Achaemenid Empire

Iran, 550–330 BCE. Draft, not yet reviewed

The Achaemenid Empire was an ancient Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great of the Achaemenid dynasty in 550 BC. At its peak, its territorial extent was roughly 5.5 million square kilometres, making it the largest empire of its time. In 330 BC, amidst a Macedonian military campaign that began in 336 BC, the Achaemenid Empire was conquered in its entirety by Alexander the Great, who annexed it to his Macedonian Empire.

Seat of power: Babylon

Rulers

Cyrus the Great

King of Kings, 559–530 BCE

Cyrus the Great was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. After absorbing the Median Empire, Cyrus conquered Lydia and eventually the Neo-Babylonian Empire, granting him control of Anatolia and the Fertile Crescent, respectively.

Portrait of Cyrus the Great: Surenae, CC BY-SA 4.0, file

Cambyses II

King of Kings, 530–522 BCE

His relatively brief reign was marked by his conquests in North Africa, notably Egypt, which he took by defeating pharaoh Psamtik III at the Battle of Pelusium in 525 BC. After his victory in Egypt, he expanded the empire's holdings in Africa by taking Cyrenaica, the coastal region of eastern Libya.

Portrait of Cambyses II: Jona Lendering, Public domain, file

Darius I

King of Kings, 522–486 BCE

He ruled the empire at its territorial peak, when it included much of West Asia. Darius organized the empire by dividing it into administrative provinces, each governed by a satrap. He organized a new uniform monetary system.

Portrait of Darius I: Rumlu, Public domain, file

Bardiya

King of Kings, 522–522 BCE

Bardiya either ruled the Achaemenid Empire for a few months in 522 BCE, or was impersonated by a magus called Gaumata.

Portrait of Bardiya: Leen van Dorp, CC0, file

Xerxes I

King of Kings, 486–465 BCE

In Western history, Xerxes is best known for his invasion of Greece in 480 BC, which ended in Persian defeat. He consolidated power by crushing revolts in Egypt and Babylon, and renewed his father's campaign to subjugate Greece and punish Athens and its allies for their interference in the Ionian Revolt.

Portrait of Xerxes I: Darafsh, CC BY 3.0, file

Sogdianus

King of Kings, 424–423 BCE

His short rule, lasting not much more than six months, and the little recognition of his kingdom are known primarily from the writings of Ctesias.

Portrait of Sogdianus: AR VLD, CC BY-SA 4.0, file

Xerxes II

King of Kings, 424–424 BCE

After a reign of forty-five days, where he only had control over the Persian heartlands, he was assassinated in 424 BC by his half-brother Sogdianus, who in turn was murdered by Darius II six months later.

Portrait of Xerxes II: Classical Numismatic Group; [1], CC BY-SA 3.0, file

Arses

King of Kings, 338–336 BCE

Arses ascended the throne after his father Artaxerxes III was poisoned by the eunuch Bagoas. Arses, in an attempt to free himself from Bagoas' influences, tried to have the eunuch poisoned, but did not succeed, instead succumbing to poison himself at the orders of Bagoas.

Portrait of Arses: Classical Numismatic Group; [1], CC BY-SA 3.0, file

Darius III

King of Kings, 336–330 BCE

He was the thirteenth and last Achaemenid King of Kings of Persia, reigning from 336 BC to his death in 330 BC. As a reward for his bravery, he was made the satrap of Armenia.

Portrait of Darius III: Carole Raddato from FRANKFURT, Germany, CC BY-SA 2.0, file

Culture

In the modern era, the empire has been recognized for its multicultural policy and religious tolerance, especially under Cyrus.
Its complex infrastructure projects included the Royal Road and an organized postal system.
Persian and Aramaic were official languages across its territories.

Picture

Persepolis was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.

Image: Laurens R. Krol, CC BY 4.0, file

Sources

Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.