← Civilizations
550 BCE – 330 BCE
Persian Empire
The Achaemenid empire — the largest the world had yet seen, ruled with roads and tolerance.
Timeline
550 BCE
Cyrus founds the empire
Cyrus the Great unites the Persians and Medes.
c. 500 BCE
Royal Road built
A 2,500-km road speeds messengers across the empire.
330 BCE
Fall to Alexander
Alexander defeats Darius III and burns Persepolis.