SardisLESBOSSCYTHIA
E uph rat esMEDIA
PERSIS
E G Y PT
SYRIA
IssusGaugamelaCunaxaSusaPersepolisCyreneBabylonRHODESCYPRUS
LYDIACARIATigrisNileLakeAralCaspianSeaB l a c kS e aPHRYGIAIONIAAP
PHLAGONIAThe Persian empire,c. 500BC500 miles1000 kmHPNEO
AICIFIGURE 14The Near East and the Persian empire