From Persia to Iran

The nation of Iran, formerly known as Persia, has a long and distinguished history. In the sixth century B.C., rulers such as Cyrus the Great and Darius I founded a Persian empire that was, according to Wikipedia, "the largest and most powerful empire in human history up to that point."

Military losses to the Greek leader Alexander the Great resulted in the partitioning of the Persian empire in the fourth century B.C. However, the Parthian Empire, another powerful empire based in Persia, soon rose and would dominate that region of the world, causing consternation to the Roman Empire, for five centuries.

The Parthian Empire was succeeded by the Sassanid Empire, which in turn was conquered by Arab invaders in the seventh century A.D., who brought with them the new religion of Islam. Previously, most Persians had been adherents to Zoroastrianism, an ancient religion which, like other monotheistic faiths, posits a single all-powerful God eternally struggling against his evil counterpart.

Both water and fire are considered by Zoroastrians to be holy. However, the vast majority of Persians eventually adopted the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, and Zoroastrians are a minority in the country today.

The Middle Ages were a dark period for Persia, as brutal invasions by foreign conquerors Genghis Khan and Tamerlane killed more than half the population. They were followed by bubonic plague, which wreaked havoc in the Middle East as it did in Europe. However, Persia also made important contributions to Islamic culture and literature during this period.

Persia's first Islamic empire was the Safavid Dynasty, founded in 1502 and lasting until the eighteenth century. It was succeeded by the Qajar Dynasty. Even as other imperial powers like France, Britain and Russia began to colonize Persia's neighbors, Persia always remained independent, though it lost territory in border skirmishes with Russia.

In 1925, the Qatar dynasty was overthrown by Reza Khan, who is considered the first leader of the modern state of Iran. He made himself Shah and instituted a policy of aggressive industrialization, building factories, railroads and schools to bring Iran into the twentieth century.

When World War II broke out, Great Britain and the USSR invaded Iran in order to take advantage of its railroads, causing the Shah to abdicate the throne.

Iran's development, from ancient Persia to a modern state, shows a nation that is fiercely independent, proud of its cultural heritage and distrustful of foreign influences. These sensibilities are still present in the Iran of today.