History glossary
Persian Empire
a major empire based in ancient Iran that ruled much of western Asia, Egypt, and Anatolia.
- Category
- Empire
- Region
- Iran and western Asia
- Date range
- c. 550-330 BCE
What it means
The Persian Empire most often refers to the Achaemenid Empire, founded by Cyrus the Great. It ruled from Iran across Mesopotamia, Anatolia, the Levant, Egypt, and parts of Central Asia, using roads, satrap governors, tribute systems, and royal authority to manage a vast multicultural empire.
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