistic activities favored by the Persian court and elite

especially the king himself, who in Persian culture was titled the King of Kings, or Shahanshah.x

Throughout the ancient world, Iranians were regarded with political respect, awe, and fear.x

From the perspective of some ancient and Western historians, the King of Persia was the very embodiment of absolute monarchy. These kings lived in legendary palaces, dined at lavish tables, commanded countless armies, and ruled over half the world.x

Ancient Iranians, from Cyrus the Great to Xerxes, have been mentioned in ancient Greek literature for various reasons. Although Xerxes has been harshly portrayed, and still is

,for his campaign to conquer Greece, Xenophon made Cyrus the subject of the first Greek biography, calling it the Cyropaedia, or "The Education of Cyrus."x

One might say that for the people of the ancient world, from Greeks to Iranians—Cyrus the Great was the model of a perfect human being.x

Although Alexander's conquest of the Achaemenid Empire initially led to the destruction and eventual ruin of Persia's famed ceremonial capital—Parsa, Persepolis, or Takht-e Jamshid, one of its consequences was the intermingling of Greeks and Iranians.x

In a sense, Iranians and Greeks are both heirs to a shared cultural history.x

According to some Western scholars, Alexander the Great became so enamored with ancient Persian customs that he could even be called the last Achaemenid king in history.x

These ancient historical encounters left their mark and, in later periods, influenced the formation of the concept of conflict between East and West. On one side stood the West and its ancestors, the Greeks, and on the other, the East and its ancestors the Persians and Iranians.x

This opposition and dual cultural heritage, however, has been largely constructed by modern Western tradition rather than being a true reflection of reality. In fact, the interactions between Iranians and Greeks were far more extensive than the interactions or even conflicts, among the supposedly civilized Europeans themselves.x