Persians: the age of the great kings

Prologue: Persepolis 488 BCE

Part one: extablishing empire

the Medes and the Persians

See, the conqu'ring hero comes

The many deaths-and births-of Cyrus the Great

The sceptre of Egypt

The truth and the lie

Part Two: being Persian

When bureaucrats ruled the world

A court under canvas

Constructing majesty

Slavery by another name

Crowns and concubines

The politics of etiquette

Also sprach Zarathustra

Part three: High Empire

Exit Darius

Ruling over heroes

Let slip the dogs of war

Les liasons dangereuses

The times they are a-changin'

(Un)happy families

Blood brothers

Women beware women

Violent delights have violent ends

some talk of Alexander

Epilogue: Persian past; Iranian present.