World History Minute: A birthday party for the Persian empire (Oct. 16, 1971)

World History Minute: A birthday party for the Persian empire (Oct. 16, 1971)
World History Minute: A birthday party for the Persian empire (Oct. 16, 1971)

World History Minute: A birthday party for the Persian empire (Oct. 16, 1971)

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On October 16, 1971, in an effort to link his own regime with imperial glory days, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlevi threw a festival celebrating the 2,500th anniversary of the founding of the Persian empire. Historian John Schmidt fill us in on the details. (Photo: Flickr/Baron Iran)