THE CHILD IN PERSIA
=Characteristics.= Persia proper was a table-land, lying between the
Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf, with deep valleys and rapid rivers. It
was such a country, with such a climate, as required a constant struggle
by mankind for existence. Thus was produced a vigorous race, a race of
our own blood, Aryans, that had one great wave of emigration to the
West, peopling Europe, and a later wave into India. The Persians were
quick, keen-witted, lovers of art and poetry, filled with energy and
courage, and having a very high regard for truth. "He was free and open
in speech, bold in act, generous, warm-hearted, hospitable. His chief
faults were an addiction to self-indulgence and luxury, a passionate
_abandon_ to the feeling of the hour, whatever that might happen to be;
and a tameness and subservience in all his relations towards his prince,
which seem to moderns almost incompatible with real self-respect and
manliness."[136]
=Women and Marriage.= As in other oriental countries, the parties to a
marriage were often betrothed in infancy, and they had never seen one
another till on their wedding-day. Boys sometimes married at the age of
fifteen and girls at twelve, but as a rule men were between the ages of
twenty-five and thirty and women from fourteen to nineteen. Parents
usually arranged for the marriage of their children, but sometimes the
men would get a female friend to select a partner for them. When the
consent of all had been obtained, then a formal betrothal took place and
gifts were exchanged.
A day having been set for the wedding, on that day the women would
gather at the home of the bride and the men at the bridegroom's house.
As soon as it was dark, the bride was escorted to the home of the
bridegroom, amidst the beating of drums, the playing of tambourines, and
the flashing of lanterns. Arrived at his house, a man would grasp the
bride about the waist to carry her within, which would cause a strife
for if this was done by a friend of the bridegroom then he would in the
future be able to maintain due authority over his wife, but if it was by
a friend of the bride then she "would keep her own side of the house."
When the bride had passed into the reception-room, the bridegroom made
his appearance and he would hold a looking-glass before her that he
might get a good look at her face, and he was aided in his decision of
her looks by the ladies present who would strive to get a look also at
her face. "After this, the bridegroom takes a bit of sugar-candy, and,
biting it in two halves, eats one himself, and presents the other to his
bride. He then takes her stockings, throws one over his left shoulder,
places the other under his right foot, and orders all the spectators to
withdraw. They retire accordingly, and the happy couple are left
alone."[137]
There was a form of marriage peculiar to Persia, and which must have
originated in a very early time, in which the contract was only
temporary. In this form a woman would enter into an agreement to live as
a wife with a certain man for a limited period on consideration of
receiving a specified sum. The time might be for a part of a day or for
a long number of years. If the man should leave the woman before the
time had expired, she received the sum of money just the same. But she
had no other claim upon him nor had she the right to inherit property
from him. At the end of the time the woman could not marry again for a
month and if then found to be with child a longer time had to elapse
before her marriage again and the child, as well as other children born
to the union, was acknowledged and supported by the man with whom she
had been living.
It is quite well known that incest existed among the ancient Persians.
They even went further in this than did the Egyptians or Peruvians, as
not only were brothers and sisters permitted to marry but even a mother
and son or father and daughter. As with the ancient Peruvians so with
the ancient Persians, these unions were sometimes required for their
religion called for the offspring of such unions for the sacrifices.
Since the number of sons a Persian had was a source of pride to him,
this made polygamy a desired and necessary thing. Hence in ancient
Persia a man was allowed to have several wives and besides an
additional number of concubines, in order that many sons might be born
to him.
Divorce was permitted almost at will to the husband, custom holding him
in check. Another thing that checked divorce was that the husband had to
restore the dowry with the returning of the woman to her home. The most
usual causes of separation were bad temper, extravagance, or some
complaint of that kind against the wife.
=Dress.= The boy was dressed somewhat as his father. Of the poorer
classes, the males wore a tunic and trousers of leather, with a strap or
belt around the waist, and high shoes tied in front with a string. The
richer classes wore long robes with loose hanging sleeves, sleeved
tunics reaching to the knees, fine shoes, drawers under the tunics,
gloves on the hands, and socks or stockings under the shoes. These were
all of rich material and handsomely made. The principal attire of the
women was a wrapper with trousers beneath, over these was worn a jacket
with a shawl, cloak, or furs, according to the state of the weather,
round the head was wound a silk handkerchief in form similar to a
turban, and on the feet were stockings and slippers. Under Mohammedan
rule, when going out the women put on a long, loose wrap that enveloped
them from head to foot and left only a small opening for the face, which
might be covered with open lacework or a veil. The girls were dressed
similar to their mothers.
=Child and Parent.= The boy remained with the women till his fifth year,
his father never seeing him till then, which was said to have been done
to prevent the father from being afflicted by the loss if the child
should die young. "Children had to yield absolute obedience to their
parents; but so convinced were they of the sacredness of the family tie
as founded on love and reverence that they maintained 'that never yet
did any one kill his father or his mother, but in all such cases they
are sure that, if matters were sifted to the bottom, it would be found
that the child was either a changeling or else the fruit of adultery,
for it is not likely, they say, that the real father should perish by
the hands of the child.' (Herod.)"[138]
=Inheritance.= The Persian was considered to have reached manhood when
he was fifteen years of age. "The offspring of the temporary unions, or
of any sort of union, are all equal before the Persian law, which merely
subjects them to the right of primogeniture. At the death of the father,
the eldest son, though born of a slave mother, takes two-thirds of the
succession. The remaining third of the property is divided amongst the
other children, but in such a way that the share of the boys is half as
large again as that of the girls."[139]
=Amusements.= The chief amusements of the Persians were hunting and
playing at dice. The boys no doubt followed their elders and had
imitation hunts. The boys also played games similar to blindman's buff
and tag. They flew kites and played ball. Boys and girls did not play
together. The girls preferred to sit about and listen to fairy stories,
or at least such was the case in later days. Both boys and girls were
fond of singing.
=Education.= Among the ancient Persians, education does not seem to have
been given other than to the higher classes, except that general
training that comes through religion and custom and institutions that
would be shared in by every citizen. Education was not meant to be
literary or scholastic but principally of such a kind as would produce
warriors.
There were five periods in the life of the Persian. The first ended at
the fifth year, or, as some claim, at the seventh year; the second
period ended with the fifteenth year; the third ended at twenty-five;
the fourth ended at fifty, and the fifth period was the time after fifty
years of age.
During the first period the child was under the care of the mother and
the other women of the family. "'Up to the fifth year,' Herodotus tells
us, 'they are not allowed to come into the sight of their father, but
pass their lives with the women. This is done that if the child die
young, the father would not be afflicted with the loss.'"[140] The child
was not supposed to be capable of distinguishing between right and
wrong, and so he was taught simply to obey the directions given him. A
child was not to be whipped before his seventh year, and he was to
receive only kind treatment.
At the close of this first period, at the end of the fifth year, the boy
left his mother and went into the care of the state. This second period
was a time of physical training. The boy was given exercises in running,
stone slinging, bow shooting, and javelin throwing. He was taught to
ride, and, later, to hunt. He was trained to endure heat and cold and
hunger and fatigue. Through the national traditions, the boys learned of
the doings of the heroes and the meaning of noble deeds. They were
taught to speak the truth and learned to be just and pure and courageous
and to gain self-control. They were instructed in the myths of the gods
and other religious matters, and about the fifteenth year the boys were
invested with the holy girdle.
At fifteen the boy entered the youth period. During this period military
training was the great exercise. The youth received careful training in
the use of military implements, in the knowledge of military terms and
usages, and given the strict discipline of military life. "The Magi
required a higher education. This must have consisted in the study and
explanation of the sacred writings, and may have included a limited
training in philosophy, astrology, medicine, law, and finance, so that
they were able to become advisers to the Great King and his
satraps."[141]
At twenty-five the youth was considered a man and he took his place as a
citizen of the state and he continued in service till his fiftieth year.
Girls received no education other than that of domestic training, such
as was needed in the care of the home, the rearing of the little
children, and the other duties that would come to the women. Women held
a higher place in the family than was granted to them, for the most
part, in other oriental countries.
There was no educational system in Persia. There was no real method of
instruction. Perhaps no other nation gave more care to the moral and
physical training of the young than did ancient Persia, yet this was to
the almost entire neglect of intellectual training. The moral training
came through the mingling of the young with their elders and the
military training through imitation of the men at the various courts.
"We know, however, from Strabo and the general evidence of antiquity
that the boys of the higher classes were brought up together under men
of gravity and reputation at the court of the great king, and also at
the lesser courts of the great nobles and provincial governors."[142]
Persian life and education tended toward individuality. Caste with its
repressive influence did not exist in ancient Persia. The national
feeling was intense. The government was despotic. The ethical aim was
high and the individual was encouraged to high standards of courage,
truthfulness, and purity. But in spite of this,(the education was faulty
in that the individual was trained so strongly in warfare as to
overshadow the ethical side.) As long as Persia was struggling the
ethical standards were maintained alongside the standards of war so that
the individual and the nation could keep right. But when conquests came,
bringing wealth and power and the lower ethical standards of other
nations, the Persians were unable to bear the strain and so degeneration
went forward fast and the nation found itself unable to withstand the
more vigorous peoples that came against it under Alexander and so the
empire fell, leaving but little impress on civilization.
LITERATURE
1. Benjamin, S. G. W., Persia and the Persians.
2. Dean, Amos, The history of civilization.
3. Fraser, James B., Historical and descriptive account of Persia.
4. Graves, Frank Pierrepont, A history of education, Before the middle
ages.
5. Jackson, A. V. Williams, Persia, past and present.
6. Laurie, S. S., Historical survey of pre-Christian education.
7. Letourneau, Ch., The evolution of marriage.
8. McLennan, J. G., Studies in ancient history.
9. Rawlinson, George, The seven great monarchies.
10. Vaux, W. S. W., Persia from the earliest period.