Why was the ancient Persian Empire so frequently annexed by seemingly weak states?This historical phenomenon has aroused the deep concern of many historians and scholars to explore the mystery behind the rise and fall of the Persian Empire. The Persian Empire, the largest empire in ancient times, suffered this dramatic fate repeatedly after a short period of glory.
The Persian Empire, located on the present-day Iranian plateau, was founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC and went through many dynasties until the fall of the Sassanid Empire in 651 AD. For more than two centuries, the Persian Empire was repeatedly invaded by foreign enemies and eventually annexed. The most famous is Alexander the Great's Crusade between 334 BC and 323 BC, in which the Macedonian army conquered Babylon, the capital of the Persian Empire, and incorporated it into Macedonia. Why, then, was the ancient Persian Empire always swallowed up by seemingly weak states?There are several reasons involved for this.
First of all, although the Persian Empire had a strong military force, it was full of internal contradictions. It has a vast territory, many ethnic groups, and frequent internal contradictions and conflicts. The ruler relied too much on mercenaries and neglected the construction of his own team, which led to the intensification of internal contradictions, the decline of combat effectiveness, and the easy defeat of the enemy.
Secondly, the rulers of the Persian Empire were conceited and proud and despised their enemies. In the face of a powerful enemy, they regard it as vulnerable, and even disdain to go out in person. This arrogance caused the empire to lose its guard in the war, which eventually led to defeat.
Moreover, the rulers of the Persian Empire focused too much on expansion and neglected internal development. A lot of resources were invested in the process of expansion, which led to the lagging domestic economy and the hardship of the people. This makes the empire less resistant and vulnerable to defeat by the enemy.
Finally, the rulers of the Persian Empire lacked strategic vision and resilience. In the face of a powerful enemy, they failed to adjust their strategy in time and take effective measures, so that the empire fell into passivity and ultimately failed.
The frequent annexation of the Persian Empire by seemingly weak states was due to internal contradictions, the conceit of rulers, the neglect of internal developments, and a lack of strategic vision. These factors led to the decline and fall of the empire. However, it was the decline of the Persian Empire that created the conditions for the rise of the later Arab Empire. After the Arab Empire conquered Persia, it absorbed Persian culture and technology, and quickly grew into one of the most powerful empires in the world at that time. Thus, the decline of the Persian Empire also contributed to the development of world history in a sense.