First Persian Empire
| Achaemenid Empire |
| Khshassa |
|
|
|
Standard of Cyrus the Great
|
The Achaemenid Empire at its greatest territorial extent,
under the rule of Darius I (522 BC to 486 BC) |
| Capital |
Babylon (main capital), Pasargadae, Ecbatana, Susa, Persepolis
|
| Languages |
Old Persian[a]
Imperial Aramaic[b]
Babylonian
Median
Ancient Greek
Elamite
Sumerian[c]
|
| Religion |
Zoroastrianism, Babylonian religion
|
| Government |
Monarchy |
|
King (xšāyaϑiya) or King of Kings (xšāyaϑiya xšāyaϑiyānām)
|
|
| • |
559–529 BC |
Cyrus the Great |
| • |
336–330 BC |
Darius III |
| Historical era |
Classical antiquity |
| • |
Persian Revolt |
550 BC |
| • |
Conquest of Lydia |
547 BC |
| • |
Conquest of Babylon |
539 BC |
| • |
Conquest of Egypt |
525 BC |
| • |
Greco-Persian Wars |
499–449 BC |
| • |
Second conquest of Egypt |
343 BC |
| • |
Fall to Macedonia |
330 BC |
| Area |
| • |
500 BC |
5,500,000 km² (2,123,562 sq mi)
|
| Population |
| • |
500 BC est. |
17 million to 35 million |
| Currency |
Daric, siglos
|
|
|
a. ^ Native language.
b. ^ Official language and lingua franca.
c. ^ Literary language in Babylonia. |
Standard of Cyrus the Great
The Achaemenid Empire (, from Old Persian ...
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