ere pushing down from
the north. They finally developed in Persia a great national life.

Subsequently, under Darius I, a great Aryan empire was established in
the seats of the old civilization which he had conquered, whose extent
was greater than the world had hitherto known. It extended over the
old Assyrian and Babylonian empires, Egypt, Asia Minor, and Syria, in
Caucasian and Caspian regions; covered Media and Persia, and extended
into India as far as the Indus. The old Semitic civilizations were
passing away, and the control of the Aryan race was appearing. Later
these Persians found themselves at war with the Greeks, who were of the
same racial stock. The Persian Empire was no great improvement over
the later Babylonian and Assyrian Empires. It had become more
specifically a world empire, which set out to conquer and plunder other
nations. It might have been enlightened to a certain extent, but it
had received the idea of militarism and conquest. It was the first
great empire of the Orient to come in contact with a rising Western
civilization, then centering in Greece.

This Aryan stock, when considered in Europe or Western civilization, is
known as the Nordic race. In the consideration of Western civilization
further discussion will be given of the origin and dispersion of this
race.

SUBJECTS FOR FURTHER STUDY

1. Study the economic foundation of Egypt. Babylon. Arabia.

2. Why did Oriental nations go to war? Show by example.

3. What did Egypt and Babylon contribute of lasting value to
civilization?

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4. What was the Hebrew contribution?

5. Why did these ancient empires decline and disappear?

6. Study the points of difference between the civilization of Babylon
and Egypt and Western civilization.

7. Contrast the civilization of India and China with Western
civilization.

[1] L. W. King, _History of Sumer and Akkad_. _History of Babylon_.

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CHAPTER X

THE ORIENTAL TYPE OF CIVILIZATION

_The Governments of the Early Oriental Civilizations_.--In comparing
the Oriental civilizations which sprang up almost independently in
different parts of Asia and Africa with European civilizations, we
shall be impressed with the despotism of these ancient governments. It
is not easy to determine why this feature should have been so
universal, unless it could be attributed to human traits inherent in
man at this particular stage of his development. Perhaps, al