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    Persian Empire Map, Timeline & Founder - HISTORY

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    Home / Topics / Ancient Middle East / Persian Empire

    Persian Empire
    BY: HISTORY.COM EDITORS
    UPDATED: MAY 30, 2023 | ORIGINAL: JANUARY 25, 2018

    Table of Contents

    1. Cyrus the Great

    2. Where Is Persia?

    3. Persian Culture

    4. Persepolis

    5. Persian Religion

    6. Fall of the Persian Empire

    7. Sources

    The Persian Empire is the name given to a series of dynasties centered


    in modern-day Iran that spanned several centuries—from the sixth
    century B.C. to the 20th century A.D. The first Persian Empire, founded
    by Cyrus the Great around 550 B.C., became one of the largest empires
    in history, stretching from Europe’s Balkan Peninsula in the West to
    India’s Indus Valley in the East. This Iron Age dynasty, sometimes called
    the Achaemenid Empire, was a global hub of culture, religion, science,
    art and technology for more than 200 years before it fell to the invading
    armies of Alexander the Great.

    Cyrus the Great


    The Persian Empire started as a collection of semi-nomadic tribes who raised
    sheep, goats and cattle on the Iranian plateau.

    Cyrus the Great—the leader of one such tribe—began to defeat nearby kingdoms,
    including Media, Lydia and Babylon, joining them under one rule. He founded the
    first Persian Empire, also known as the Achaemenid Empire, in 550 B.C.

    The first Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great soon became the world’s first
    superpower. It united under one government three important sites of early human
    civilization in the ancient world: Mesopotamia, Egypt’s Nile Valley and India’s Indus
    Valley.

    Cyrus the Great is immortalized in the Cyrus Cylinder, a clay cylinder inscribed in
    539 B.C. with the story of how he conquered Babylon from King Nabonidus,
    bringing an end to the Neo-Babylonian empire.

    Darius the Great, the fourth king of the Achaemenid Empire, ruled over the Persian
    Empire when it was at its largest, stretching from The Caucasus and West Asia to
    what was then Macedonia (today’s Balkans), the Black Sea, Central Asia and even
    into Africa including parts of Libya and Egypt. He unified the empire through
    introducing standard currency and weights and measures; making Aramaic the
    official language and building roads.

    The Behistun Inscription, a multilingual relief carved into Mount Behistun in


    Western Iran, extolls his virtues and was a critical key to deciphering cuneiform
    script. Its impact is compared that of the Rosetta Stone, the tablet that enabled
    scholars to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics.

    Where Is Persia?
    At its height under Darius the Great, the Persian Empire stretched from Europe’s
    Balkan Peninsula—in parts of what is present day Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine—
    to the Indus River Valley in northwest India and south to Egypt.
    The Persians were the first people to establish regular routes of communication
    between three continents—Africa, Asia and Europe. They built many new roads and
    developed the world’s first postal service.

    Persian Culture
    The ancient Persians of the Achaemenid Empire created art in many forms,
    including metalwork, rock carvings, weaving and architecture. As the Persian
    Empire expanded to encompass other artistic centers of early civilization, a new
    style was formed with influences from these sources.

    Early Persian art included large, carved rock reliefs cut into cliffs, such as those
    found at Naqsh-e Rustam, an ancient cemetery filled with the tombs of
    Achaemenid kings. The elaborate rock murals depict equestrian scenes and battle
    victories.

    Ancient Persians were also known for their metalwork. In the 1870s, smugglers
    discovered gold and silver artifacts among ruins near the Oxus River in present-day
    Tajikistan.

    The artifacts included a small golden chariot, coins and bracelets decorated in a
    griffon motif. (The griffon is a mythical creature with the wings and head of an eagle
    and the body of a lion, and a symbol of the Persian capital of Persepolis.)

    British diplomats and members of the military serving in Pakistan brought roughly
    180 of these gold and silver pieces—known as the Oxus Treasure—to London
    where they are now housed at the British Museum.

    The history of carpet weaving in Persia dates back to the nomadic tribes. The
    ancient Greeks prized the artistry of these hand-woven rugs—famous for their
    elaborate design and bright colors. Today, most Persian rugs are made of wool, silk
    and cotton.

    Persepolis
    The ancient Persian capital city of Persepolis, situated in southern Iran, ranks
    among the world’s greatest archeological sites. It was named a UNESCO World
    Heritage Site in 1979.
    The Achaemenian palaces of Persepolis were built upon massive terraces. They
    were decorated with ornamental facades that included the long rock relief carvings
    for which the ancient Persians were famous.

    Persian Religion
    Many people think of Persia as synonymous with Islam, though Islam only became
    the dominant religion in the Persian Empire after the Arab conquests of the
    seventh century. The first Persian Empire was shaped by a different religion:
    Zoroastrianism.

    Named after the Persian prophet Zoroaster (also known as Zarathustra),


    Zoroastrianism is one of the world's oldest monotheistic religions. It’s still practiced
    today as a minority religion in parts of Iran and India..

    Zoroaster, who likely lived sometime between 1500 and 500 B.C., taught followers
    to worship one god instead of the many deities worshipped by earlier Indo-Iranian
    groups.

    The Achaemenian kings were devout Zoroastrians. By most accounts, Cyrus the
    Great was a tolerant ruler who allowed his subjects to speak their own languages
    and practice their own religions. While he ruled by the Zoroastrian law of asha
    (truth and righteousness), he didn’t impose Zoroastrianism on the people of
    Persia’s conquered territories.

    Hebrew scriptures praise Cyrus the Great for freeing the Jewish people of Babylon
    from captivity and allowing them to return to Jerusalem.

    Subsequent rulers in the Achaemenid Empire followed Cyrus the Great’s hands-off
    approach to social and religious affairs, allowing Persia’s diverse citizenry to
    continue practicing their own ways of life. This period of time is sometimes called
    the Pax Persica, or Persian Peace.

    Fall of the Persian Empire


    The Persian Empire entered a period of decline after a failed invasion of Greece by
    Xerxes I in 480 BC. The costly defense of Persia’s lands depleted the empire’s funds,
    leading to heavier taxation among Persia’s subjects.
    The Achaemenid dynasty finally fell to the invading armies of Alexander the Great
    of Macedon in 330 B.C. Subsequent rulers sought to restore the Persian Empire to
    its Achaemenian boundaries, though the empire never quite regained the
    enormous size it had achieved under Cyrus the Great.

    Sources
    Religions Under Persian Rule; BBC.
    The Achaemenid Persian Empire (550-330 B.C.); Metropolitan Museum of Art.

    BY: HISTORY.COM EDITORS

    HISTORY.com works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and
    informative content. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the
    HISTORY.com team. Articles with the “HISTORY.com Editors” byline have been written
    or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan, Matt
    Mullen and Christian Zapata.

    Citation Information
    Article Title Persian Empire

    Author History.com Editors

    Website Name HISTORY

    URL https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-middle-east/persian-empire

    Date Accessed October 18, 2024

    Publisher A&E Television Networks

    Last Updated May 30, 2023

    Original Published Date January 25, 2018

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