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Cyrus, Darius and Xerxes: the first world empire, from Persepolis to the Persian Wars.

Use the timeline below to navigate through major events and milestones.

Achaemenid Empire · 550-330 BC
Persian Empire

The Achaemenid Empire

From Cyrus the Great's overthrow of the Medes and the conquest of Babylon through Darius's satrapies, the Royal Road and Persepolis, the Persian Wars against the Greeks, to the coming of Alexander and the fall of Darius III. Slide across the centuries to read the major events of the first Persian world empire.

550 BC
Cyrus the Great
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Cyrus overthrows the Medes

Cyrus II of Persia defeats his overlord Astyages, unites Medes and Persians, and founds the Achaemenid Empire.

550 BC

Cyrus the Great
  • Political

    Cyrus overthrows the Medes

    Cyrus the Great, founder of the Achaemenid Empire
    Via Wikimedia Commons

    Cyrus II of Persia defeats his overlord Astyages, unites Medes and Persians, and founds the Achaemenid Empire.

12 milestones

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Around 550 BC

Full Chronicle

The Achaemenid Empire

From Cyrus the Great's overthrow of the Medes and the conquest of Babylon through Darius's satrapies, the Royal Road and Persepolis, the Persian Wars against the Greeks, to the coming of Alexander and the fall of Darius III. Slide across the centuries to read the major events of the first Persian world empire.

  1. Cyrus the Great

    • Cyrus overthrows the Medes

      Cyrus II of Persia defeats his overlord Astyages, unites Medes and Persians, and founds the Achaemenid Empire.

  2. Cyrus the Great

    • The conquest of Lydia and Croesus

      Cyrus defeats the fabulously rich King Croesus of Lydia and brings the Greek cities of Ionia under Persian rule.

  3. Cyrus the Great

    • The fall of Babylon

      Cyrus enters Babylon almost without a fight and frees the exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem.

  4. Cambyses

    • Death of Cyrus; Cambyses takes Egypt

      Cyrus dies on the eastern frontier, and his son Cambyses II conquers Egypt at the Battle of Pelusium in 525 BCE.

  5. Darius the Great

    • Darius seizes the throne

      After a disputed succession, Darius I takes power and proclaims his victory in the great inscription of Behistun.

  6. Darius the Great

    • Satrapies, roads, and Persepolis

      Darius organizes the empire into satrapies, builds the Royal Road, and begins the ceremonial capital of Persepolis.

  7. The Persian Wars

    • Marathon

      Darius's expedition against Athens is defeated on the plain of Marathon, the first great check to Persian expansion in Europe.

  8. The Persian Wars

    • Xerxes invades Greece

      Xerxes I leads a vast army into Greece, wins at Thermopylae, and burns Athens — but his fleet is shattered at Salamis.

  9. The Later Achaemenids

    • The empire at its height under Artaxerxes I

      For all its frontier reverses, the Achaemenid Empire remains the wealthiest and most populous state on earth, ruling perhaps a third of humanity.

  10. The Later Achaemenids

    • Cunaxa and the March of the Ten Thousand

      The rebel prince Cyrus the Younger falls at Cunaxa, and his Greek mercenaries fight their way home across the empire.

  11. Fall of the Empire

    • Alexander invades Asia

      Alexander of Macedon crosses into Asia and defeats Persian armies at the Granicus and at Issus.

  12. Fall of the Empire

    • Gaugamela and the death of Darius III

      Alexander wins the decisive victory at Gaugamela, takes Persepolis, and Darius III is murdered by his own satrap — ending the Achaemenid Empire.