2017-08-08 Asian Geographic JUNIOR

Included: modern-day Greece

(the Aegean), Turkey (then Anatolia),

Egypt, Iran, Central Asia and parts

of India

The Achaemenid Empire was the

largest that the ancient world had seen,

extending from Anatolia and Egypt

across western Asia to nor thern India

and Central Asia. Its formation began in

550BCE. King Astyages – who dominated

most of Anatolia (Turkey) and Iran, was

over thrown by the king of Persia. After a

succession of sieges, Darius I, or “Darius

the Great” stabilised the empire, and a

body of governors and administrators

were put in place. Darius claimed par ts

of nor thwestern India, as well as par ts

of the Aegean. Greece revolted against

Persian rule, but they were subdued

after four years. Darius’ son, Xerxes I,

continued his father’s pursuit of controlling

Greece. The Hollywood blockbuster

300 por trays this period, where Xerxes’

army defeated the Spar tan army. The

Persian army was subsequently defeated

by the Greeks in 479BCE, and Xerxes

was eventually assassinated. Alexander

the Great would later claim the Persian

Empire by force.

ACHAEMENID

EMPIRE

THE FIRST PERSIAN EMPIRE

No.

46 Issue 4

1919