PERSIA
=Literature.=--_Benjamin_, Story of Persia; _Ragozin_, The Story of
Media, Babylon, and Persia; _Rawlinson_, The Seventh Great Oriental
Monarchy; _Myers_, Ancient History; _Clarke_, Ten Great Religions;
_Lord_, Beacon Lights of History; _Fergusson_, History of Architecture.
=Geography and History.=--Persia lies in the pathway of the great
caravans which formerly carried on trade between Europe and India. It
consists largely of a high plateau, surrounded by mountains. Large parts
of the country are sandy and dry from lack of sufficient rain, and
therefore are unproductive. The people are a branch of the Aryan race.
They doubtless lived a nomadic life, and were obliged to be ever ready
to defend themselves. Success in defense against the frequent assaults
of their surrounding enemies stimulated them to become a nation of
warriors. This fact had much to do in shaping their education. Cyrus the
Great conquered Media and brought Persia to the summit of her greatness.
The Persians boasted that they had become great by the sword, hence they
cared but little for agriculture or manufactures. They levied tribute
upon the nations they had subdued. Home production was therefore
unnecessary, and they could devote all of their time to the art of war.
About one fourth of the population are still classed as wandering
tribes, and the nation is an aggregation rather than a unity of
peoples.
The early Persians worshiped fire, and holy fires which only the Magi,
or priests, were allowed to approach, were kept perpetually burning upon
the mountain tops. The sun also was worshiped, the Persian kneeling with
his face toward the east at sunrise in beatific joy. This worship may
have been borrowed from the Egyptians, who were conquered by the
Persians, and with whom they stood in close relations. In later times
the religion of Zoroaster became the religion of the people.
=The Home.=--Wife and children were required to show the father great
respect. Each morning the wife was expected to ask her husband nine
times, "What do you wish me to do?" The teacher stood next to the father
in the child's esteem. The child was kept at home under the care of the
mother until seven years of age. An astrologer gave him a name and
outlined his future destiny by reference to the stars. It was forbidden
to tell him the difference between right and wrong before his fifth
year. No corporal punishment was administered before his seventh year.
The mother was greatly beloved by her children, though women were
excluded from education. The position of woman was much higher than in
either China or India. The chief training of children in the home was
physical. Throwing, running, archery, riding, etc., were the principal
employments of children. Absolute truthfulness and justice were early
inculcated. A quick eye, a steady hand, accurate power of observation,
and unwavering courage were qualities sought for in every child, and all
of the training in the home, as well as in the later education, had for
its aim the acquirement of these powers. Thus children were early taught
to be self-reliant and fearless.
=The State Education.=--1. Persian education was national in character.
After the seventh year the boy was taken from home and educated entirely
by and for the State.
His training in the use of arms, in riding, and in other athletic
exercises was continued. There were large public institutions in which
the boys were quartered, and simplest food and clothing were given them.
Besides the training for war, they were taught religious proverbs and
prayers, and were led to practice truth and justice. This education
continued until their fifteenth year. The teachers were men who had
passed their fiftieth year, and who were chosen for virtue as well as
knowledge, that they might serve as models to their pupils.
2. The second period of education consisted of a military training,
which occupied the ten years between the age of fifteen and twenty-five.
3. The final period was that of the soldier, which continued till the
fiftieth year, when the Persian could retire from the army with honor.
The most competent were retained as teachers.
Reading and writing were taught to a limited degree, but the chief end
of education was to prepare the citizen for war. The Magi were educated
in astronomy, astrology, and alchemy, and many of the dervishes have
ever been renowned for their acuteness, sense of justice, great powers
of observation, and good judgment.
=Criticism of the Persian Education.=--1. The State robs the family of
its inherent right to educate the children.
2. It neglects intellectual education, giving undue prominence to the
physical and moral; and demands too great a part of the active life of
man.
3. It makes the highest aim of education to prepare for war, and
therefore does not cultivate the arts of peace.
4. It excludes woman from the benefits of education.
ZOROASTER[11]
Zoroaster, the founder of the Persian religion, was a great teacher. The
exact date of his birth is unknown, but it is generally placed at about
B.C. 600. The testimony of ancient classic literature confirms
the belief that he was an historical person. A tablet unearthed in
Greece contains an account of his life and his doctrines. Pliny says
that he laughed on the day of his birth and that for thirty years he
lived in the wilderness on cheese. He was the founder of the Magi
priesthood, but did not teach the worship of fire.
His philosophy is _dualistic_. There are two spirits or principles that
rule the universe. These are Ormuzd, the principle of light, and
Ahriman, the principle of darkness. These two opposing principles are in
constant conflict, each striving for the mastery. Man is the center of
the conflict, but Ormuzd as his creator has the greater power over him.
All influences are summoned to bring about the success of the good, and
in the end it will surely prevail. No remission of sin is taught, but
judgment is represented as a bridge over which those whose good deeds
outweigh their evil deeds are allowed to pass to paradise: in case the
evil deeds outweigh the good, the person is cast off forever; in case of
a balance of good and evil deeds, there is another period of probation.
This dualism shows itself in nature as well as in the spiritual world.
Order is opposed to lawlessness, truth to falsehood, life to death, good
to evil. It is a religion in which the ideas of guilt and merit are
carried out to the extreme. Zoroaster believed that he was the prophet
chosen to promulgate these doctrines, and his influence as a teacher
upon the Persian nation was unquestionably great. Persia is now a
Mohammedan country.
FOOTNOTES:
[11] North American Review, Vol. 172, p. 132.