The Cambridge History of Iran, Volume 2: The Median and Achaemean Periods

The second volume describes the formation, in the sixth century BC, of the earliest multi-national empire, its administration, its confrontation with Greece, and its eventual dissolution under the impact of Alexander's conquest of Iran in 331 BC. This was a time of great importance in the history of the entire Middle East, and embraced figures of the stature of Cyrus, Darius and Xerxes. The sources for this period are more diverse than for any other in Iran's history, the bulk of the evidence being preserved in Babylonian, Elamite, Egyptian and Greek. The involvement in this volume of specialists in each of these fields has ensured that the results of the intensive research of recent years are incorporated in this synthesis. In addition to the strictly historical accounts there are chapters on art and architecture, metalwork and glyptic, calendar systems, weights and measures, religion, and the eastern Iranian world as reflected in the Avesta. V. 1. The Land Of Iran / Edited By W. B. Fisher -- V. 2. The Median And Achaemenian Periods / Edited By Ilya Gershevitch -- V. 3. The Seleucid, Parthian, And Sasanian Periods / Edited By Ehsan Yarshater (2 Pts.) -- V. 4. The Period From The Arab Invasion To The Saljuqs / Edited By R. N. Frye -- V. 5. The Saljuq And Mongol Periods / Edited By J. A. Boyle -- V. 6. The Timurid And Safavid Periods / Edited By Peter Jackson And Laurence Lockhart --v. 7. From Nadir Shah To The Islamic Republic / Edited By Peter Avery, Gavin Hambly, And Charles Melville. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. The Cambridge History of Iran is an eight-volume survey of Iranian history and culture, and its contribution to the civilisation of the world. All aspect of the religious, philosophical, political, economic, scientific and artistic elements in Iranian civilisation are studies, with some emphasis on geographical and ecological factors which have contributed to that civilisation's special character. -- From publisher's description The third volume, published in two parts, is an account of every aspect of Iranian civilisation from the death of Alexander in 323 BC to the advent of Islam in the seventh century AD. It is the most comprehensive study yet published of this very important period of Iran's history. The earliest part of present-day Iran to reach the level of urban and class civilization was the region which later was called Khuzistan and which in ancient history is usually designated by its Biblical name of Elam (Hebr. 'Elam). Surveys Iranian history and culture and its contribution to the civilization of the world. Covers religious, philosophical, political, economic, scientific and artistic elements in Iranian civilization