From this account of the Persian monarchs and their Court, we may now turn to a subject which moderns regard as one of much greater interest—­the general condition, manners, and customs of the Persian people.  Our information on these points is unfortunately far less full than on the subject which we have been recently discussing, but still it is perhaps sufficient to give us a tolerably complete notion of the real character of the nation.

The Persians, according to Herodotus, were divided into ten tribes, of which four were nomadic and three agricultural.  The nomadic were the Dai, the Mardi, the Dropici, and the Sagartii; the agricultural were the Panthilaei, the Derusisei, and the Germanii, or Carmanians.  What the occupation of the other three tribes was Herodotus does not state; but, as one of them—­the Pasargadae—­was evidently the ruling class, consisting, therefore (it is probable), of land owners, who did not themselves till the soil, we may perhaps assume that all three occupied this position, standing in Persia somewhat—­as the three tribes of Dorians stood to the other Greeks in the Peloponnese.  If this were the case, the population would have been really divided broadly into the two classes of settled and nomade, whereof the former class was subdivided into those who were the lords of the soil, and those who cultivated it, either as farmers or as laborers, under them.

The ordinary dress of the poorer class, whether agricultural or nomade, was probably the tunic and trousers of leather which have been already mentioned as the true national costume of the people.  The costume was completed by a loose felt cap upon the head, a strap or belt round the waist, and a pair of high shoes upon the feet, tied in front with a string. [PLATE XXXVIII., Fig. 2.] In later times a linen or muslin rag replaced the felt cap, and the tunic was lengthened so as to reach half way between the knee and the ankle.

[Illustration:  PLATE XXXVIII.]

The richer classes seem generally to have adopted the Median costume which was so prevalent at the Court.  They wore long purple or flowered robes with loose hanging sleeves, flowered tunics reaching to the knee, also sleeved, embroidered trousers, tiaras, and shoes of a more elegant shape than the ordinary Persian.  Nor was this the whole of their dress.  Under their trousers they wore drawers, under their tunics shirts, on their hands gloves, and under their shoes socks or stockings—­luxuries these, one and all, little known in the ancient world.  The Persians were also, like most Orientals, extremely fond of ornaments.  Men of rank carried, almost as a matter of course, massive chains or collars of gold about their necks, and bracelets of gold upon their arms.  The sheaths and handles of their swords and daggers were generally of gold, sometimes, perhaps, studded with gems.  Many of them wore earrings.  Great expense was lavished on the trappings of the horses which they rode or drove; the bridle, or at least the bit, was often of solid gold, and the rest of the equipment was costly.  Among the gems which were especially affected, the pearl held the first place.  Besides being set in the ordinary way, it was bored and strung, in order that it might be used for necklaces, bracelets, and ankles.  Even children had sometimes golden ornaments, which were preferred when the gold was of a reddish color.