Could someone please explain what defines a "persian"?
I live in Sweden and there are many iranian immigrants here. I am aware of the fact that Iran is a multi-ethnical country and that only around 50% of all iranians are classified as "persians".
Anyway, 9 out of 10 iranians in Sweden have clearly arabid/armenid, almost jewish features (they look in general more like stereotype jews than what most modern israelis do) and very dark skin or greyish/pale yellow skin with extreme body hair. They also have a stronger and more musky body smell than for example northern african arabs.
1 out of 10 iranians in Sweden look more like whiter mediterranean people, such as greeks. They seem to be of mixed race but I don't know where the obvious european features come from.
If you look at history, it was obvious that Alexander the Great considered persians as the racial and cultural opposite of the macedonian greek culture. He even called for arranged mass marriages between persian women and greek men in an attempt to create a unified western, greek race from west to east in his vast empire.
If you ask me, persian culture, from what I've seen is not very "indo-european" or "western" either, except from the language. This is very clear if you look at history as well. The way the greeks waged war and built their civilization differs from the persians, quite a lot, and was one reason the persians never managed to concquer Europe.
So, what IS a persian? Is it a white "aryan" person from long before the dawn of civilization or is it an oriental people with an indo-european language?
I don't see the relation between persians and westerners at all.
I live in Sweden and there are many iranian immigrants here. I am aware of the fact that Iran is a multi-ethnical country and that only around 50% of all iranians are classified as "persians".
Anyway, 9 out of 10 iranians in Sweden have clearly arabid/armenid, almost jewish features (they look in general more like stereotype jews than what most modern israelis do) and very dark skin or greyish/pale yellow skin with extreme body hair. They also have a stronger and more musky body smell than for example northern african arabs.
1 out of 10 iranians in Sweden look more like whiter mediterranean people, such as greeks. They seem to be of mixed race but I don't know where the obvious european features come from.
If you look at history, it was obvious that Alexander the Great considered persians as the racial and cultural opposite of the macedonian greek culture. He even called for arranged mass marriages between persian women and greek men in an attempt to create a unified western, greek race from west to east in his vast empire.
If you ask me, persian culture, from what I've seen is not very "indo-european" or "western" either, except from the language. This is very clear if you look at history as well. The way the greeks waged war and built their civilization differs from the persians, quite a lot, and was one reason the persians never managed to concquer Europe.
So, what IS a persian? Is it a white "aryan" person from long before the dawn of civilization or is it an oriental people with an indo-european language?
I don't see the relation between persians and westerners at all.
