Lazy_Doctor

In the midst of the chaos and destruction of modern warfare, Professor Cyrus, a historian deeply fascinated by ancient Persian history, suddenly closes his eyes to the world. But this is not an end; it is a new beginning. He is reincarnated into the body of an infant named "Cyrus" in ancient times, precisely at the dawn of the Achaemenid Empire. With a mind full of 21st-century knowledge and a photographic memory that keeps all his learnings alive, this new Cyrus finds an unparalleled opportunity to change his own destiny and that of the ancient nation of Iran. Can a modern mind not only survive in an ancient world but also, like his historical predecessor, build an empire that will be unparalleled throughout history?

This epic novel is a journey into the depths of an alternate history, where Cyrus, using his unique genius, undertakes unprecedented innovations. From inventing a new Persian language and script, and producing paper and soap in his childhood, to implementing revolutionary army reforms inspired by Sun Tzu, Roman military principles, and modern military science. He rebuilds governmental and judicial systems based on human rights and wisdom, fosters theoretical and experimental sciences, and constructs infrastructures beyond the imagination of that era. His goal is not merely conquest, but to build a civilization founded on justice, tolerance, and progress, so that the Achaemenid Empire may endure for thousands of years and remain safe from historical collapses caused by Alexander the Great.

"My Persian Empire" is a narrative of the endeavour to create an ancient utopia, where extreme nationalism gives way to mutual understanding and coexistence, and great civilizations of the world, from Rome to Greece, and from India to China, imitate the advancements of Persia. This eventful story takes you into the heart of strategic battles, court intrigues, and scientific and cultural transformations, showing how a leader with a modern vision can not only rewrite history but also leave an everlasting legacy for humanity.

Author's Note:

Hello dear companions!

It is with great pride that I present to you my first novel, "My Persian Empire." This work is the result of my years of fascination with web novels in the Kingdom Building genre and the glorious history of Iran. In creating this novel, I have utilized the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) – particularly models like Gemini 2.5 Flash or Grok 3 – to craft a rich and precise story. However, I emphasize that every idea and every narrative thread has been under my complete and direct management and supervision. AI has been a powerful tool in my hands to turn my dream into reality, but the spirit, thought, and human creativity of this work are entirely my own. I understand that as a novice writer, there may be imperfections in my work, but I have created it with all my heart for you, and I hope you enjoy this historical-fictional journey. Your support and feedback will be my greatest motivation to continue on this path and create subsequent volumes. Thank you very much for your companionship.

My Persian Empire

As young Cyrus approached his fifth birthday, having successfully completed the compilation of his two precious books—the Comprehensive Dictionary of New Persian and the Guide to New Persian Writing—he gazed at these works with immense excitement. These were not only symbols of his genius, but also vital tools for spreading knowledge and culture in his future empire. He immediately embarked on the massive project of compiling the Achaemenid Avesta. For this purpose, he dispatched his trusted individuals to gather scattered texts and oral traditions throughout the Persian and Median lands. This process was expected to take six months, but in just the first month of this collection operation, a significant challenge preoccupied Cyrus's mind.

The teams collecting the Avesta faced numerous difficulties. The teachings of the Avesta had for many years been transmitted orally from one Magus to another, and its written copies, found in various regions, were scattered and on diverse materials (from clay tablets to rare animal skins), with different dialects and interpretations. This dispersion and lack of uniformity severely slowed down the collection and standardization process. Cyrus realized that even after completing the collection, the sheer volume of manual copying would be an even greater obstacle.

He intended to widely publish the Achaemenid Avesta to promote the New Persian language and increase his religious influence. However, at the very beginning of this endeavor, he realized the horrifying slowness and limitations of existing methods for mass book production. Whether for manual copying of the Comprehensive Dictionary of New Persian and the Guide to New Persian Writing, or for the immense volume the Achaemenid Avesta was expected to have, each copy required weeks or even months of arduous work by scribes.

Cyrus pondered: "If I want to bring knowledge to all people and spread literacy, this snail-like pace of manual copying will never suffice". Producing thousands of copies of each book would require hundreds of scribes and years of time, which seemed practically impossible. This major obstacle was a strong barrier to his dream of a literate and informed society and could severely reduce the speed of his cultural revolution. Such a limitation kept knowledge exclusive to a small minority of scribes and clerics, hindered the exchange of ideas, and slowed progress in science, art, and even governance.

This realization sparked a revolutionary idea in Cyrus's modern mind. He recalled the mass production technologies of the 21st century. In particular, he thought of movable type printing; a system that could reuse letters repeatedly and produce books at an unprecedented speed. This idea was the ultimate solution for him to overcome the challenge of manual copying and achieve the dream of universal literacy. This process would bring about a massive revolution in information dissemination and democratize access to knowledge in an unprecedented way.

As Cyrus held the initial samples of the Comprehensive Dictionary of New Persian and the Guide to New Persian Writing in his small hands, he whispered to himself: "If I can build a simple movable type printing process suitable for this era, history will be completely transformed. Books will no longer be hidden treasures in palaces and temples, but will flow like running water among the people".

"Literacy will cease to be the monopoly of a few and will become a tool in the hands of every individual. This is not just an invention; it is the seed of a revolution, a revolution that can change the structure of society, governance, and even warfare. With this tool, I can spread wisdom throughout the empire and ensure the thousand-year stability of my dream. This will be the dawn of a new era of knowledge and enlightenment".

Chapter 48: From Tablet to Paper: The Challenge of Copying and the Dream of Printing