State

Achaemenid Empire

Also known as Achaemenids, first Persian Empire, Achaemenid dynasty, Achaemenid Persian Empire, Achaemenid

The Achaemenid Empire was the first Persian Empire, founded by Cyrus the Great in the sixth century BCE and stretching at its height from the Aegean to the Indus. It governed through satrapies, royal roads and a policy of tolerating local customs and religions. It absorbed the Median, Babylonian and Egyptian realms and was conquered by Alexander the Great in the 330s BCE, influencing later states such as the Seleucid and Sasanian empires.

Achaemenid Empire
Image: Cattette · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 19 profiles

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See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Achaemenid Empire. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/achaemenid-empire
MLA
“Achaemenid Empire.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/achaemenid-empire. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Achaemenid Empire.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/achaemenid-empire.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Achaemenid Empire’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/achaemenid-empire (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻