Starting in the sixth century BCE, the conquests of the Persian kings Cyrus, Cambyses, and Darius transformed the lives of humans on a continental scale, as their empire reached from the Iranian plateau to as far as eastern Europe, Central Asia, and north Africa. Beyond the imperial center, the kings' vast territory was ruled by regional royal representatives known as satraps, who managed the practicalities of running the empire. In this book, Rhyne King explores how the empire was governed at an imperial level by investigating how the satraps and the structures supporting them-their "houses"-operated across great distances. Examining satrapal houses in Egypt, Anatolia, Mesopotamia, and Central Asia, King demonstrates how these systems encouraged local self-interest and advancement even as they benefited the imperial whole. Ultimately, he argues, it was these Persian forms of transregional governance that were key in enabling their vast polity to endure for more than two centuries.

About the Author
Rhyne King is an Arts and Science Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Toronto. He has published a number of articles and chapters on the ancient Iranian world.


Book Information
ISBN 9780520416123
Author Rhyne King
Format Hardback
Page Count 339
Imprint University of California Press
Publisher University of California Press