12. Study Questions Copy

He created 20 provinces (satrapies), ruled in the King’s name by satraps. They sent taxes and troops to the king. They were effective in the sense that they stopped the need for ‘micromanagement’ by the King of a vast and unwieldy empire, and there was a series of checks to ensure that satraps ruled well. But, inevitably, localised powerbases may have encouraged local revolts by ambitious satraps.

Susa, Ecbatana, Persepolis, Pasargadae.

They give valuable information about materials used and foodstuffs consumed but little else. Ideally, they need supplementing with other forms of evidence.

These notes will be helpful for your revision.

It gives an idea of the sheer geographical extent of the empire.

The reliefs may give us an idea about who were ruled by the Great King and seems to show harmonious and stable rule. Herodotus often gives a different version. Who is right? Are the reliefs simply official Persian propaganda? We may never know!

They clearly enabled more efficient rule from above but would clearly have had benefits for ordinary people.