Achaemenid Empire

Xšāça
550 BC–330 BC
Flag of Persia
Standard of Cyrus the Great
The Achaemenid Empire at its greatest territorial extent under the rule of Darius I (522 BC–486 BC)[2][3][4][5]
The Achaemenid Empire at its greatest territorial extent under the rule of Darius I (522 BC–486 BC)
StatusEmpire
Capital
  • Babylon
  • Pasargadae
  • Ecbatana
  • Susa
  • Persepolis (ceremonial)
Common languages
  • Old Persian (official)[a]
  • Aramaic (official,lingua franca)[b]
  • Akkadian[c]
  • Median
  • Greek
  • Elamite
Religion
  • Zoroastrianism (official)
  • Babylonian religion
  • Second Temple Judaism
  • Vedic Hinduism
  • Ancient Egyptian religion
  • Ancient Greek religion
  • Many others
GovernmentMonarchy
Kingsor
King of Kings
 
• 559–530 BC
Cyrus the Great
• 530–522 BC
Cambyses II
• 522–486 BC
Darius I
• 486–465 BC
Xerxes I
• 465–424 BC
Artaxerxes I
• 424–424 BC
Xerxes II
• 424–423 BC
Sogdianus
• 423–405 BC
Darius II
• 405–358 BC
Artaxerxes II
• 358–338 BC
Artaxerxes III
• 338–336 BC
Arses
• 336–330 BC
Darius III
Historical eraClassical 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
• Corinthian War
395–387 BC
• Second conquest of Egypt
343 BC
• Fall to Macedonia
330 BC
Area
500 BC5,500,000 km2(2,100,000 sq mi)
Population
• 500 BC
17 million to 35 million
CurrencyDaric, siglos
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Median Empire
Neo-Babylonian Empire
Lydia
Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt
Gandhara
Sogdia
Massagetae
Empire of Alexander the Great
Twenty-eighth Dynasty of Egypt
  • a.^Native language.
  • b.^Official language andlingua franca.
  • c.^Literary language in Babylonia.