Reading: In this article from Donya-e Eqtesad, the archaeological and architectural monuments of Persepolis, the ancient Achaemenid capital of the Persian Empire, are described.
Listening: In the following documentary by Manoto TV, the history of the foundation of the Achaemenid dynasty is presented in an animated language. Listening and practicing the text will help students to gain basic skills for a conversation on the topic in question.
Subject of Conversation: The historical heritage of Iran (میراث تاریخی ایران)
Each student will be required to find Persian language materials related to a certain period of the history of Iran (preferably Achaemenid or pre-Islamic), study those materials and later present what s/he has learned in the classroom. Students may also engage in debating the importance of particular periods of the Iranian history. The use of the vocabulary presented above, the correct understanding of the style and correct usage of the grammar will be taken into account when deciding the success of each participant.
Homework:
- Please carefully read the article and study the vocabulary.
- Watch the documentary about the founding of the Achaemenid dynasty and answer the following questions based on the video. Write your answers in Farsi and include the timecode where you found each answer: a. Which modern countries were included the territory of the Medians? b. Did Croesus, the king of Lydia, correctly interpret the Delphic oracle’s prophecy? c. What trick did Cyrus the Great use in battle against Croesus that confused the enemy army? d. What did the Bablonian Babylonian historians write about Cyrus’s conquest of Babylon? e. How did Cyrus the Great’s approach to conquered cities differ from other ancient rulers, and what cultural values does the Cyrus Cylinder represent? f. What picture can be seen on the relief of Takht-e Jamshid? g. What strategy did the Achaemenids use with different tribes to prevent possible rebellions? h. How did the Achaemenids transport letters over long distances and at maximum speed?
Vocabulary (Article and Documentary):
| Persian Word | Transcription | English Translation |
| باستانشناسی | bāstānšenāsi | archaeology |
| تخت جمشید | taxt-e jamšid | Persepolis |
| سلسله | selsele | dynasty |
| هخامنشی | haxāmaneši | Achaemenid |
| اساطیری | asātiri | mythical |
| گل نوشته | gel-nevešte | clay tablet |
| کتیبه | katibe | inscription |
| تالار | tālār | hall |
| موسوم به | mousum be | known as/ called |
| تقدس مذهبی | taqaddos-e mazhabi | religious sanctity |
| تسطیح کردن | tastih kardan | to flatten |
| ارتفاع | ertefā’ | elevation |
| زمامداری | zemāmdāri | reign |
| اثر معماری (ج. آثار معماری) | asar-e me’māri (pl. āsār-e me’māri) | architectural monument |
| وسعت | vos’at | space, expanse, width |
| متر مربع | metr-e morabba’ | square kilometer |
| ضلع | zel’ | side, edge |
| بنیانگذار | boniāngozār | founder |
| جانشین | jānešin | successor |
| بقایا | baqāyā | remnants |
| مجموعه | majmu’e | complex |
| زیارتگاه | ziāratgāh | place of pilgrimage, shrine |
| دروازه ملل | darvāze-ye melal | Gates of All Nations (in Persepolis) |
| عبور کردن | ‘obur kardan | to pass |
| نقش برجسته | naqš-e barjaste | high relief |
| لوح گلی | louh-e geli | clay tablet |
| عیلامی | ‘ilāmi | Elimite |
| مدیون چیزی بودن | madyun-e čizi budan | be due to |
| آب آشامیدنی | āb-e āšāmidani | drinking water |
| کاوش | kāveš | excavation |
| خندق | xandaq | ditch, trench |
| متعلق به | mota’leq be | related to |
| خط میخی | xatt-e mixi | cuneiform |
| دژ/ارگ | dež/arg | citadel |
| خرابه‌‌ها | xarābehā | ruins |
| به تصرف درآوردن | be tasarrof dar āvardan | to conquer |
| خشت | xešt | mudbrick |
| فرسایش طبیعی | farsāyeš-e tabi’i | natural decay |
| مضمحل شدن | mozmahel šodan | to disappear |
| به تدریج | be tadrij | gradually |
| بدیهی | badihi | evident |
| آجرهای لعاب-دار | ājorhā-ye lo’ābdār | glazed brick |
| سنگ فرش | sang-farš | paving, cobblestone |
| ضخامت | zexāmat | thickness |
| جانوران مرموز | jānavarān-e marmuz | supernatural creatures |
| مفرغی | mefraγi | made of bronze |
| حرم‌‌سرا | haram-sarā | harem |
| ایوان | eyvān | iwan, porch, portico |
| کاخ خزانه | kāx-e xazāne | treasury |
| آرامگاه | ārāmgāh | tomb |
| میراث فرهنگی | mirās farhangi | cultural heritage |
| تمدن | tamaddon | civilization |
| اراده | erāde | will, determination |
| همانند | hamānand | like, similar to |
| جهان‌گشایی | jahāngošāyi | world conquest |
| فرمانروی | farmānravi | rule |
| پدیدار گشتن | padidār gaštan | to appear, to emerge |
| قالب شدن | qāleb šodan | to prevail, to win, to become dominant |
| فاتحانه | fātehāne | triumphantly |
| شمار اندک | šomār-e andak | small number |
| واداشتن | vādāštan | to force |
| اقوام (مفرد: قوم) | aqvām (sing. qoum) | ethnic groups, tribes |
| مهاجرت کردن | mohājerat kardan | to emigrate, to migrate |
| ساکن شدن | sāken šodan | to settle |
| قلمرو | qalamrou | territory |
| ماد | mād | Median |
| شامل شدن | šāmel šodan | to consist (of), to contain, to include |
| ضعف | za‘f | weakness |
| پی بردن | pey bordan | to realize, to understand |
| پارس | Pārs | Persian |
| قصد | qasd | intention, aim |
| سرکوبی | sarkubi | suppression, crushing |
| شکلگیری | šeklgiri | formation |
| خطر | xatar | danger |
| روبرو شدن | ruberu šodan | to face, to confront |
| درگرفتن | dargereftan | to break out |
| منجر گردیدن | monjar gardidan | to lead to |
| وقایع (مفرد: واقعه) | vaqāye’ (sing. vāqe’e) | events |
| زیر نظر داشتن | zir-e nazar dāštan | to monitor, to keep eye on |
| مورخ | movarrex | historian |
| هراسیدن | harāsidan | to fear |
| پیشگو | pišgu | foreteller |
| فرا خواندن | farā xāndan | to summon, to call |
| حدس زدن | hads zadan | to guess |
| هدایا (مفرد: هدیه) | hadāyā (sing. hadiyye) | gifts |
| از بین رفتن | az beyn raftan | to disappear, to be destroyed, to perish |