A Study of the Financial Reforms During the Darius I Period

When Darius assumed power (in late 5^th century AD), several economic, political, and social factors conspired to cause turmoil in the economical affairs of Iran in the Achaemenid period. This was mainly because of the last two kings’ (Cyrus and Cambyses) overemphasis on and application to conquests. Therefore, after suppressing the internal revolts in different states early in his reign, Darius attempted to make imperial financial reforms including the invention of new units of weight and scales for appraising coins, andputting taxes on subordinate lands. These reforms were organized in such a way that the King would never encounter with financial problems and neither would they strain the different classes of the society. Thus, given the significance of this subject, the present paper attempts to carry out a brief review of the financial reforms in the time of Darius the first.