---
title: Ancient Persian Culture
author: Joshua J. Mark
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/Ancient_Persian_Culture/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
updated: 1970-01-01
---

# Ancient Persian Culture

_Authored by [Joshua J. Mark](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/JPryst/)_

Ancient [Persian culture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Persian_Culture/) flourished between the reign of [Cyrus II](https://www.worldhistory.org/Cyrus_the_Great/) (The Great, r. c. 550-530 BCE), founder of the [Achaemenid](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Achaemenid/) [Persian Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Persian_Empire/), and the fall of the [Sassanian Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sasanian_Empire/) in 651 CE. Even so, the foundations of Persian [culture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/culture/) were already set prior to the 3rd millennium BCE.

When [Aryan](https://www.worldhistory.org/Aryan/) (Indo-Iranian) tribes migrated to the region of modern-day Iran, it came to be known as Ariana or Iran – the land of the [Aryans](https://www.worldhistory.org/Aryan/). The Persians were only one of these tribes who settled in the territory of [Persis](https://www.worldhistory.org/Persis/) (also Parsa, modern-day Fars) which would give them their name.

Initially, the Persians were subject to another Aryan tribe, the [Medes](https://www.worldhistory.org/Medes/), who had helped topple the Assyrian [Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/empire/) of [Mesopotamia](https://www.worldhistory.org/Mesopotamia/) in 612 BCE and extended their reach to form their own empire. The Medes were overthrown by their vassal [Cyrus the Great](https://www.worldhistory.org/Cyrus_the_Great/) in c. 550 BCE and, with the rise of the [Achaemenid Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/Achaemenid_Empire/), Persian culture began to develop fully. It should be noted, however, that many of the cultural advancements [Cyrus](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Cyrus/) II is regularly credited for were actually developed by earlier Persians and Medes (such as the *[qanat](https://www.worldhistory.org/qanat/)* system of irrigation, the *yakhchal*, and military organization). Cyrus II's brilliance – which would be mirrored by many of his successors – was in recognizing worthwhile concepts and adapting them on a large scale.

His vision of an all-inclusive empire whose citizens could live and worship as they pleased – as long as they paid their taxes and caused no problems for their neighbors or the king – provided the basis for one of the most vital and influential cultures of the ancient world.

Much has been made of the [Greek](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/greek/) influence on the Persians after the fall of the Achaemenid Empire to [Alexander the Great](https://www.worldhistory.org/Alexander_the_Great/) in 330 BCE but, long before and long after [Alexander](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Alexander/) and the succeeding [Hellenistic](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hellenic_World/) [Seleucid Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/Seleucid_Empire/) (312-63 BCE), Persian culture influenced the Greeks and many other civilizations, and its effects still resonate around the world in the present day.

### [Religion](https://www.worldhistory.org/religion/)

The Aryan tribes who settled in the Iranian Plateau and environs brought with them a polytheistic religion whose supreme being was [Ahura Mazda](https://www.worldhistory.org/Ahura_Mazda/) (Lord of Wisdom) with many other lesser gods and spirits under his dominion. Among these, the most popular were [Mithra](https://www.worldhistory.org/Mithra/) ([god](https://www.worldhistory.org/God/) of covenants and the rising sun), [Anahita](https://www.worldhistory.org/Anahita/) (goddess of fertility, health, water, and wisdom, Atar, (god of fire), and Hvar Khsata (sun god/god of the full sun). These forces of good stood in opposition to the evil spirit of chaos.

Ahura Mazda, source of all good, was both invoked and worshipped through a ritual known as the *yazna* (a meal to which the deity is invited). At the *yazna*, a drink called *hauma* was prepared from the juices of a plant (which has not been identified) and consumed, altering the participants' minds and allowing an apprehension of the divine. Fire, kindled at the *yazna*, was both a sacred element in itself and a manifestation of the divine presence in the form of Atar.

At some point between 1500-1000 BCE, the Persian prophet [Zoroaster](https://www.worldhistory.org/zoroaster/) (also given as [Zarathustra](https://www.worldhistory.org/zoroaster/)), claimed to receive a revelation from Ahura Mazda and preached a new religion – known as [Zoroastrianism](https://www.worldhistory.org/zoroastrianism/) – which developed the concepts of the earlier religion in a monotheistic framework. Zoroaster recognized Ahura Mazda as the supreme being but claimed he was the only god - requiring no others - engaged in an eternal struggle with Angra Mainyu (also given as [Ahriman](https://www.worldhistory.org/Ahriman/)), the eternal spirit of evil.

[ ![Faravahar at Persepolis](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/3049.jpg?v=1776269168) Faravahar at Persepolis Napishtim (CC BY-SA) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/3049/faravahar-at-persepolis/ "Faravahar at Persepolis")The purpose of human life was to choose which deity one would follow, and this choice would inform and direct all of one's actions as well as one's final destination. One who chose Ahura Mazda would live a life devoted to *Asha* (truth and order) and would adhere to the practice of Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds. One who chose Angra Mainyu would live a life attached to *Druj* (lies and chaos), evident by self-indulgence, faithlessness, and cruelty.

After [death](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Death/), all souls would cross the [Chinvat Bridge](https://www.worldhistory.org/Chinvat_Bridge/) and those who had been righteous would go to the House of Song (paradise) while those who had followed Angra Mainyu's path were dropped into the House of Lies, a vision of hell in which one feels eternally alone – no matter how many other souls are near – while suffering various torments. At some point in the future, a messiah would come – the *Saoshyant* (“One Who Brings Benefit”) and linear time would end in the event known as *Frashokereti* when all would be reunited with Ahura Mazda in paradise, even those who had been led astray by evil. Zoroaster kept the ritual of the *yazna* and the concept of fire as a divine element, only now it was a manifestation of Ahura Mazda instead of Atar.

Although scholars continue to debate the precise nature of Zoroastrianism, the *[Avesta](https://www.worldhistory.org/Avesta/)* (Zoroastrian scripture) strongly suggests it is a monotheistic religion whose dualistic characteristics were exaggerated later in a movement known as [Zorvanism](https://www.worldhistory.org/Zorvanism/) (popular during the [Sassanian](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sasanian_Empire/) Empire, 224-615 CE). Zoroastrianism, with its focus on a single, uncreated, supreme being, the importance of human free will and choice in living a good life, judgment after death, a messiah, and final account at the end of time would become important elements of the later religions of [Judaism](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/judaism/), [Christianity](https://www.worldhistory.org/christianity/), and [Islam](https://www.worldhistory.org/islam/) and influence still other faiths.

### Social Hierarchy & [Women](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/women/)

It is unclear how much, if at all, Zoroastrianism influenced Cyrus the Great since his inscriptions mentioning Ahura Mazda could as easily be referencing the old religion as the new. The same could be said for later Achaemenid rulers in different eras although it seems [Darius I](https://www.worldhistory.org/Darius_I/) (the Great, r. 522-486 BCE) and [Xerxes I](https://www.worldhistory.org/Xerxes_I/) (r. 486-465 BCE) were Zoroastrians. The social hierarchy of Persian culture was informed by religious belief with the king at the top and all others following after since the king was considered to have been divinely appointed. Scholar Homa Katouzian explains:

> Even if he was the first son of the previous \[king\], which he often was not, \[the king's\] fundamental legitimacy was not due to that fact or even to his belonging to the ruling dynasty: it came directly from God, His Grace or Divine Effulgence, called Farrah in Middle Persian and farr in New Persian…the Persian kings did not draw their legitimacy from an aristocratic and/or priestly class but directly from God by possessing the farr or divine grace. (5)

A king (*shah*) was supported only as long as he held the *farr* and, when a king was deposed, he was thought to have lost the favor of God. As long as he ruled, however, he was supported (at least in theory) by the social hierarchy which ran, top to bottom:

- The king and the royal family
- The priests (*[magi](https://www.worldhistory.org/Magi/)*)
- Nobles (aristocrats and satraps)
- Military commanders and elite forces (such as the [Persian Immortals](https://www.worldhistory.org/Persian_Immortals/))
- Merchants
- Artisans and craftspeople
- [Peasants](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Peasants/)
- Slaves

Within each class, there were also hierarchies. After the king came the king's mother and then the queen (mother of the king's chosen successor), followed by the king's sons, then daughters, then brothers and sisters with other relatives coming last. In the priestly class, there was a high priest and then lesser priests and the same paradigm applied all the way down to slaves as there were some slaves who supervised others.

Men and women often worked the same jobs and women were highly respected. Early evidence of this is seen in the goddess Anahita who not only presided over fertility and health but water – the vital life-giving element – and wisdom – the ability to discern rightly in making any given choice. Specifics on women's roles, jobs, and general treatment come from the Persians themselves through the so-called Fortification and Treasury Texts found at [Persepolis](https://www.worldhistory.org/persepolis/), the capital of the empire commissioned by [Darius](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/darius/) I, which list rations, payments, and job titles among other information.

[ ![Head of the Goddess Anahita](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/500x600/5064.jpg?v=1776239164-1734345983) Head of the Goddess Anahita Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin (Copyright) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/5064/head-of-the-goddess-anahita/ "Head of the Goddess Anahita")Women served as supervisors and especially skilled and powerful women held the title of *arashshara* (great chief). Female artisans and craftspeople often supervised shops creating goods not only for daily use but for [trade](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/trade/). They were paid the same as their male counterparts, as evidenced by statements showing the same rations of grain and wine for female and male workers. Pregnant women and those who had recently given birth received higher pay and, if a woman gave birth to a son, she was rewarded (as was the attending physician) with extra rations for a month, but this is the only discrepancy in pay between the sexes. Women could own land, conduct business, and there is even evidence that women served in the military.

### Jobs & [Economy](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/economy/)

The king was the ultimate authority and responsible for running the [Persian government](https://www.worldhistory.org/Persian_Government/), initiating various reforms, and overseeing military campaigns. He was assisted by the *magi*, members of his family, and nobles who counseled him. The *magi* were responsible for religious rituals, divination, and banking. Unlike Mesopotamia or [Egypt](https://www.worldhistory.org/egypt/), which raised grand temples to their gods, the Persians believed the divine should be recognized and worshipped out of doors in the natural world and so built altars on which the sacred fire would be lighted and sacrifices made.

The concept of a [temple](https://www.worldhistory.org/temple/) bureaucracy, however, was observed with a high priest employing lesser priests and, eventually, taking on the role of bankers. *Magi* offered loans with an interest rate of 20 percent but could, and did, waive interest at various times for whatever reason. Homes, land, livestock, businesses, and slaves could be bought on credit offered by the priests who would expect a return on their investment.

[ ![Coin Portrait of Pharnabazus, Satrap of Ionia](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/10825.jpg?v=1776882501) Coin Portrait of Pharnabazus, Satrap of Ionia Classical Numismatic Group (Copyright) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/10825/coin-portrait-of-pharnabazus-satrap-of-ionia/ "Coin Portrait of Pharnabazus, Satrap of Ionia")The satraps (governors) were the king's representatives in the provinces (satrapies) of the empire. As long as they pleased the king, they reigned for life and lived well in their own palaces with their own retinue. Each [satrap](https://www.worldhistory.org/Persian_Governor/) was expected to levy and collect taxes as well as raise soldiers for military campaigns which they were also expected to participate in. Satraps were therefore indistinguishable as a class from military commanders in many cases.

Merchants – who could be male or female – engaged in short and long-distance trade while also supervising production and acquisition of raw materials. Merchants who succeeded could become quite wealthy, and female merchants were as free to spend their money as they pleased as males. Artisans and craftspeople, fundamentally important to the merchant as well as many others, were employed in a number of different occupations from sculpting reliefs on homes, buildings, and palaces, to fashioning statues, creating jewelry, forging weaponry and armor, making tack for horses, and providing people with plates, jars, and bowls. Artisans could also be entertainers such as musicians, dancers, and mimes.

Peasants were, as usual, the backbone of the economy as they were largely farmers and either skilled or unskilled laborers. The peasant class was in no way considered inferior, however, and could even own their own land (which not even the peasants of so advanced a culture as ancient Egypt could do). Peasants either farmed or herded livestock of sheep, goats, and cattle and also worked on the king's building projects. When called upon by the satrap, the peasants participated in [Persian warfare](https://www.worldhistory.org/Persian_Warfare/) either as soldiers or as baggage handlers, cooks, or in other capacities of support.

In Persian culture, slaves were treated as paid servants were elsewhere. Slaves could not be beaten or killed indiscriminately, and Darius I, in fact, made it [law](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/law/) that a master who mistreated a slave was subject to the same penalties as if a free person had been injured. Slaves received compensation for their labor, shelter, and clothing, and lived better under the Persians, whether the Achaemenid or Sassanian, than slaves anywhere else in the ancient world.

The economy was based on [agriculture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Agriculture/) and crops grown and traded included barley, lentils, beans, figs, grapes, sesame seeds, and flax. Trade was conducted from one end of the Achaemenid and Sassanian empires to the other – roughly from the borders of modern-day [India](https://www.worldhistory.org/india/) across to the coast of [Turkey](https://www.worldhistory.org/Asia_Minor/) and down through the [Levant](https://www.worldhistory.org/levant/) and Egypt. Under Darius I, a network of roads was built which made trade easier and maritime trade also flourished. Darius I even built a canal in Egypt (c. 500 BCE) connecting the [Nile](https://www.worldhistory.org/nile/) River to the Red Sea to further enhance trade (though a number of Greek historians claim the canal was never completed).

[ ![Achaemenid Lion Weight](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/4829.jpg?v=1776239171) Achaemenid Lion Weight Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin (Copyright) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/4829/achaemenid-lion-weight/ "Achaemenid Lion Weight")The many different subject nations were able to trade confidently with each other because they all operated under a single government which ensured fair trade practices, standard weights and measures, and protection from robbers. Darius I also standardized the currency throughout the empire in the form of the *Daric*. Subject nations minted their own coins and used their own monetary systems, but these were brought in line with the value of the Persian *Daric*.

### Sports & Leisure

Athletic accomplishment was especially important to the Persians who enjoyed archery, boxing, fencing, horsemanship, hunting, polo, javelin-throwing, swimming, and wrestling. The sons of nobles were trained for military service from the age of five and encouraged to excel in all of these sports but girls and boys of all classes were equally expected to participate and remain physically fit. It is unclear when the sport of polo was developed by the Persians but it was sometime prior to 330 BCE as it is said that representatives of Darius III gave Alexander the Great a polo mallet as a gift following his victory.

In their leisure time, when not participating in or watching sporting events, Persians enjoyed board games, banquets (which included drinking significant amounts of wine), [music](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Music/), mime, dance and, especially, storytelling. Mime was a popular form of entertainment because it combined elements of dance to dramatically present a story. The most popular stories featured epic heroes such as those from the later *[Shahnameh](https://www.worldhistory.org/shahnameh/)* (*The Book of Kings*) written by Abolqasem [Ferdowsi](https://www.worldhistory.org/Ferdowsi/) in the late 10th century CE or the tales which make up the famous *One Thousand and One Nights* (popularly known as *The Arabian Nights*). Both of these works are based on a long oral tradition of Persian storytelling. *One Thousand and One Nights* is based on the earlier Persian work *One Thousand Tales* which was written down during the Sassanian Period but reflects a much older oral history.

### Cultural Advances

Among the many inventions of the Persians were the board games backgammon and chess (although the Persian origin of chess has been repeatedly challenged). They also invented the musical instrument known as the *cartar* (popularly known as a *tar*) and the *sestar*, precursor of the modern-day guitar, and developed the art of mime because mimes could tell a story in any of the subject nations without worrying about language barriers. A Persian mime could perform as easily in Egypt as in [Bactria](https://www.worldhistory.org/Bactria/).

As part of their banquet entertainment, the Persians also seem to have invented the art of animation as evidenced by a cup which, when turned quickly, shows a goat leaping up to eat the leaves from a tree. For their comfort while eating or relaxing in their homes, the Persian carpet was created and the tradition of dessert after a meal is also a Persian innovation. In order to have cool drinks and ice at their meal or afterwards, the Persians developed the first refrigerators – the *yakhchal* – a tall, ceramic, domed structure with a subterranean storage space which produced ice and kept food cold.

[ ![Yakhchal](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/11521.jpg?v=1776239174) Yakhchal reibai (CC BY) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/11521/yakhchal/ "Yakhchal")The crops which provided that food, and kept the economy stable, were irrigated by a system known as the *qanat*, a sloping channel in the earth with vertical shafts at intervals which brought subterranean waters up to ground level. The *qanat* was also utilized in the creation of elaborate gardens which adorned the grounds of palaces and private homes alike. These magnificent gardens were known as *pairi-daeza;* the origin of the concept and word *paradise* in English.

The enormous expanse of the empire and the different [cities](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/) ([Babylon](https://www.worldhistory.org/babylon/), [Susa](https://www.worldhistory.org/susa/), Ecbatana, Persepolis) used as important administrative centers had necessitated the road system of Darius I for rapid communication and this led to another Persian invention: the postal service. The Persian postal system, in fact, has served as the model for others down through history and up to the present day. The motto of the United States of America's postal service comes from [Herodotus](https://www.worldhistory.org/herodotus/)' description of the Persian messengers.

Persians also invented sulfuric acid, their own alphabets, and developed the craft of perfumery as well as the concept of the hospital. The later Persian polymath Avicenna (l. c. 980-1037 CE) would advance the medicinal arts through his *Canon of [Medicine](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/medicine/)* and the mathematician Al-Khwarizmi (l. c. 780 - c. 850 CE) invented algebra. According to some interpretations, Cyrus the Great also established the first written document concerning human rights through the [Cyrus Cylinder](https://www.worldhistory.org/article/166/the-cyrus-cylinder/) which mandated tolerance of other's beliefs throughout the empire.

Cyrus' belief in the importance of accepting and embracing others, fostered a culture founded on recognition of and appreciation for different beliefs, customs, and values. Herodotus noted that “the Persians adopt more foreign customs than anyone else” (I.135) and his observation is borne out in the Persian practice of adapting the best aspects of other cultures for their own use and improving upon them. After the fall of the Sassanian Persian Empire to the invading Muslim Arabs in 651 CE, Persian culture spread to other regions and then, through trade along routes such as the [Silk Road](https://www.worldhistory.org/Silk_Road/), toward the West. From ancient times to the present day, in fact, Persian culture, inventions, and innovations have, and continue to, inform the lives of people around the world.

#### Editorial Review

This human-authored definition has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/).

## Bibliography

- [Brosius, M. *The Persians: An Introduction.* Taylor & Francis, Inc., 2007.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/B008UB93A4/)
- [Burton, R. F. *The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night.* Heritage Press, 2019.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/B0045PC176/)
- [Farrokh, K. *Shadows in the Desert: Ancient Persia at War.* Osprey Publishing, 2007.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/1846031087/)
- [Farrokh, K. *The Armies of Ancient Persia.* Pen and Sword Military, 2017.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/1848848455/)
- [Ferdowsi, A. *Shahnameh: The Persian Book of Kings.* Penguin Classics, 2016.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0143108328/)
- [Harper, P. O. *The Royal City of Susa.* Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1992.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0870996525/)
- [Katouzian, H. *The Persians: Ancient, Mediaeval, and Modern Iran.* Yale University Press, 2010.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0300169329/)
- [Llewellyn-Jones, L. & Robson, J. *Ctesias' 'History of Persia.* Routledge, 2012.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0415629470/)
- [Olmstead, A. T. *History of the Persian Empire.* University of Chicago Press, 1959.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0226627772/)
- [Waterfield, R. *Herodotus: The Histories.* Oxford University Press, 2008.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/0226327728/)

## About the Author

Joshua J. Mark is World History Encyclopedia's co-founder and Content Director. He was previously a professor at Marist College (NY) where he taught history, philosophy, literature, and writing. He has traveled extensively and lived in Greece and Germany.
- [Linkedin Profile](https://www.linkedin.com/pub/joshua-j-mark/38/614/339)

## Timeline

- **c. 1500 BCE - c. 1000 BCE**: [Zoroaster](https://www.worldhistory.org/zoroaster/) develops his new vision of religious truth which becomes [Zoroastrianism](https://www.worldhistory.org/zoroastrianism/).
- **c. 550 BCE - 530 BCE**: Under the reign of [Cyrus II](https://www.worldhistory.org/Cyrus_the_Great/) The Great the [qanat](https://www.worldhistory.org/qanat/) system of irrigation is introduced on a large scale as well as the yakhchal refrigeration system.
- **c. 550 BCE - 651 CE**: [Ancient Persian culture](https://www.worldhistory.org/Ancient_Persian_Culture/) flourishes under the [Achaemenid](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Achaemenid/), Parthian, and [Sassanian](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sasanian_Empire/) empires.
- **522 BCE - 486 BCE**: During the reign of [Darius I](https://www.worldhistory.org/Darius_I/) the Great, roads are built, canal constructed in [Egypt](https://www.worldhistory.org/egypt/), postal system originates.
- **486 BCE - 465 BCE**: Reign of [Xerxes I](https://www.worldhistory.org/Xerxes_I/); massive building projects such as [Persepolis](https://www.worldhistory.org/persepolis/) completed and others begun.
- **247 BCE - 224 CE**: [Parthian Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/Parthia_(Empire)/) continues and modifies aspects of the [Persian culture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Persian_Culture/).
- **224 CE - 651 CE**: [Ancient Persian culture](https://www.worldhistory.org/Ancient_Persian_Culture/) reaches its height during the [Sassanian](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sasanian_Empire/) Period.
- **651 CE**: [Sassanian Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sasanian_Empire/) falls to the invading Arab Muslims; [Persian culture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Persian_Culture/) spreads with Arab armies to other regions.

## Cite This Work

### APA
Mark, J. J. (2019, November 27). Ancient Persian Culture. *World History Encyclopedia*. [https://www.worldhistory.org/Ancient\_Persian\_Culture/](https://www.worldhistory.org/Ancient_Persian_Culture/)
### Chicago
Mark, Joshua J.. "Ancient Persian Culture." *World History Encyclopedia*, November 27, 2019. [https://www.worldhistory.org/Ancient\_Persian\_Culture/](https://www.worldhistory.org/Ancient_Persian_Culture/).
### MLA
Mark, Joshua J.. "Ancient Persian Culture." *World History Encyclopedia*, 27 Nov 2019, [https://www.worldhistory.org/Ancient\_Persian\_Culture/](https://www.worldhistory.org/Ancient_Persian_Culture/).

## License & Copyright

Submitted by [Joshua J. Mark](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/JPryst/ "User Page: Joshua J. Mark"), published on 27 November 2019. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.

