Survey of the major eras of Iranian history, beginning with the Achaeminid Empire of Cyrus the Great and the Parthian and Sassanian Empires, those two great rivals of the Roman Empire. Special attention will be given to the Islamic and modern eras, with a goal of understanding the significance of Shi'i Islam for the nation, the challenges of modernization faced by the country in the nineteenth and twentieth century, and the impact of the 1979 Revolution. Successful completion of this course satisfies the Cultures and Peoples requirement for graduation.