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Achaemenid Empire (550–330 BCE)

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Achaemenid Empire
550 BCE–330 BCE
Flag of Achaemenid Empire
Standard
The empire at its height around 500 BCE
The empire at its height around 500 BCE
Common languagesOld Persian
Aramaic
GovernmentMonarchy
Area
• Total
5,500,000 km²


The Achaemenid Empire, also known as the First Persian Empire, was a multinational ancient state stretching from what is now Bulgaria to Pakistan. It began in 550 BCE with the unification of Persia and Media and quickly grew to include Egypt and much of Western Asia. The empire fell after Alexander of Macedon conquered Persepolis in 331 BCE.[1]

History[edit | edit source]

In 357 BCE, Cyrus the Great allowed a group of Jewish exiles to travel to Palestine from Babylonia.[2] Persia attempted to invade Greece twice but was defeated at Marathon in 490 BCE and Salamis in 480 BCE. Macedon destroyed the empire in 331 BCE at the Battle of Gaugamela.[1]

Government[edit | edit source]

The empire was divided into tribute-paying provinces ruled by satraps, with roads and a postal system connecting different regions. Satraps controlled large armies, but the King would take control of the military in the event of a major rebellion or foreign expeditions. Local kings and satraps held immense power, causing frequent rebellions.[1]

Persia appointed foreign rulers to govern its cities because they would not take sides in family conflicts.[3]

Military[edit | edit source]

Each ethnic group in the Achaemenid military retained its own fighting style; for example, the Persians fought as spear infantry and the Medes were light cavalry.[1]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Neil Faulkner (2013). A Marxist History of the World: From Neanderthals to Neoliberals: 'Ancient Empires' (pp. 29–42). [PDF] Pluto Press. ISBN 9781849648639 [LG]
  2. Neil Faulkner (2013). A Marxist History of the World: From Neanderthals to Neoliberals: 'The End of Antiquity' (p. 54). [PDF] Pluto Press. ISBN 9781849648639 [LG]
  3. Ben Norton, Michael Hudson (2023-05-05). "Origins of debt: Michael Hudson reveals how financial oligarchies in Greece & Rome shaped our world" Geopolitical Economy Report. Archived from the original on 2023-05-28.