| Description |
While conflict between Achaemenid Persia and the classical Greek poleis remains popular with modern scholars and general audiences alike, one must take note that relevant ancient sources remain notoriously one-sided. Greek accounts dominate our understanding of events between the times of Cyrus the Great and Alexander, while clues to the ancient Persian perspective remain sparse at best. Throughout extant literary sources, a leitmotif of degrading Persians as inferior to Greek generally prevails. These derogatory assertions are part of a standard Greek polemic against Achaemenid Persia, established to meet 5th and 4th century Greek political agendas. While this practice may be contextually understandable, it now presents significant hazards when scholars report these accounts as fact without an appropriately rigorous investigative method. However, objectively analyzing ancient works while considering potential biases of the authors suggests a startlingly different picture, and when the historian refuses to mold ancient texts to tenuous preconceptions, fresh conclusions arise. An emerging scholarly trend pursues this objective, questioning the veracity of the yet-dominant historical opinion. By focusing on a balanced study of the Achaemenids, it becomes apparent that the Persian Military was much more capable than either ancient Greek or the many modern historians admit. |
