History glossary
Achaemenid
the Persian royal dynasty founded by Cyrus the Great that ruled the first Persian Empire.
- Category
- Dynasty
- Region
- Persia and western Asia
- Date range
- c. 550-330 BCE
What it means
Achaemenid refers to the Persian dynasty associated with Cyrus the Great, Darius I, Xerxes I, and Darius III. The Achaemenid Empire ruled from the Iranian plateau across much of western Asia, Egypt, Anatolia, and parts of Central Asia from about 550 to 330 BCE.
Related terms
Stories using this term
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From Cyrus the Great to Alexander's conquest, the Achaemenid Persian Empire turned regional kingship into a vast realm held together by conquest, roads, tribute, local cooperation, and royal power.
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