Persia - Cyrus II to the Death of Darius III

This unit of work is written for Stage 6 students of the NSW Ancient History Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum. Higher School Certificate course. Historical Periods - Option D - Persia – Cyrus II to the Death of Darius III.

This bundle includes:

• Program: Persia – Cyrus II to the Death of Darius III
• Assessment task
• 3 Primary source analyses
• Crossword
• Word search
• Extended writing task: Explanation
• Revision task: Who am I?
• Timeline of key events in the Achaemenid Persian Empire
• Terms and concepts
• Magazine article: The Truth Behind the Tablets
• Source-based activity - Does Cyrus II deserve the epithet ‘The Great’?
• Source-based activity - How did Artaxerxes II maintain control of an empire in revolt?
• Source-based activity - How did Cambyses II defeat Egypt? Did he plan to stop there?
• Source-based activity - How did Darius I administer such a large empire?
• Source-based activity - How important was Zoroastrianism to Achaemenid Persians?
• Source-based activity - How were the Jewish people treated under the Persian Empire?
• Source-based activity - Persian military elite units. Immortals all?
• Source-based activity - Was taxation and tribute always paid in coinage?
• Source-based activity - What were Darius III’s achievements?
• Source-based activity - What did Darius’ Palace at Susa look like?
• Source-based activity - What do we know about Persian agriculture & land ownership?
• Source-based activity - What do we know of non-royal Persian women?
• Source-based activity - What do we know of the tall-hatted Scythians?
• Source-based activity - What does Persian coinage tell us about Achaemenid society?
• Source-based activity - What role did the Persian navy play in military conquest?
• Source-based activity - What significant events dominated the reign of Artaxerxes II?
• Source-based activity - What was the composition of the Persian army?
• Source-based activity - What was the nature and purpose of the building program at Pasargardae?
• Source-based activity - What was the purpose of Darius I’s Scythian Expedition?
• Source-based activity - What was the role of the cavalry in the Persian army?
• Source-based activity - What was Xerxes’ building program at Persepolis?
• Ezine article: Alexander the not so Great: History through Persian eyes
• Ezine article: Cyrus Cylinder: How a Persian monarch inspired Jefferson
• Sequencing activity
• Video: The Lost Army of King Cambyses
• Worksheet for video: The Lost King Cambyses
• Video: At the Court of the King of Kings
• Worksheet for video: At the Court of the King of Kings
• Video: Secrets in the Dust
• Worksheet for video: Secrets in the Dust