THE PERSIANS

Most civilizations come to maturity after a long period of cultural and military development, but Iran entered world history with dramatic madder about 547 BC. In that year Cyrus, king of the small Iranian state of Anshan, reached the climax of his career. After 13 years of war he united the several Iranian (Aryan) kingdoms of Media and Persia under his leadership. His domain extended from Asia Minor and the black Sea to the Gulf of Uman.

the Akkaemenid dynasty that Cyrus founded was to last only two centuries, but it came to rule the largest empire in the world. The old territories of Sumerians,  Egyptians, Indus Valley people, Babylonians, Hittietes, Phoenicians and Assyrians, were all absorbed into the Persian empire by about 400 BC. Parts of Ethiopia, the Balkans and central Asia also came under Iranian Rule. At its height, the Iranian empire was as big as present-day Europe without Russia.

Iranians generally built upon the achievements of their predecessors andimproved them. They, brought peace stability and prosperity to the regions under their rule.