{"product_id":"ancient-persia-discovering-lost-stories-from-persian-history-9781968553876","title":"Ancient Persia: Discovering Lost Stories from Persian History","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Stories, Secrets, and Surprising Truths Behind One of History's Greatest Empires\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDid you know that an empire once stretched from Libya to Pakistan - ruled by kings whose royal couriers could cross it faster than anyone thought possible, without ever riding the same horse twice?\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor centuries, ancient Persia has been remembered through the eyes of its enemies - cast as the villain in Greek and Roman histories. But behind those stories lies one of the most innovative, ambitious, and dramatic civilizations the world has ever known.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book tears away the myths and brings the real Persia to life. Through gripping stories of power, betrayal, rebellion, and unlikely connections across the ancient world, you will discover what made the Persian Empire far more than just a military force - it was a world of ideas, strategy, and human drama that shaped history in ways most people never learn about.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInside this book, you will discover: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe Prophecy That Nearly Killed a King: \u003c\/strong\u003eHow a dream about baby Cyrus the Great set off a chain of events involving a ruthless general, a secret rescue, and one of history's most dramatic rises to power\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe Impostor on the Throne: \u003c\/strong\u003eThe bizarre true story of a man who impersonated a dead prince, seized the Persian Empire, and briefly ruled it all - until a conspiracy of nobles brought him down\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBetrayals with Brutal Consequences: \u003c\/strong\u003eFrom the treachery of Phanes of Halicarnassus to the gruesome punishment of the corrupt judge Sisamnes, these stories reveal the raw human side of Persian justice and revenge\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRebels Who Shook the Empire: \u003c\/strong\u003eWhy entire populations rose up against Persian rule - and the radical social revolution led by a priest named Mazdak that challenged the foundations of the empire itself\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePersia's Secret Links to East Asia: \u003c\/strong\u003eA mysterious Persian prince who may have settled in Korea, the Sogdian merchants who connected Persia to China, and the surprising archaeological evidence linking two distant civilizations\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe Women Behind the Throne: \u003c\/strong\u003eFrom Artemisia I, the queen who fought alongside Xerxes at Salamis, to Shahbanu Boran, the woman who inherited a crumbling empire - these are the stories of Persian women who shaped history\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLives Reconstructed: \u003c\/strong\u003eStep into the shoes of a priest preparing for Nowruz, a courier racing along the Royal Road, a scholar at the legendary academy of Gundeshapur, and a carpet weaver in Ctesiphon\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThose Wronged by History: \u003c\/strong\u003eWhy some of Persia's most important rulers were unfairly portrayed by Western historians - and what the Persian sources actually reveal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is not a dry textbook. Every chapter is built around real people and real events - the kind of stories that make ancient history feel alive. Whether you are fascinated by military strategy, political intrigue, cultural exchange, or the everyday lives of people in the ancient world, this book delivers something unexpected on every page.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhether you are a history enthusiast, a student exploring ancient civilizations, or simply someone who loves a great story, this book will change the way you think about one of history's greatest empires.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Matt Clayton\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/14\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781968553876\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 112\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.71lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.31d","brand":"Matt Clayton","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52934225658037,"sku":"9781968553876","price":21.24,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/ancient-persia-discovering-lost-stories-from-persian-history-9781968553876","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}