The Achaemenid Empire, or Achaemenid Persian Empire, (550–330 BC) was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of Greater Persia (or Iran). It followed the Median Empire as the second great empire of the Iranian peoples. At the height of its power, the Achaemenid Empire had about 7.5 million square kilometers and was territorially the largest empire of classical antiquity.

The empire was forged by Cyrus the Great. It spanned three continents, including parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan; parts of Central Asia, Asia Minor, Thrace; much of the Black Sea coastal regions; Iraq, northern Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Syria; and all significant population centers of ancient Egypt as far west as Libya. The empire was the foe of the Greek city-states in the Greco-Persian Wars. It freed the Israelites from their Babylonian captivity, and instituted Aramaic as the empire’s official language. Because of the Empire’s vast extent and long endurance, Persian influence upon the language, religion, architecture, philosophy, law and government of nations around the world lasts to this day.

Images for kids

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  Relief of Cyrus the Great.

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  The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, one of the Seven wonders of the ancient world, was built by Greek architects for the local Persian satrap of Caria, Mausolus (Scale model)

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  The tomb of Cyrus the Great, founder of the Achaemenid Empire

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  The Gate of All Nations, Persepolis

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  A well preserved Persian column showing the details of the capital of the columns in Persepolis

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  The Persian queen Atossa, Darius the Great’s wife and mother of Xerxes I

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  Greek hoplite and Persian warrior depicted fighting, on an ancient kylix, 5th century BC

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  Cyrus the Great king of Iran (ancient Persia) is said in the Bible to have liberated the Hebrew captives in Babylon to resettle and rebuild Jerusalem, earning him an honored place in Judaism.

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  Daric of Artaxerxes II

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  Head of Nectanebo II

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  Egyptian Cartouche of Darius I at the Temple of Hibis

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  Persian Empire timeline including important events and territorial evolution.

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  The Battle of Issus, between Alexander the Great on horseback to the left, and Darius III in the chariot to the right, represented in a Pompeii mosaic dated 1st century BC – Naples National Archaeological Museum.

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  The Behistun Inscription tells the story of Darius the Great’s conquests, with the names of twenty-three satrapys subject to him.

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  Behistun Inscription, column 1 (DB I 1–15)

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  Modern impression of Achaemenid cylinder seal. The use of cylinder seals appears to have been restricted to officials of the royal administration during this period.

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  Median (left) and Persian (right) soldiers

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  One of a pair of armlets from the Oxus Treasure, which has lost its inlays of precious gems or enamel

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  Achaemenid golden bowl with lion imagery.

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  The ruins of Persepolis

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  An Achaemenid drinking vessel

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  Bas-relief of Farvahar at Persepolis, Iran

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  The image of a lioness used as a pendant, late 6th–4th centuries BC, from Susa – Department of Oriental Antiquities, Louvre.

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  Winged sphinx from the palace of Darius the Great at Susa, Louvre.

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  Lion on a decorative panel from Darius I the Great’s palace, Louvre

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  Tomb of Artaxerxes II in Persepolis

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  Cambyses I

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  Cambyses II of Persia

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  Darius In Parse

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  Artaxerxes I

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  Artaxerxes II

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  Darius III of Persia

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  Panorama of Persepolis Ruins

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  Ruins of Throne Hall

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  Apadana Hall, Persian and Median soldiers at Persepolis

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  Nowruz Zoroastrian

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  Lateral view of tomb of Cambyses I, Pasargadae, Iran

   

  Edited from Kids.kiddle.co, CC 3.0 license