The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1853-06-02
LECTU RI3
ON THE PERSIAN EMPIRE;
Read before the Pha-HistOric Society Of 81.
JOseph's College, Somerset, Ohio.
BY ONE OF THE MEMBERS.

we have proposed to take through every age
and region OF the universe, we come to Per-
sia, the second of the four great Empires Of
Antiquity. II we except the classic narra-
tives of Greece and Rome, there is perhaps
no portion of Ancient History so replete
with useful instruction, SO well stored with
Interesting events, or one, upon which ge-
MUS has lavished so many charms. The
manners and customs OF the more ancient
Persians, the wisdom of their laws and the
virtues of their rulers have been detailed to
us, together with the character and exploits
of their greatest Hero, in one of the most
beautiful works which has survived the
wrecks of time, from the honied pen OF Keno
Phon; while the great events by which their
history is SO closely linked with that of
Greece, and in which is so strikingly evinced
the superiority of valor over numbers, have
derived additional Immortality from the sim
pie and unaffected narratives Of the venera-
BILE Father of History himself. With these
two noble guides, aided at the same time by
frequent light from the Scripture, we will
now proceed to examine the steps by which
Persia obtained the septre OF the world, the
principal events by which its existence was
signalzed, and finally, the causes of its de-
cline and fall.
Whether we view it as the record Of Gods
prov vidence, or the depository OF mans expe-
rience, we shall Fl nd this portion of History
full Of the most valuable instruction. That
the progress of nations towards greatness
and renown is exactly commensurate with
the virtues of their people, and that their de-
cline is simultaneous with the introduction
of luxury and vice, is principle fully estab-
lshed by the experience Of every age and
nation, but never was its truth more strik-
ingly manifested than in the case Of the Per-
slams. All the greatness and power which
for more than two hundred years enabled
them to give laws to the larger portion of the
universe, was evidently the offspring Of the
frugality, temperance, and the courage which
they had for many ages practised in obscu-
rity; and their fall before the superior PROV
ess of Alexander was plainly the conse-
quence of the effeminacy and cowardce into
which they had gradually dissolved. Under
Cyrus, the monarch who first directed their
virtues into the channel of greatness, their
armies were invincible, and conquest after
conquest swelled the number of the provin-
cess but when prosperity had relaxed the
nerves oftheir constitution, their innumera-
BILE hosts were moved down like grass by
the hands of thirty thousand soldiers
The Persians were certainly a very an
cient nation. Authentic narratives trace
their history back to the seventh century
before the Christian era, and from that peri.
cd onward, their august dynasty extends un.
til it Is lost in darkness beyond the uncer,
tain limits of fable or tradition. From the
Holy Scriptures we learn that even in the
time of Abraham, the power Of their mon
archs was extensive, and had already been
augmented by conquest. But from that re.
mote period to the birth of Cyrus, in the
year 500 before Christ, we have no certain
accounts, except that yielding to the supe-
rior. power of the Babylonans, Assyruns
and Medes, the Persian Sovereigns, at The
same time that they preserved the title o
kings, consented to become successively
their tributaries. 1t was however durin.
this long period of obscurity and apparent
inactivity that were laid the foundations o
that glory which subsequently blazed fortt
on sudden aud astonshcd the world. They
were all this time serving an app enticeshiI
in the arts Of greatness. Perhaps no nation
of ancient or modern times has ever equal
led, and certainly none ever surpassed, the
Persians in the care which they best Jwet
upon the education of their children. They
consider it the most important duty, and The
most essential part Of Government. I'm
willing to entrust it to parents, whose binC
and tender indulgence too often depraveI
the happiest dispositions, the instruction o
youth devolved exclusively on the State.
son was not admitted into the presence o
his father, but was brought up oy persons o
the best character, till he attained the ag'
of five years, lest if he should not surviv,
the precarious state of infancy, the fathe
might be too much grieved at his death. A
the age OF FIVE, the children of such us conl'
affordi., were committed to the care of wis'
and learned Magi, who carefully taugh
them, rather by example than by precept
the practice Of justice, sobriety, patience
+ and all other moral virtues. Their tende
minds were carefully fortified against the en-
trance of every vice, but were especially
taught an utter aversion to the practices o
lying and of contracting debts. They wer,
also taught to ride, to use the bow and t,
fight on horseback. During their Ion!
course OF education, no distinction was al
lowed among them; all their actions aud a
musements, the time and quantity Of th
meals and the quality Of their food, wer,
regulated by one uniform and invariabl'
5 rule. To inure them from their most ten
der years to the rigid exercise of temper
ance and sobriety, and to render their con
sritutions capable of supporting the severes
: fatigues of war, the only diet allowed then
was bread, vegetables and water.
I, Thus their education was conducted til
they attained their seventeenth year, whe1
they ceased to be regarded as children an
$ entered the class OF youths. In this elias
the discipline was still more rigid than il
the former, for the Persian Legislators wer
we'll aware that at this period Of life,the pas
sions Of mankind are strongest and stan
. most in need of prudent and salutary re
t straint. For ten years, therefore, the Pei
sian youth, in addition to the exercises Of tn
former class, we're required to keep guard 0
night, to receive orders from their governor
and to render themselves familiar with tn
fatigues and dangers of the chase. From th
E third class, which consisted Of men who's
minds had been matured and strengthene
by the exercise Of the two preceding, wer
selected officers to command the army an
fllthe various employments of the State.-
Hence they passed into the last and mos
e honorable class, from which the wisest an
most experienced were chosen to form tn
public council. Thus every citizen migt
aspire to the highest dignities Of the natioI
but could not expect to reach them, until
9 g had passed through all these classes and ha
= rendered himself worthy by an exact compl
Shce with all their duties "'i