See also: History of Iran

History of Greater Iran Empires of Persia · Kings of Persia Pre-modern Before Islam  BCE Zayandeh River Civilization prehistoric–? Sialk civilization 7500–1000 Jiroft civilization (Aratta) 3000–? Proto-Elamite civilization 3200–2800 Bactria-Margiana Complex 2200–1700 Elamite dynasties 2800–550 Kingdom of Mannai 10th–7th cent. See Also Persian Empire History of Iran and Greater Iran (also referred to as the " Iranian Cultural Continent Greater Iran (in Irān-e Bozorg, or fa ایران‌زمین Irān-zamīn; the Encyclopedia Iranica uses the term The following is a comprehensive list of kings of Persia, which includes all of the empires ruling over geographical Iran The Islamic conquest of Persia (633–656 led to the end of the Sassanid Empire and the eventual extirpation of the Zoroastrian religion in Persia Sialk is a large ancient archeological site near Kashan, Iran, tucked away in the suburbs of the city of Kashan, in central Iran, close to The Proto-Elamite period is the time of ca 3200 BC to 2700 BC when Susa, the later capital of the Elamites began to receive influence from the The Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex (or BMAC, also known as the Oxus civilization) is the modern archaeological designation for a Bronze Age Elam is the name of an ancient civilization located in what is now southwest Iran. The Mannaeans (country name usually Mannea; Akkadian: Mannai, possibly Biblical Minni, מנּי were an ancient people of unknown origin Median Empire 728–550 Achaemenid Empire 550–330 Seleucid Empire 330–150 Greco-Bactrian Kingdom 250-125 Parthian Empire 248–CE 224 CE Kushan Empire 30–275 Sassanid Empire 224–651 Hephthalite Empire 425–557 Kabul-Shahi dynasty 565–670 After Islamic Conquest  Patriarchal Caliphate 637–651 Umayyad Caliphate 661–750 Abbasid Caliphate 750–1258 Tahirid dynasty 821–873 Alavid dynasty 864–928 Saffarid dynasty 861–1003 Samanid dynasty 819–999 Ziyarid dynasty 928–1043 Buyid Dynasty 934–1055 Ghaznavid Empire 975–1187 Ghori dynasty 1149–1212 Seljuk Empire 1037–1194 Khwarezmid dynasty 1077–1231 Kartids dynasty 1231-1389 Ilkhanate 1256–1353 Muzaffarid dynasty 1314–1393 Chupanid dynasty 1337–1357 Jalayerid dynasty 1339–1432 Timurid Empire 1370–1506 Qara Qoyunlu Turcomans 1407–1468 Aq Qoyunlu Turcomans 1378–1508 Safavid Empire 1501–1722* Mughal Empire 1526–1857 Hotaki dynasty 1722–1729 Afsharid dynasty 1736–1802 * or 1736 Modern SSR = Soviet Socialist Republic Afghanistan  Durrani Empire 1748–1823 British and Russian influence 1826–1919 Independence and civil war 1919–1929 Mohammedzai rule 1929–1973 Republic of Afghanistan 1973–1978 Communist rule 1978–1992 Recent history of Afghanistan since 1992 Timeline Azerbaijan  Khanates of the Caucasus 1722–1828 Russian Rule 1828–1917 Democratic Republic 1918–1920 Azerbaijan SSR 1920–1991 Republic of Azerbaijan since 1991 Bahrain  Portuguese rule 1521–1602 British Treaty 1820–1971 Kingdom of Bahrain since 1971 Iran  Zand dynasty 1750–1794 Qajar dynasty 1781–1925 Pahlavi dynasty 1925–1979 Iranian Revolution 1979 Provisional Government 1979 Islamic Republic of Iran since 1979 Iraq  Ottoman Empire 1632–1919 Hashimite monarchy 1920–1958 Coup and Republic 1958–2003 Republic of Iraq since 2004 Tajikistan  Emirate of Bukhara 1785–1920 Bukharan / Uzbek SSR 1920–1929 Tajik Autonomous SSR 1929 Tajik SSR 1929–1991 Republic of Tajikistan since 1991 Uzbekistan  Emirate of Bukhara 1785–1920 Uzbek SSR 1924–1991 Independence 1991 Republic of Uzbekistan since 1991

The Persian Empire was a series of historical empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland, and beyond in Western Asia, Central Asia and the Caucasus. The Medes were an ancient Iranian people who lived in the northwestern portions of present-day Iran. The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire ( haχɒmaneʃijɒn (558–330 BC was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of The Seleucid Empire /sə'lusɪd/ ( 312 - 63 BC) was a Hellenistic empire i The Gr(aeco-Bactrian Kingdom was the easternmost part of the Hellenistic world covering Bactria and Sogdiana in Central Asia from 250 Parthia ( Middle Persian: اشکانیان Ashkâniân) was an Iranian civilization situated in the northeastern part of modern Iran The Kushan Empire (c 1st &ndash 3rd centuries) was a Bactrian state that at its cultural zenith Circa 105 &ndash 250 The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire The Hephthalites or White Huns were a Central Asian Nomadic confederation whose precise origins and composition remain obscure The Islamic conquest of Persia (633–656 led to the end of the Sassanid Empire and the eventual extirpation of the Zoroastrian religion in Persia The Islamic conquest of Persia (633–656 led to the end of the Sassanid Empire and the eventual extirpation of the Zoroastrian religion in Persia The Tahirid dynasty, (سلسله طاهریان Persian: ( 821 - 873) ruled the northeastern Persian Empire region The Saffarid dynasty ( Persian: سلسله صفاریان ruled a empire in Sistan, which is a historical region now in southeastern Iran and southwestern The Samanids (819–999 ( Sāmāniyān) were a Persian dynasty in Central Asia and Greater Khorasan, named after its founder Saman The Ziyarids, also spelled Zeyarids (زیاریان or آل زیار were an Iranian dynasty that ruled in the Caspian sea provinces of Gorgan The Buyids (آل بویه Āl-e Buye, Caspian: Bowyiyün also known as Buwaihids or Buyyids, were a Shī‘ah Iranian The Ghaznavid Empire was a Khorāṣānian Sunni Muslim state founded by a dynasty of Turkic Mamluk. The Ghurids (or Ghorids; self-designation Shansabānī) ( were a Persian Sunni - Ismaili Muslim dynasty in Khorasan The Great Seljuq Empire was a Medieval Sunni Muslim empire established by the Qynyq branch of Oghuz Turks that once controlled The Khwarezmian Empire, more commonly known as the empire of the Khwarezm Shahs ( Khwārezmšhāḥīān, "Kings of Khwarezmia " The Kartid Dynasty ( Karts, also known as Kurts) was a Persian dynasty that ruled over a large part of Khorassan during the 13th The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate or Il Khanate (Ил Хан улс Il Khan uls;) was a Mongol Khanate established in The Muzaffarids (آل مظفر in Persian were a Sunni family that came to power in Iran following the breakup of the Ilkhanate in the 14th century The Chupanids, also known as the Süldüz or the Chobanids (سلسله امرای چوپانی Amir Chupani) were descendants of a Mongol family The Jalayirids (آل جلایر were a Mongol dynasty which ruled over Iraq and western Persia after the breakup of the Mongol Khanate of Persia The Timurids, self-designated Gurkānī ( were a Persianate Central Asian Sunni Muslim dynasty The Kara Koyunlu or Qara Qoyunlu, also called the Black Sheep Turkomans ( Turkmen: Garagoýunly; Azeri: Qaraqoyunlu The Ak Koyunlu or Aq Qoyunlu, also called the White Sheep Turkomans ( Turkmen: Akgoýunly, Azeri: Ağqoyunlu, The Safavids ( صفوی) were an Iranian ref>Helen Chapin Metz The Mughal Empire ( Persian and self-designation گورکانی; مغلیہ سلطنت) was an Islamic imperial power which ruled most The Hotaki dynasty (1709-1738 was founded in 1709 by Mirwais Khan Hotak, an ethnic Pashtun ( Afghan) from the Ghilzai clan of Kandahar province The Afsharids (سلسله افشار were an Iranian dynasty of Turkic descent from Khorasan that ruled the Persian Empire in the 18th century The Republics of the Soviet Union were according to the Article 76 of the 1977 Soviet Constitution, Sovereign Soviet Socialist states that had united with other Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, The Durrani Empire (also referred to as the Afghan Empire) was a large state based in modern Afghanistan and Pakistan and later included northeastern The European influence in Afghanistan refers to political social and sometimes Imperialistic influence various European nations have had on this historical development of the Amanullah Khan reigned in Afghanistan from 1919 achieving full independence from the British Empire shortly afterwards Reign of Mohammed Nadir Shah 1929-1933 Mohammed Nadir Shah quickly abolished most of Amanullah Khan 's reforms but despite his efforts to rebuild an army Mohammed Daoud Khan ( July 18, 1909 – April 28, 1978) was a politician in Afghanistan who overthrew the monarchy of Zahir Shah The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan was a Soviet -backed government in Afghanistan between 1978 and 1992. See also Civil war in Afghanistan This article on the History of Afghanistan since 1992 covers the time period from the fall of the Najibullah government in 1992 This is a timeline of Afghanistan. To read about the background to these events see History of Afghanistan. Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South This article is about the history of Azerbaijan. For the history of Iranian Azerbaijan, please see the History of Iran Azerbaijan or This article is about the history of Azerbaijan. For the history of Iranian Azerbaijan, please see the History of Iran Azerbaijan or The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic ( ADR; Azərbaycan Xalq Cümhuriyyəti was the first Democratic and Secular Republic in the Muslim world This article is about the former Soviet republic for other similar uses see Azerbaijan (disambiguation. Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South The Kingdom of Bahrain (in مملكة البحرين,, literally Kingdom of the Two Seas) is an Island country in the Persian Gulf Bahrain is a borderless Island country in the Persian Gulf. Although Bahrain became an independent country in 1971 the history of these islands starts Bahrain is a borderless Island country in the Persian Gulf. Although Bahrain became an independent country in 1971 the history of these islands starts The Kingdom of Bahrain (in مملكة البحرين,, literally Kingdom of the Two Seas) is an Island country in the Persian Gulf For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The Zand dynasty ( (سلسله زندیه ruled southern and central Iran ( 1750 &ndash 1794) in the eighteenth century The Qajar dynasty (also known as Ghajar or Kadjar ( ( - or دودمان قاجار) is a common term to describe Iran (then known as Persia) under The Iranian Revolution' (mostly known as the Islamic Revolution, Persian: انقلاب اسلامی Enghelābe Eslāmi was the Revolution that transformed The Interim Government of Iran ( 1979 - 1980) was the first government established in Iran after the Islamic Revolution. One of the most dramatic changes in government in Iran's history was seen with the 1979 Iranian Revolution where Shah ( king) Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was overthrown For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish This article includes an overview from prehistory to the present in the region of the current state of Iraq in Mesopotamia. This article includes an overview from prehistory to the present in the region of the current state of Iraq in Mesopotamia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Tajikistan (təˈdʒɪkɨstæn or /təˈdʒiːkɨstæn/ Тоҷикистон tɔʤikɪsˈtɔn or, Persian تاجیکستان‎ taajikestaan officially the Republic of The Emirate of Bukhara ( Buxoro Amirligi; Аморати Бухоро was a Central Asian state that existed from 1785 to 1920 The Bukharan People's Soviet Republic (Бухарская Народная Советская Республика was the name of Uzbekistan from 1920 to 1925 The Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic (Ўзбекистон Совет Социалистик Республикаси O`zbekiston Sovet Sotsialistik Respublikasi; Узбекская The Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (Республикаи Советии Социалистии Тоҷикистон Respublikai Sovetii Sotsialistii Tocikiston; Таджикская Tajikistan (təˈdʒɪkɨstæn or /təˈdʒiːkɨstæn/ Тоҷикистон tɔʤikɪsˈtɔn or, Persian تاجیکستان‎ taajikestaan officially the Republic of Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси is a doubly The Emirate of Bukhara ( Buxoro Amirligi; Аморати Бухоро was a Central Asian state that existed from 1785 to 1920 The Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic (Ўзбекистон Совет Социалистик Республикаси O`zbekiston Sovet Sotsialistik Respublikasi; Узбекская Located in the heart of Central Asia between the Amu Darya (Oxus and Syr Darya (Jaxartes Rivers Uzbekistan has a long and interesting heritage Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси is a doubly An empire (from the Latin " Imperium " denoting military Command within the ancient Roman government) is a State that The Iranian Plateau, also known as the Persian plateau is a Geological formation in Southwest Asia, Southern Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia (largely overlapping with the Middle East) is the southwestern portion of Asia. Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south The Caucasus ( also referred to as North Caucasus) is a geopolitical region located between Europe Asia & Middle East

The most widespread entity considered to have been a Persian Empire was the Achaemenid Empire (550–330 BC) under Darius and Xerxes (or Xerkes) — famous in antiquity as the foe of the classical Greek states (See Greco-Persian Wars) — a united Persian kingdom that originated in the region now known as Pars province (Fars province) of Iran. The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire ( haχɒmaneʃijɒn (558–330 BC was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of Darius I the Great (c 549 BC&ndash486 BC 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎺𐎢𐏁 Dārayavahuš: "Possessing goodness" Having ascended to power amidst controversy and bloodshed Xerxes I of Persia was a King of Persia (reigned 485–465 BC of the Achaemenid dynasty. Fars (pronounced/fɑː(ɹs ( Persian: فارس Fârs) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics.

It was formed under Cyrus the Great, who took over the empire of the Medes, and conquered much of the middle east, including the territories of the Babylonians, Assyrians, the Phoenicians, and the Lydians. The Medes were an ancient Iranian people who lived in the northwestern portions of present-day Iran. Babylonia was an Amorite state in lower Mesopotamia (modern southern Iraq) with Babylon as its capital "Aturia" redirects here For the Fossil Nautilus Genus, see Aturia (cephalopod. Phoenicia ( Phoenician: Phoenician nunsvg|12px|נ]]Phoenician nun Defining Lydia Aside from a legend related by Herodotus, who states that the name Lydia came from king Lydus at the time of the fall of Troy Cambyses, Son of Cyrus the Great, continued his conquests by conquering Egypt.

Most of the successive states in Greater Iran prior to March 1935 are collectively called the Persian Empire by Western historians. Greater Iran (in Irān-e Bozorg, or fa ایران‌زمین Irān-zamīn; the Encyclopedia Iranica uses the term

Virtually all the successor empires of Persia were major regional and some major international powers in their day. In International relations, a regional power is a State that has power within a geographic Region. Power in international relations is defined in several different ways

History

Median Empire

Main article: Medes

Median Empire ← 728 BC – 559 BC → Median Empire, ca. The Medes were an ancient Iranian people who lived in the northwestern portions of present-day Iran. The Neo-Assyrian Empire was a period of Mesopotamian history which began in 934 BC and ended in 609 BC The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire ( haχɒmaneʃijɒn (558–330 BC was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of 600 BC Capital Ecbatana Religion Zoroastrianism, possibly also Proto-Indo-Iranian religion Government Not specified Historical era Classical Antiquity  - Deioces 728 BC  -  Cyrus the Great 559 BC

In the 8th century BC, the Medes gained their independence and were united by a dynasty. Throughout the world there are many cities that were once national Capitals but no longer have that status because the country ceased to exist the capital was moved or the capital Ecbatana ( Old Persian: Haŋgmatana, written Agbatana in Aeschylus and Herodotus, Agámtanu by Nabonidos A state religion (also called an official religion, established church or state church) is a religious body or Creed officially Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings Proto-Indo-Iranian religion means the religion or the Indo-Iranian peoples prior to the earliest Vedic (Indian and Zoroastrian (Iranian scriptures For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. Classical antiquity (also the classical era or classical period) is a broad term for a long period of cultural History centered on the Mediterranean Deioces, Déjocès, Deiokes or Diyako (709 BC &ndash 656 BC was a Prince and the first king of the Medes. The Medes are credited with the foundation of the first Iranian empire, the largest of its day until Cyrus the Great established a unified Iranian empire of the Medes and Persians, often referred to as the Achaemenid Persian Empire, by defeating his grandfather and overlord, Astyages the shah of Media. The Median capital was Ecbatana, the modern day Iranian city of Hamedan. Ecbatana ( Old Persian: Haŋgmatana, written Agbatana in Aeschylus and Herodotus, Agámtanu by Nabonidos Hamedān or Hamadān ( Persian: همدان, Old Persian: Hagmatana Hebrew: המזיין Ancient Greek: Ecbatana) Ectbatana was preserved as one of the capital cities of the Achaemenid Empire, which succeeded the Median Empire.

According to Herodotus, the conquests of Cyaxares the Mede were preceded by a Scythian invasion and domination lasting twenty-eight years (under Madius the Scythian, 653-625 BC). The Mede tribes seem to have come into immediate conflict with a settled state to the West known as Mannae, allied with Assyria. The Mannaeans (country name usually Mannea; Akkadian: Mannai, possibly Biblical Minni, מנּי were an ancient people of unknown origin Assyrian inscriptions state that the early Mede rulers, who had attempted rebellions against the Assyrians in the time of Esarhaddon and Assur-bani-pal, were allied with chieftains of the Ashguza (Scythians) and other tribes - who had come from the northern shore of the Black Sea and invaded Armenia and Asia Minor; and Jeremiah and Zephaniah in the Old Testament agree with Herodotus that a massive invasion of Syria and Philistia by northern barbarians took place in 626 BC. The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية The Philistines ( Hebrew פלשתים plishtim) (see "other uses" below were a people who inhabited the southern coast of Canaan, The state of Mannae was finally conquered and assimilated by the Medes in the year 616 BC.

In 612 BC, Cyaxares conquered Urartu, and with the alliance of Nabopolassar the Chaldean, succeeded in destroying the Assyrian capital, Nineveh; and by 606 BC, the remaining vestiges of Assyrian control. Urartu ( Assyrian: Urarṭu Urartian: Biainili Ուրարտու was an Iron Age kingdom in Eastern Anatolia ( Transcaucasia) rising Nabopolassar ( Akkadian: Nabû-apal-usur) was the first king (ruled 625-605 BC of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Nineveh ( Akkadian: Ninua; Aramaic: ܢܝܢܘܐ Hebrew נינוה Nīnewē; Arabic نينوى Naīnuwa) From then on, the Mede king ruled over much of Iran, Assyria and northern Mesopotamia, Armenia and Cappadocia. Cappadocia (or Capadocia, Turkish Kapadokya, from Greek: Καππαδοκία / Kappadokía which in turn is from the Persian: His power was very dangerous to his neighbors, and the exiled Jews expected the destruction of Babylonia by the Medes (Isaiah 13, 14m 21; Jerem. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Babylonia was an Amorite state in lower Mesopotamia (modern southern Iraq) with Babylon as its capital 1, 51. ).

When Cyaxares attacked Lydia, the kings of Cilicia and Babylon intervened and negotiated a peace in 585 BC, whereby the Halys was established as the Medes' frontier with Lydia. Defining Lydia Aside from a legend related by Herodotus, who states that the name Lydia came from king Lydus at the time of the fall of Troy Geography Cilicia extended along the Aegean coast east from Pamphylia, to Mount Amanus ( Gavurdağı Mount) which separated it from Syria Babylon was a City-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which can be found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon married a daughter of Cyaxares, and an equilibrium of the great powers was maintained until the rise of the Persians under Cyrus. Nebuchadrezzar II, more often called Nebuchadnezzar (c 630-562 BC was a ruler of Babylon in the Chaldean Dynasty, who reigned c

Median Kings were:

• Deioces (Old Iranian *Dahyu-ka) 727-675 B. Deioces, Déjocès, Deiokes or Diyako (709 BC &ndash 656 BC was a Prince and the first king of the Medes. C. ^[1]
• Phraortes (Old Iranian *Fravarti) 674-653
• Madius (Scythian Rule) 652-625
• Cyaxares (Old Iranian *Uvaxštra) 624-585 ^[2]
• Astyages (Old Iranian *Ršti-vêga) 589-549 ^[3]

Modern research by a professor of Assyriology, Robert Rollinger, has questioned the Median empire and its sphere of influence, proposing for example that it did not control the Assyrian heartleand. Phraortes, also known as Fravartish (𐎳𐎼𐎺𐎼𐎫𐎡𐏁 Fravartiš; c Madius or Madya was a Scythian king He conquered and ruled the Median Empire from c Cyaxares, Hvakhshathra, or Kayxosrew (𐎢𐎺𐎧𐏁𐎫𐎼 Uvaxštra, Greek Κυαξαρης; r Astyages ( Persian: ایشتوویگو ( Ištovigu) spelled by Herodotus as Astyages by Ctesias as Astyigas; by Diodorus Assyriology (from Greek grc Ἀσσυρίᾱ Assyriā; and grc -λογία -logia) is the archaeological historical and linguistic study ^[4]

Achaemenid Empire (550 BC–330 BC)

Main article: Achaemenid Empire

Achaemenid empire at its greatest extent. The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire ( haχɒmaneʃijɒn (558–330 BC was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of

The earliest known record of the Persians comes from an Assyrian inscription from c. Early history The most Neolithic site in Assyria is at Tell Hassuna, the center of the Hassuna culture 844 BC that calls them the Parsu (Parsuaš, Parsumaš)^[5] and mentions them in the region of Lake Urmia alongside another group, the Mādāyu (Medes). Lake Urmia ( Daryacheh-ye Orumieh; ارومیه گولو, ارومیه گولی ancient name Lake Matiene) is a Salt lake in northwestern Iran The Medes were an ancient Iranian people who lived in the northwestern portions of present-day Iran. ^[6] For the next two centuries, the Persians and Medes were at times tributary to the Assyrians. The region of Parsuash was annexed by Sargon of Assyria around 719 BC. Eventually the Medes came to rule an independent Median Empire, and the Persians were subject to them.

The Achaemenids were the first to create a centralized state in Persia, founded by Achaemenes (Haxamaniš), chieftain of the Persians around 700 BC. This article is about Achaemenes, legendary founder of the first Persian dynasty

Around 653 BC, the Medes came under the domination of the Scythians, and Teispes (Cišpiš), the son of Achaemenes, seems to have led the nomadic Persians to settle in southern Iran around this time — eventually establishing the first organized Persian state in the important region of Anšan as the Elamite kingdom was permanently destroyed by the Assyrian ruler Ashurbanipal (640 BC). The Scythians or Scyths (Σκύθες Σκύθοι were an Iranian speaking people of horse-riding Nomadic pastoralists who dominated the Pontic Teispes (𐎨𐎡𐏁𐎱𐎡𐏁 Cišpiš; Greek; died 640 BC was the son of Achaemenes and a King of Persia. A state is a political association with effective Sovereignty over a geographic Area and representing a Population. Anshan ( Persian: انشان Anšan, modern Tall-i Malyan or Tepe Malyan, Iran) a site on the Iranian plateau Elam is the name of an ancient civilization located in what is now southwest Iran. Ashurbanipal ( Akkadian: Aššur-bāni-apli, " Ashur has made a son" or "Ashur created an heir" (b The kingdom of Anšan and its successors continued to use Elamite as an official language for quite some time after this, although the new dynasts spoke Persian, an Indo-Iranian tongue. Elamite is an Extinct language, which was spoken by the ancient Elamites. The Indo-Iranian language group constitutes the easternmost extant branch of the Indo-European family of languages

Teispes' descendants may have branched off into two lines, one line ruling in Anshan, while the other ruled the rest of Persia. Cyrus II the Great (Kuruš) united the separate kingdoms around 559 BC. At this time, the Persians were still tributary to the Median Empire ruled by Astyages. The Medes were an ancient Iranian people who lived in the northwestern portions of present-day Iran. Astyages ( Persian: ایشتوویگو ( Ištovigu) spelled by Herodotus as Astyages by Ctesias as Astyigas; by Diodorus Cyrus rallied the Persians together, and in 550 BC defeated the forces of Astyages, who was then captured by his own nobles and turned over to the triumphant Cyrus, now Shah of a unified Persian kingdom. Shah is an Iranian term for a Monarch (leader that has been adopted in many other languages As Persia assumed control over the rest of Media and their large empire, Cyrus led the united Medes and Persians to still more conquest. He took Lydia in Asia Minor, and carried his arms eastward into central Asia. Defining Lydia Aside from a legend related by Herodotus, who states that the name Lydia came from king Lydus at the time of the fall of Troy Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south Finally in 539 BC, Cyrus marched triumphantly into the ancient city of Babylon. Babylon was a City-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which can be found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq After this victory, he set the standards of a benevolent conqueror by issuing the Cyrus Cylinder, the first charter of human rights. The Cyrus cylinder, also known as the Cyrus the Great cylinder, is a document issued by the Persian emperor Cyrus the Great in the form of a clay Human rights refers to the "basic Rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled Cyrus was killed in 530 BC during a battle against the Massagetae or Sakas. The Massageteans ( Massagetai; Massagetae or Massagetaeans were an Iranian people of antiquity known primarily from the writings of Herodotus The Sakas ( English form of Old Iranian Sakā, Nominative plural masculine case; Ancient Greek Σάκαι,

Cyrus's son, Cambyses II (Kambūjiya), annexed Egypt to the Achaemenid Empire. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The empire then reached its greatest extent under Darius I (Dāryavuš). Darius I the Great (c 549 BC&ndash486 BC 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎺𐎢𐏁 Dārayavahuš: "Possessing goodness" Having ascended to power amidst controversy and bloodshed He led conquering armies into the Indus River valley and into Thrace in Europe. The Indus River { Sanskrit: सिन्धु Sindhu; Urdu: urd {{Nastaliq سندھ}} Sindh; Sindhi: snd Thrace (Тракия Trakiya or "Trakija" or Trakia, Θράκη Thráki, Trakya is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe A punitive raid against Greece was halted at the Battle of Marathon. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία The Battle of Marathon ( Greek: Μάχη τοῡ Μαραθῶνος Machē tou Marathōnos) during the Greco-Persian Wars took place in 490 A larger invasion by his son, Xerxes I (Xšayārša), would have initial success at the Battle of Thermopolae. Xerxes I of Persia was a King of Persia (reigned 485–465 BC of the Achaemenid dynasty. In the Battle of Thermopylae, which occurred in August 480 BC (and was detailed almost entirely by Herodotus) an alliance of Greek City-states fought Following the destruction of his navy at the Battle of Salamis, Xerxes would withdraw most of his forces from Greece. The Battle of Salamis ( Ancient Greek:) was a decisive naval battle between the Greek City-states and Persia in September 480 BC in the The remnant of his army in Greece commanded by General Mardonius was ultimately defeated at the Battle of Plataea in 479 BC. This page is about the historical figure for the Millipede Genus, see Mardonius (genus Mardonius (d The Battle of Plataea was the final major Battle of the Greco-Persian Wars in southern Greece.

Darius divided his realm into twenty-three satrapies (provinces) supervised by satraps, or governors, many of whom had personal ties to the Shah. See also the related deity Satrapes. Satrap (Persian ساتراپ was the name given to the governors of the Provinces of ancient He instituted a systematic tribute to tax each province. He took the advanced postal system of the Assyrians and expanded it. Mail, or post, is a method for transmitting information and tangible objects wherein written Documents typically enclosed in Envelopes and also Also taken from the Assyrians was the usage of secret agents of the king, known as the King's Eyes and Ears, keeping him informed.

Darius improved the famous Royal Road and other ancient trade routes, thereby connecting far reaches of the empire. The Persian Royal Road was an ancient highway reorganized and rebuilt by the Persian king Darius I of Achaemenid Empire in the 5th Century BC He may have moved the administration center from Fars itself to Susa, near Babylon and closer to the center of the realm. Susa ( Biblical שושן ( Shushan) also Greek: Σοῦσα Transliterated as Sousa; Latin Susa) The Persians allowed local cultures to survive, following the precedent set by Cyrus the Great. This was not only good for the empire's subjects, but ultimately benefited the Achaemenids, because the conquered peoples felt no need to revolt.

Persian and Median soldiers with Farvahar in center. The faravahar or farohar (transliteration varies is one of the best-known symbols of Zoroastrianism.

It may have been during the Achaemenid period that Zoroastrianism reached South-Western Iran, where it came to be accepted by the rulers and through them became a defining element of Persian culture. Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings The religion was not only accompanied by a formalization of the concepts and divinities of the traditional (Indo-)Iranian pantheon, but also introduced several novel ideas, including that of free will, which is arguably Zoroaster's greatest contribution to religious philosophy. Free will might be a good model for a longer lead--> Free will in theology is an important part of the debate on Free will in general Zoroaster ( Latinized from Greek variants) or Zarathushtra (from Avestan Zaraθuštra) also referred to as Zartosht (زرتشت Under the patronage of the Achaemenid kings, and later as the de-facto religion of the state, Zoroastrianism would reach all corners of the empire. In turn, Zoroastrianism would be subject to the first syncretic influences, in particular from the Semitic lands to the west, from which the divinities of the religion would gain astral and planetary aspects and from where the temple cult originates. It was also during the Achaemenid era that the sacerdotal Magi would exert their influence on the religion, introducing many of the practices that are today identified as typically Zoroastrian, but also introducing doctrinal modifications that are today considered to be revocations of the original teachings of the prophet. The Magi (singular Magus, from Latin via Greek μάγος; Old English: Mage; from Persian maguš and Kurdish

The Achaemenid Empire united people and kingdoms from every major civilization in south West Asia and North East Africa.

Hellenistic Persia (330 BC–250 BC)

Main article: Seleucid Empire

The Achaemenid dynasty never managed to conquer Greece, but often supported one side or the other in wars between the individual Greek states. The Seleucid Empire /sə'lusɪd/ ( 312 - 63 BC) was a Hellenistic empire i The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions However, the Achaemenid Empire's weakness was exposed to the Greeks in 401 BC, when a rebel prince, Cyrus the Younger, hired thousands of Greek mercenaries to help secure his claim to the imperial throne (see Xenophon, Anabasis). Cyrus (Kuruš the Younger, son of Darius II of Persia (Dārayavahuš and Parysatis, was a Persian prince and General. Xenophon (Ancient Greek, Modern Greek "Ξενοφών" "Ξενοφώντας" ca This army (known as the Ten thousand) marched all the way into the heart of Persia and back again. This demonstrated the military problems of the Achaemenid forces when dealing with the highly effective greek phalanx. (A densely packed unit of men armed with long pikes or spears)

Philip II of Macedon managed to unify most of Greece and the balkans under his control, and decided to take advantage of Achaemenid weakness when, after the death of Artaxerxes (Artaxšaçrā) III Ochus in 338 BC, the Persian Empire had no strong leader. Philip II of Macedon, ( Greek: Φίλιππος Β' ο Μακεδών &mdash φίλος = friend + ίππος = Horse Artaxerxes III of Persia ( Ca 425 BC &ndash 338 BC ( Old Persian: 𐎠𐎼𐎫𐎧𐏁𐏂𐎠 transliterated as Artaxšaçrā) was the Great On Philip's death in 336 BC, his son and heir Alexander continued the attack on the Empire. Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' He turned out to be one of the most effective generals in history. The Achaemenid monarch, Darius III was an aged man with a reputation for bravery gained in his youth, but in the event was no match for Alexander. Darius III ( Artashata) (c 380&ndash330 BC Persian داریوش Dāriūš dɔːriˈuːʃ was the last king of the Achaemenid Empire of Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' Against the highly professional Macedonian standing army; Persia, the greatest empire of the age collapsed in only eight years.

Alexander landed in Asia Minor in 334 BC. His armies quickly swept through Lydia, Phoenicia, and Egypt, before defeating Darius III at Gaugamela (331 BC) and capturing the capital at Susa. Darius III ( Artashata) (c 380&ndash330 BC Persian داریوش Dāriūš dɔːriˈuːʃ was the last king of the Achaemenid Empire of The last Achaemenid resistance was at the "Persian Gates" between Susa and near the royal palace at Persepolis. Persian Gates was the ancient name of the pass now known as Tang-e Meyran, connecting Yasuj with Sedeh to the east crossing the border of the modern Persepolis ( Old Persian: Pārsa, Modern Persian: تخت جمشید/پارسه Takht-e Jamshid or Chehel Minar) was the ceremonial The Achaemenid Empire was now in Alexander's hands.

Eastern Hemisphere, 323 BC.

Along his route of conquest, Alexander founded many colony cities, often named "Alexandria". For the next several centuries, these cities served to greatly extend Greek, or Hellenistic, culture in Persia. This article focuses on the cultural aspects of the Hellenistic age for the historical aspects see Hellenistic period.

Alexander's empire broke up shortly after his death, and Alexander's general, Seleucus I Nicator, tried to take control of Persia, Mesopotamia, and later Syria and Asia Minor. Seleucus I (surnamed for later generations Nicator, Greek: Σέλευκος Νικάτωρ, i His ruling family is known as the Seleucid Dynasty. The Seleucid Empire /sə'lusɪd/ ( 312 - 63 BC) was a Hellenistic empire i However he was killed in 281 BC by Ptolemy Keraunos before he could conquer Greece and Macedonia. Ptolemy Keraunos ( Greek Πτολεμαίος Κεραυνός - 279 BC was the King of Macedon from 281 BC to 279 BC

Greek colonization continued until around 250 BC; Greek language, philosophy, and art came with the colonists. Throughout Alexander's former empire, Greek became the common tongue of diplomacy and literature. Trade with China had begun in Achaemenid times along the so-called Silk Road; but during the Hellenistic period it began in earnest. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The Silk Road, or Silk Routes, are an extensive interconnected network of Trade routes across the Asian continent connecting East South and Western Asia with the The overland trade brought about some fascinating cultural exchanges. Buddhism came in from India, while Zoroastrianism traveled west to influence Judaism. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Incredible statues of the Buddha in classical Greek styles have been found in Persia and Afghanistan, illustrating the mix of cultures that occurred around this time (See Greco-Buddhism), although it is possible that Greco-Buddhist art dates from Achaemenid times when Greek artists worked for the Persians. Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder Greco-Buddhism, sometimes spelt Graeco-Buddhism, refers to the cultural Syncretism between Hellenistic culture and Buddhism, which developed

Although recently discovered cuneiform evidence (e. g. , the Babylonian Chronicles from the Hellenistic Period) show how much continuity there was in the Eastern civilization, it can not be denied that the Seleucid kingdom began to decline after about a century. The Babylonian Chronicles are series of tablets recording major events in Babylonian history The eastern provinces of Bactria and Parthia broke off in 238 BC. "Bactrian" redirects here For the camel see Bactrian camel. Parthia ( Middle Persian: اشکانیان Ashkâniân) was an Iranian civilization situated in the northeastern part of modern Iran King Antiochus III's military leadership kept Parthia from overrunning Persia itself, but when he tried to intervene in Greece, his successes alarmed the burgeoning Roman Republic. Antiochus III the Great, ( Greek; ca 241&ndash187 BC ruled 222&ndash187 BC younger son of Seleucus II Callinicus The Roman Republic was the phase of the ancient Roman civilization characterized by a Republican form of government a period which began with the overthrow of the Roman legions began to attack the kingdom. At the same time, the Seleucids had to contend with the revolt of the Maccabees in Judea and the expansion of the Kushan Empire to the east. The Maccabees ( Hebrew: מכבים or מקבים, Makabim or Maqabim; Greek Μακκαβαῖοι, /makav'εï/ were The Kushan Empire (c 1st &ndash 3rd centuries) was a Bactrian state that at its cultural zenith Circa 105 &ndash 250 The empire fell apart and was conquered by Parthia and Rome.

Parthians (250 BC–AD 226)

Main article: Parthia

Parthia. Parthia ( Middle Persian: اشکانیان Ashkâniân) was an Iranian civilization situated in the northeastern part of modern Iran

Metallic statue of a Parthian prince (thought to be Surena), AD 100, kept at The National Museum of Iran, Tehran. Parthia ( Middle Persian: اشکانیان Ashkâniân) was an Iranian civilization situated in the northeastern part of modern Iran Surena may refer to either a noble family of Parthia also known as the House of Suren, or to a renowned 1st century BCE General Surena who was Tehran (or Teheran) ( Persian: تهران Tehrān) is the capital and largest City of Iran, and the administrative center of

Its rulers, the Arsacid dynasty, belonged to an Iranian tribe that had settled there during the time of Alexander. They declared their independence from the Seleucids in 238 BC, but their attempts to unify Iran were thwarted until after Mithridates I advent to the Parthian throne in about 170 BC. Mithridates I (B 195 BC? D 138 BC was the "Great King" of Parthia from ca

The Parthian Confederacy shared a border with Rome along the upper Euphrates River. The two polities became major rivals, especially over control of Armenia. Heavily-armoured Parthian cavalry (cataphracts) supported by mounted archers proved a match for Roman legions, as in the Battle of Carrhae in which the Parthian General Surena defeated Marcus Licinius Crassus of Rome. A cataphract was a form of Heavy cavalry used by nomadic eastern Iranian tribes and dynasties and later Ancient Greeks and Romans. The Battle of Carrhae in 53 BC was a decisive victory for the Parthian Spahbod Surena over the Roman general Crassus near Surena may refer to either a noble family of Parthia also known as the House of Suren, or to a renowned 1st century BCE General Surena who was Marcus Licinius Crassus ( Latin: M·LICINIVS·P·F·P·N·CRASSVS (ca Wars were very frequent, with Mesopotamia serving as the battleground. Mesopotamia (from the Greek meaning "land between the rivers" is an area geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers largely corresponding

During the Parthian period, Hellenistic customs partially gave way to a resurgence of Iranian culture. However, the area lacked political unity, and the vassalary structure that the Arsacids had adopted from the Seleucids left the Parthians in a constant state of war with one seceding vassal or the other. By the 1st century BC, Parthia was decentralized, ruled by feudal nobles. Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed Wars with Romans to the west and the Kushan Empire to the northeast drained the country's resources. The Kushan Empire (c 1st &ndash 3rd centuries) was a Bactrian state that at its cultural zenith Circa 105 &ndash 250

Parthia, now impoverished and without any hope to recover the lost territories, was demoralized. The kings had to give more concessions to the nobility, and the vassal kings sometimes refused to obey. Parthia's last ruler Artabanus IV had an initial success in putting together the crumbling state. Artabanus IV of Parthia ruled the Parthian Empire from 216 to 224 However, the fate of the Arsacid Dynasty was doomed when in AD 224, the Persian vassal king Ardashir revolted. Ardashir I, founder of the Sassanid dynasty, was ruler of Istakhr (206-241 subsequently Persia Two years later, he took Ctesiphon, and this time, it meant the end of Parthia. For the Spanish saint see Ctesiphon of Vergium. Ctesiphon (قطسيفون تیسفون was one of the great cities of the Persian Empire It also meant the beginning of the second Persian Empire, ruled by the Sassanid kings. Sassanids were from the province of Persis, native to the first Persian Empire, the Achaemenids.

Sassanid Empire (226–651)

Main article: Sassanid Empire

The Sassanid Persian Empire in 610. The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire

Persia and its neighbors in AD 600.

The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty (Persian: ساسانیان, pronounced [sɒsɒnijɒn]) is the name used for the fourth imperial Iranian dynasty, and the second Persian Empire (226–651). The Iranian people are a collection of Ethnic groups defined along linguistic lines as speaking Iranian languages. A dynasty is a succession of rulers who belong to the same family for generations The Sassanid dynasty was founded by Ardashir I after defeating the last Parthian (Arsacid) king, Artabanus IV (Persian: اردوان Ardavan) and ended when the last Sassanid Shahanshah (King of Kings), Yazdegerd III (632–651), lost a 14-year struggle to drive out the early Islamic Caliphate, the first of the Islamic empires. Ardashir I, founder of the Sassanid dynasty, was ruler of Istakhr (206-241 subsequently Persia Artabanus IV of Parthia ruled the Parthian Empire from 216 to 224 Shah is an Iranian term for a Monarch (leader that has been adopted in many other languages Yazdgerd III (also spelled Yazdegerd or Yazdiger, Persian: یزدگرد سوم "made by God") was the twenty-ninth and last king of A caliphate (from the Arabic خلافة or khilāfa) is the political leadership of the Muslim community in classical and medieval Islamic history For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation.

Ardashir I led a rebellion against the Parthian Confederacy in an attempt to revive the glory of the previous empire and to legitimize the Hellenized form of Zoroastrianism practised in southwestern Iran. Ardashir I, founder of the Sassanid dynasty, was ruler of Istakhr (206-241 subsequently Persia Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings In two years he was the Shah of a new Persian Empire. Shah is an Iranian term for a Monarch (leader that has been adopted in many other languages

The Sassanid dynasty (also Sassanian, named for Ardashir's grandfather) was the first dynasty native to the Pars province since the Achaemenids; thus they saw themselves as the successors of Darius and Cyrus. The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire They pursued an aggressive expansionist policy. They recovered much of the eastern lands that the Kushans had taken in the Parthian period. The Sassanids continued to make war against Rome; a Persian army even captured the Roman Emperor Valerian in 260. The Roman Emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period (starting at about 27 BC For other uses see Valerian. Publius Licinius Valerianus (c 200 - after 260 commonly known in English as Valerian

The Sassanid Empire, unlike Parthia, was a highly centralized state. Brain Wajda, the captain of the King's Guard and Supreme Commander of the Persian Army, held the people in order. The people were rigidly organized into a caste system: Priests, Soldiers, Scribes, and Commoners. Zoroastrianism was finally made the official state religion, and spread outside Persia proper and out into the provinces. There was sporadic persecution of other religions. The Eastern Orthodox Church was particularly persecuted, but this was in part due to its ties to the Roman Empire. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world The Nestorian Christian church was tolerated and sometimes even favored by the Sassanids. The Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East (ܥܕܬܐ ܩܕܝܫܬܐ ܘܫܠܝܚܝܬܐ ܩܬܘܠܝܩܝ ܕܡܕܢܚܐ ܕܐܬܘܪ̈ܝܐ ‘Ittā Qaddishtā wa-Shlikhāitā Qattoliqi

The wars and religious control that had fueled the Sassanid Empire's early successes eventually contributed to its decline. The eastern regions were conquered by the White Huns in the late 5th century. The Huna (also known as Indo-Hephthalites or Alchon) as they were known in South Asia, seem to have been part of the Hephthalite group who Adherents of a radical religious sect, the Mazdakites, revolted around the same time. Mazdak (in Persian مزدک (died c 524 or 528 was a proto- socialist Persian reformer who gained influence under the reign of the Sassanian Khosrau I was able to recover his empire and expand into the Christian countries of Antioch and Yemen. Khosrau I or Khosrow I ( Chosroes I in classical sources most commonly known in Persian as Anushirvan, Persian انوشيروان meaning Antioch on the Orontes (Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Δάφνῃ Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου or Ἀντιόχεια ἡ Μεγάλη Antiochia ad Orontem also Yemen ( Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman officially the Republic of Yemen ( Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhuuriyya Between 605 and 629, Sassanids successfully annexed Levant and Roman Egypt and pushed into Anatolia. Ægyptus redirects here See Egypt Province for the province of the Ottoman Empire

However, a subsequent war with the Romans utterly destroyed the empire. In the course of the protracted conflict, Sassinid armies reached Constantinople, but could not defeat the Byzantines there. Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS Meanwhile, the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius had successfully outflanked the Persian armies in Asia Minor and attacked the empire from the rear while the main Iranian army along with its top Eran Spahbods were far from battlefields. Heraclius, or Herakleios (Flavius Heraclius Augustus;) (c 575 - February 11, 641) was a Byzantine Emperor, who ruled the East Spahbod or Spahbed ( Persian: سپهبد in Modern Persian Sepahbod, is derived from the words Spah سپه army bod This resulted in a crushing defeat for Sassanids in Northern Mesopotamia. The Sassanids had to give up all their conquered lands and retreat.

Following the advent of Islam and collapse of Sassanid Empire, Persians came under the subjection of Arab rulers for almost two centuries before native Persian dynasties could gradually drive them out. The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire In this period a number of small and numerically inferior Arab tribes migrated to inland Iran. ^[7]

Also some Turkic tribes settled in Persia between the 9th and 12th centuries. The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family ^[8]

In time these peoples were integrated into numerous Persian populations and adopted Persian culture and language while Persians retained their culture with minimal influence from outside. To best understand Iran and its people one must first attempt to acquire an understanding of its ancient culture ^[9]

Conquest of Persia by Muslim immigration

Main article: Islamic conquest of Persia

Further information: Samanids

The explosive growth of the Arab Caliphate coincided with the chaos caused by the defeat of Sassanids in wars with the Byzantine Empire. The Islamic conquest of Persia (633–656 led to the end of the Sassanid Empire and the eventual extirpation of the Zoroastrian religion in Persia The Samanids (819–999 ( Sāmāniyān) were a Persian dynasty in Central Asia and Greater Khorasan, named after its founder Saman The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding A caliphate (from the Arabic خلافة or khilāfa) is the political leadership of the Muslim community in classical and medieval Islamic history The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire Most of the country was conquered between 643 and 650 with the Battle of Nihawand marking the total collapse of the Sassanids. The Battle of Nihawānd was fought in 642 between Arab and Sassanid armies ^[10]

Yazdgerd III, the last Sassanid emperor, died ten years after he lost his empire to the newly-formed Muslim Caliphate. Yazdgerd III (also spelled Yazdegerd or Yazdiger, Persian: یزدگرد سوم "made by God") was the twenty-ninth and last king of A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion He tried to recover some of what he lost with the help of the Turks, but they were easily defeated by Muslim armies. Göktürks ( Turkish: Gök Türkler) were a Turkic people of ancient Central Asia. Then he sought the aid of the Chinese Tang dynasty. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by However, the Chinese help did not avail and Arab muslims ultimately defeated the Chinese forces in the battle of Talas, a century after Yazdgerd's death. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion The Battle of Talas in 751 CE was a conflict between the Arab Abbasid Caliphate and the Chinese Tang Dynasty for control Yazdgerd III (also spelled Yazdegerd or Yazdiger, Persian: یزدگرد سوم "made by God") was the twenty-ninth and last king of The Umayyads would rule Persia for a hundred years. The Arab conquest dramatically changed life in Persia. Arabic became the new lingua franca, Islam eventually replaced Zoroastrianism, and mosques were built. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language A lingua franca (from Italian, literally meaning Frankish language, see etymology under Sabir and Italian below is any Language widely A new language, religion, and culture were added to the Iranian cultural milieu.

In 750 the Umayyads were ousted from power by the Abbasid dynasty. By that time, Persians had come to play an important role in the bureaucracy of the empire ^[11]. The caliph Al-Ma'mun, whose mother was Persian, moved his capital away from Arab lands into Merv in eastern Iran. Abu Jafar al-Ma'mun ibn Harun (also spelled Almamon and el-Mâmoûn) ( September 14, 786 &ndash August 9, 833) (المأمون Merv ( Russian: Мерв from Persian: مرو Marv, sometimes transliterated Marw or Mary; cf In 819, Samanids carved out a semi-independent state in eastern Persia to become the first native rulers after the Arabic conquest. The Samanids (819–999 ( Sāmāniyān) were a Persian dynasty in Central Asia and Greater Khorasan, named after its founder Saman The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Despite having roots in Zoroastrianism theocratic nobility, they embraced Islam and propagated the religion deep into the heart of Central Asia. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south They made Samarqand, Bukhara and Herat their capitals and revived the Persian language and culture. Samarkand (Samarqand Самарқанд سمرقند UniPers: "Samarqand" is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of Bukhara (Buxoro Бухоро بُخارا Бухара also spelled as Bukhoro and Bokhara, from the Soghdian βuxārak ("lucky area3018 sq mi Herāt ( classically called the Aria, is a city in western Afghanistan, in the province also known as Herāt. The Samanid rulers displayed tolerance toward religious minorities as Zoroastrian clerics compiled and authored major religious texts, such as the Denkard, in Pahlavi. Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings The Dēnkard or Dēnkart ( Middle Persian: "Acts of Religion" is a 10th century compendium of the Mazdaen Zoroastrian beliefs and customs Middle Persian literature is Persian literature of the 1st millennium AD, especially of the Sassanid period It was approximately during this age, when the poet Firdawsi finished the Shahnameh, an epic poem retelling the history of the Iranian kings. Hakīm Abū l-Qāsim Firdawsī Tūsī ( more commonly transliterated as Ferdowsi, (935&ndash1020 was a highly revered Persian Poet. Shāhnāmé, or Shāhnāma ((alternative spellings are Shahnama Shahnameh Shahname Shah-Nama, etc This epic was completed by AD 1008.

Persia in AD 900 AD, divided between the Samanids, Saffarids, and Abbasids. The Samanids (819–999 ( Sāmāniyān) were a Persian dynasty in Central Asia and Greater Khorasan, named after its founder Saman The Saffarid dynasty ( Persian: سلسله صفاریان ruled a empire in Sistan, which is a historical region now in southeastern Iran and southwestern

In 913, western Persia was conquered by the Buwayhid, a Deylamite tribal confederation from the shores of the Caspian Sea. The Buyids (آل بویه Āl-e Buye, Caspian: Bowyiyün also known as Buwaihids or Buyyids, were a Shī‘ah Iranian Deylam is a Port city and the Capital city of Deylam County in Bushehr Province in southwestern Iran. The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged Sea. They made the city of Shiraz their capital. Shiraz ( شیراز Shīrāz) is the fifth most populated city in Iran and the capital of Fars Province. The Buwayhids destroyed Islam's former territorial unity. Rather than a province of a united Muslim empire, Iran became one nation in an increasingly diverse and cultured Islamic world.

Turco-Persian rule (1037–1219)

Main article: Seljuq dynasty

The Muslim world was shaken again in 1037 with the invasion of the Seljuk Turks from the northeast. The Seljuq (also Seljuq Turks, Seldjuks, Seldjuqs, Seljuks; in Turkish Selçuklular; in Ṣaljūqīyān; in The Seljuq (also Seljuq Turks, Seldjuks, Seldjuqs, Seljuks; in Turkish Selçuklular; in Ṣaljūqīyān; in The Seljuks created a very large Middle Eastern empire. The Seljuks built the fabulous Friday Mosque in the city of Isfahan. Esfahān or Isfahan (historically also rendered as Ispahan or Hispahan, Old Persian: Aspadana, Middle Persian: Spahān The famous Persian mathematician and poet, Omar Khayyám, wrote his Rubaiyat during Seljuk times. For the Thoroughbred racehorse see Omar Khayyam (horse Ghiyās od-Dīn Abol-Fath Omār ibn Ebrāhīm Khayyām Neyshābūri (غیاث الدین Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam ( Persian: رباعیات عمر خیام The Rubáiyát ( Arabic: رباعیات is a collection of Poems

In the early 13th century the Seljuks lost control of Persia to another group of Turks from Khwarezmia, near the Aral Sea. The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family Khwarezm were a series of States centered on the Amu Darya River delta of the The Aral Sea ( Kazakh: Арал Теңізі Aral Tengizi, Orol dengizi Russian: Аральскοе мοре Tajik / Persian: Daryocha-i The Shahs of the Khwarezmid Empire later ruled. Shah is an Iranian term for a Monarch (leader that has been adopted in many other languages The Khwarezmian Empire, more commonly known as the empire of the Khwarezm Shahs ( Khwārezmšhāḥīān, "Kings of Khwarezmia "

Mongols and their successors (1219–1500)

Main articles: Ilkhanate and Timurid dynasty

Mosques with Persian names and designs in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and India illustrate just how far east Persian culture extended due to their conquests. The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate or Il Khanate (Ил Хан улс Il Khan uls;) was a Mongol Khanate established in The Timurids, self-designated Gurkānī ( were a Persianate Central Asian Sunni Muslim dynasty Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Tajikistan (təˈdʒɪkɨstæn or /təˈdʒiːkɨstæn/ Тоҷикистон tɔʤikɪsˈtɔn or, Persian تاجیکستان‎ taajikestaan officially the Republic of Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси is a doubly India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The actual architectural domed design of Mosques were borrowed from the Sassanid era, which then spilled into the Muslim world. The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire

In 1218, Genghis Khan sent ambassadors and merchants to the city of Otrar, on the northeastern confines of the Khwarizm shahdom. Genghis Khan ( or;, Chinggis Khaan, ʧiŋgɪs χaːŋ Činggis Qaɣan; 1162–1227 born (meaning "ironworker" was the Mongol founder Otrar or Utrar (also called Farab) is a Central Asian Ghost town that was a city located along the Silk Road near the current town of Karatau The governor of Otrar had these envoys executed. Genghis attacked Otrar in 1219, Samarkand and other cities of the northeast. Samarkand (Samarqand Самарқанд سمرقند UniPers: "Samarqand" is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of

Genghis' grandson, Hulagu Khan, finished the invasions that Genghis had begun when he defeated Khwarzim Empire, Baghdad, and much of the rest of the Middle East from 1255 to 1258. This article is about the founder of the Ilkhanate For the head of the Chagatai khanate please see Qara Hülëgü Hulagu Khan, also known as The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. Persia temporarily became the Ilkhanate, a division of the vast Mongol Empire. The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate or Il Khanate (Ил Хан улс Il Khan uls;) was a Mongol Khanate established in The Mongol Empire ( Mongolyn Ezent Güren or mn Их Mонгол улс Ikh Mongol Uls; 1206–1368 was the largest contiguous Empire

In 1295, after Ilkhan Mahmud Ghazan converted to Islam, he renounced all allegiance to the Emperor Chengzong of Yuan China who had recently succeeded his grandfather Kublai Khan as Great Khan. Mahmud Ghazan or Qazaan the Khan of the Tartars (original Mongol name Ghazan Khan, Ch合贊 b Early career Kublai ordered him to guard the Liao River area and Liaodong in the east from Nayan (Naiyan and other rival relatives in 1287 Early years Kublai Khan studied Chinese culture and became enamoured of it The Ilkhans patronized the arts and learning in the fine tradition of Iranian Islam; indeed, they helped to repair much of the damage of the Mongol conquests.

In 1335, the death of Abu Sa'id, the last well-recognized Ilkhan, spelled the end of the Ilkhanate. Abu Sa'id ( June 2, 1305 Ujan &ndash December 1, 1335) also Abusaid Bahador Khan, Abu Sayed Behauder) was the ninth ruler Though Arpa Ke'un was declared Ilkhan his authority was disputed and the Ilkhanate was splintered into a number of small states. Arpa Ke'un (d 1336 was an Ilkhan (1335-1336 during the disintegration of the Mongol state in Persia. This left Persia vulnerable to conquest at the hands of Timur the Lame or Tamerlane, a Central Asian conqueror seeking to revive the Mongol Empire. Timur also written Emir Timur or Amir Temur ( Chagatai: تیمور - Tēmōr " Iron " (1336 – 19 February 1405 among He ordered the attack of Persia beginning around 1370 and robbed the region until his death in 1405. Timur is known for his brutality; in Isfahan, for instance, he was responsible for the murder of 70,000 people so that he could build towers with their skulls. Esfahān or Isfahan (historically also rendered as Ispahan or Hispahan, Old Persian: Aspadana, Middle Persian: Spahān He conquered a wide area and made his own city of Samarkand rich, but he made no effort to forge a lasting empire. The Persian Empire was essentially in ruins.

For the next hundred years Persia was not a unified state. It was ruled for a while by descendants of Timur, called the Timurid emirs. The Timurids, self-designated Gurkānī ( were a Persianate Central Asian Sunni Muslim dynasty Emir ( Arabic: ar أمير;, female أميرة; emira;) ( Farsi and Urdu: امیر) Toward the end of the 15th century, Persia was taken over by the Emirate of the White Sheep Turkmen (Ak Koyunlu). The Ak Koyunlu or Aq Qoyunlu, also called the White Sheep Turkomans ( Turkmen: Akgoýunly, Azeri: Ağqoyunlu, But there was little unity and none of the sophistication that had defined Iran during the glory days of Islam.

Safavid Persian Dynasty (1500–1722)

Main article: Safavid Dynasty

Naghsh-i Jahan Square is one of the many monuments built during the Safavid era. The Safavids ( صفوی) were an Iranian ref>Helen Chapin Metz Naghsh-e Jahan Square ( Persian: ميدان نقش جهان maidaan-e naqsh-e jehaan) is situated at the center of Isfahan city Iran

Persian art and architecture reached an apex during the reign of the Safavid dynasty.

The Safavid Dynasty hailed from the town of Ardabil in the region of Azarbaijan. The Safavids ( صفوی) were an Iranian ref>Helen Chapin Metz Ardabil ( Persian and Azeri: اردبیل also known as Ardebil; Old Persian: Artavil This article is about the region in Iran for other uses see Azerbaijan (disambiguation. The Safavid Shah Ismail I overthrew the White Sheep (Akkoyunlu) Turkish rulers of Persia to found a new native Persian empire. Ismail expanded Persia to include all of present-day Azerbaijan, Iran, and Iraq, plus much of Afghanistan. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Ismail's expansion was halted by the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Chaldiran in 1514, and war with the Ottomans became a fact of life in Safavid Iran. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish The Battle of Chaldiran (also Chaldoran or Çaldıran) occurred on 23 August 1514 and ended with a decisive victory for the Ottoman Empire over

Safavid Persia was a violent and chaotic state for the next seventy years, but in 1588 Shah Abbas I of Safavid ascended to the throne and instituted a cultural and political renaissance. Shāh ‘Abbās I or Shāh ‘Abbās the Great ( (born January 27, 1571; died January 19, 1629) was Shah of Iran and the most eminent He moved his capital to Isfahan, which quickly became one of the most important cultural centers in the Islamic world. He made peace with the Ottomans. He reformed the army, drove the Uzbeks out of Iran and into modern-day Uzbekistan, and (with English help) recaptured the island of Hormuz from the Portuguese. The Uzbeks (Self designation sg O‘zbek, pl O‘zbeklar) are a Turkic people of Central Asia. Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси is a doubly Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Abdur Razzaq was the Persian ambassador to Calicut, India, and wrote vividly of his experiences there. Abdur Razzaq, also spelled Razzak, was an ambassador from Persia to Calicut, India, during the Vijayanagara empire in the 15th century WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> For the district with the same name see Kozhikode District. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country ^[12]

The Safavids were followers of Shi'a Islam, and under them Persia (Iran) became the largest Shi'a country in the Muslim world, a position Iran still holds today.

Under the Safavids Persia enjoyed its last period as a major imperial power. In 1639, a final border was agreed upon with the Ottoman Empire with the Treaty of Qasr-e Shirin; which delineates the border between the Republic of Turkey and Iran and also that of between Iraq and Iran, today. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches

Persia and Europe (1722–1914)

An 18th century Persian astrolabe. The astrolabe is a historical Astronomical instrument used by classical astronomers, Navigators Throughout the Middle Ages, the natural philosophy and mathematics of ancient Greeks were furthered and preserved within the Muslim world. For the current in the 19th century German idealism see Naturphilosophie Natural philosophy or the philosophy of nature (from Mathematics is the body of Knowledge and Academic discipline that studies such concepts as Quantity, Structure, Space and The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca During this period, Persia became a centre for the manufacture of scientific instruments, retaining its reputation for quality well into the 19th century. In the Physical sciences Quality assurance, and Engineering, Measurement is the activity of obtaining and comparing physical quantities

In 1722, the Safavid state collapsed. That year saw the first European invasion of Persia since the time of Heraclius: Peter the Great, Emperor of Imperial Russia, invaded from the northwest as part of a bid to dominate central Asia. At different times a ruler of the territory of modern Russia bore the title of Kniaz (translated as Duke or Prince) Velikiy Kniaz (translated The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya Ottoman forces accompanied the Russians, successfully laying siege to Isfahan.

The Russians conquered the city of Baku and its surroundings. The Turks also gained territory. However, the Safavids were severely weakened, and that same year (1722), the Afghans launched a bloody battle in response to the Safavids' attempts on trying to forcefully convert them from Sunni to Shi'a sect of Islam. Pashtuns ( Pashto: پښتون Paṣtūn, Paxtūn, also rendered as Pushtuns, Pakhtuns, Pukhtuns) also called Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic The last Safavid shah was executed, and the dynasty came to an end.

The Persian empire experienced a temporary revival under Nader Shah in the 1730s and 1740s. Nāder Shāh Afshār ( also known as Nāder Qoli Beg - نادر قلی بیگ or Tahmāsp Qoli Khān - تهماسپ قلی خان) (November Nadir checked the advances of the Russians and forced the Afghans to withdraw to their present borders. He also launched successful campaigns against Persia's old enemies, the nomadic khanates of Central Asia. In 1739, he attacked and looted Delhi, the capital of Moghul India. Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population The Mughal Empire ( Persian and self-designation گورکانی; مغلیہ سلطنت) was an Islamic imperial power which ruled most When Nadir Shah was assassinated by his loyal Qizilbash, his loyal Afghan general Ahmad Shah Abdali, who is also a famous poet of Pashto language, controlled most of Nadir Shah's Kingdom. Ahmad Shāh Durrānī (c1723-1773 ( also known as Ahmad Shāh Abdālī ( احمد شاه ابدالي) and born as Ahmad Khān Abdālī, Pashto ( Naskh: پښتو‎ pəʂ'to also rendered as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pushtu, also known as However, Ahmad Shah's successors could not keep the empire intact and lost most of the western parts of Persia to Zand dynasty. The Zand dynasty ( (سلسله زندیه ruled southern and central Iran ( 1750 &ndash 1794) in the eighteenth century Iran was left unprepared for the worldwide expansion of European colonial empires in the late 18th century and throughout the 19th century. This is a list of former European Colonies. North America France Canada (most of eastern and central Canada United

Persia found relative stability in the Qajar dynasty, ruling from 1779 to 1925, but lost hope to compete with the new industrial powers of Europe; Persia found itself sandwiched between the growing Russian Empire in Central Asia and the expanding British Empire in India. The Qajar dynasty (also known as Ghajar or Kadjar ( ( - or دودمان قاجار) is a common term to describe Iran (then known as Persia) under Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Each carved out pieces from the Persian empire that became Bahrain, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Georgia and Uzbekistan amongst other previous provinces. The Kingdom of Bahrain (in مملكة البحرين,, literally Kingdom of the Two Seas) is an Island country in the Persian Gulf Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South Turkmenistan ( Türkmenistan; also known as Turkmenia) is a Turkic country in Central Asia. Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси is a doubly

Although Persia was never directly invaded, it gradually became economically dependent on Europe. The Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907 formalised Russian and British spheres of influence over the north and south of the country, respectively, where Britain and Russia each created a "sphere of influence", where the colonial power had the final "say" on economic matters. The Anglo-Russian Entente or the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907 was an accord signed on 31 August 1907 in St A sphere of influence ( SOI) is an area or region over which an organization or state exerts some kind of indirect cultural economic military or political domination

At the same time Mozzafar-al-Din shah had granted a concession to William Knox D'Arcy, later the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, to explore and work the newly-discovered oil fields at Masjid Soleiman in southwest Persia, which started production in 1914. Mozaffar al-Din Shah Qajar, KG ( 25 March 1853 &ndash 7 January 1907) ( was the fifth Qajar dynasty Shah of The entrepreneur William Knox D'Arcy ( October 11, 1849 - May 1, 1917) was one of the principal founders of the oil and Petrochemical Masjed Soleiman (also transcribed as Masjid Soleyman and Masjid-e-Soleiman) (مسجد سلیمان in Persian) is a city in the Khuzestan Winston Churchill, as First Sea Lord to the British Admiralty, oversaw the conversion of the Royal Navy to oil-fired battleships and partially nationalized it prior to the start of war. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the Royal Navy and the whole Naval Service. The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) A small Anglo-Persian force was garrisoned there to protect the field from some hostile tribal factions.

See also: The Great Game

World War I and the interbellum (1914–1935)

Eram Garden, built in the Qajar era is an example of Persian architecture of that time. For the film see The Great Game (film The Great Game was a term used for the strategic rivalry and conflict between the British Empire Eram Garden is a famous historic Persian garden in Shiraz, Iran. The Qajar dynasty (also known as Ghajar or Kadjar ( ( - or دودمان قاجار) is a common term to describe Iran (then known as Persia) under

Persia was drawn into the periphery of World War I because of its strategic position between Afghanistan and the warring Ottoman, Russian, and British Empires. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. In 1914 Britain sent a military force to Mesopotamia to deny the Ottomans access to the Persian oilfields. Mesopotamia (from the Greek meaning "land between the rivers" is an area geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers largely corresponding The German Empire retaliated on behalf of its ally by spreading a rumour that Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany had converted to Islam, and sent agents through Iran to attack the oil fields and raise a Jihad against British rule in India. The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Jihad (جهاد ʤɪhæːd an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Most of those German agents were captured by Persian, British and Russian troops who were sent to patrol the Afghan border, and the rebellion faded away. This was followed by a German attempt, to abduct Ahmad Shah Qajar. Ahmad Shah Qajar (احمد شاه قاجار in Persian) ‎( January 21, 1898 - 21 February, 1930) was Shah of Persia This was foiled at the last moment.

In 1916 the fighting between Russian and Ottoman forces to the north of the country had spilled down into Persia; Russia gained the advantage until most of her armies collapsed in the wake of the Russian Revolution of 1917. See also Russian Revolution (1905 The Russian Revolution of 1916 refers to a series of popular revolutions in Russia, and the events surrounding them This left the Caucasus unprotected, and the Caucasian and Persian civilians starving after years of war and deprivation. The Caucasus ( also referred to as North Caucasus) is a geopolitical region located between Europe Asia & Middle East In 1918 a small force of 400 British troops under General Dunsterville moved into the Trans-Caucasus from Persia in a bid to encourage local resistance to German and Ottoman armies who were about to invade the Baku oilfields. General Lionel Charles Dunsterville (1865–1946 was a British general who led the so-called Dunsterforce across present-day Iran in an attempt to prevent an invasion Baku (Bakı sometimes known as Baqy, Baky, Baki or Bakü, is the capital the largest city and the largest port of Azerbaijan Although they later withdrew back into Persia, they did succeed in delaying the Turks access to the oil almost until the Armistice. An armistice is a situation where the warring parties agree to stop fighting In addition, the expedition’s supplies were used to avert a major famine in the region, and a camp for 30,000 displaced refugees was created near the Mesopotamian frontier.

In 1919, northern Persia was occupied by the British General William Edmund Ironside to enforce the Turkish Armistice conditions and assist General Dunsterville and Colonel Bicherakhov contain Bolshevik influence (of Mirza Kuchak Khan) in the north. Field Marshal William Edmund Ironside 1st Baron Ironside GCB, CMG, CBE, DSO ( 6 May 1880 - 22 September An armistice is a situation where the warring parties agree to stop fighting General Lionel Charles Dunsterville (1865–1946 was a British general who led the so-called Dunsterforce across present-day Iran in an attempt to prevent an invasion The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists ( Большевик Большевист (singular, derived from bolshe, "more" were a faction Mīrzā Kūchak Khān (میرزا كوچک خان (common alternative spellings Kouchek, Koochek, Kuchak, Kuchek, Kouchak, Britain also took tighter control over the increasingly lucrative oil fields.

In 1925, Reza Shah Pahlavi seized power from the Qajars and established the new Pahlavi dynasty, the last Persian monarchy before the establishment of the Islamic Republic. For the Afghan serial killer see Reza Khan (Taliban. Islamic Republic is the name given to several states in the Muslim world including the Islamic Republics of Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Mauritania However, Britain and the Soviet Union remained the influential powers in Persia into the early years of the Cold War. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the

On March 21, 1935, Iran was officially accepted as the new name of the country. Events 630 - Byzantine emperor Heraclius restores the True Cross to Jerusalem. Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. After Persian scholars' protests to this decision on the grounds that it represented a break with their classical past and seemed to be unduly influenced by the "Aryan" propaganda from Nazi Germany. In 1953 Mohammad Reza Shah announced both names "Iran" and "Persia" could be used.

Significance of history of Persia

The role of Persia (Iran) in history is highly significant; In fact, the German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel considered the ancient Persians to be the first historic people and stated thus: "In Persia first arises that light which shines itself and illuminates what is around. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. . . The principle of development begins with the history of Persia; this constitutes therefore the beginning of history". ^[13]

And Richard Nelson Frye further verifies:

"Few nations in the world present more of a justification for the study of history than Iran. Richard Nelson Frye (born c 1920 is an American scholar of Iranian and Central Asian Studies, and Aga Khan Professor Emeritus "^[14]

Timeline

Persia in fiction

• The Persian Empire is the seat of power for the sultan Shahryar, husband of Scheherazade in the 1001 Nights — though the tales themselves span from China to the Middle East and even parts of North Africa. Sultan (سلطان is an Islamic title with several historical meanings This is a list of characters within the Medieval collection of Middle Eastern Folk tales One Thousand and One Nights. Scheherazade (ʃəˌhɛrəˈzɑːd -ˈzɑːdə sometimes Scheherazadea, Persian transliteration Shahrazad or Shahrzād (شهرزاد Šahrzād
• Prince of Persia is a puzzle and action-based video game series set in a mythological version of Ancient Persia. Prince of Persia is an action-adventure Video game series created by Jordan Mechner.
• The historical fantasy The Dragon of the Ishtar Gate by L. Sprague de Camp is set in Babylon during the last few years of Xerxes I reign. Historical fantasy is a subgenre of Fantasy, related to Historical fiction. The Dragon of the Ishtar Gate is an Historical novel by L Sprague de Camp, first published in hardcover by Doubleday in 1961 Lyon Sprague de Camp, ( November 27 1907 – November 6 2000) was an American science fiction and fantasy author Xerxes I of Persia was a King of Persia (reigned 485–465 BC of the Achaemenid dynasty.
• The historical novel Creation by Gore Vidal, about a Persian diplomat who travels the known world studying religious beliefs on behalf of Darius the Great. An historical novel is a Novel in which the story is set among historical events or more generally in which the time of the action predates the lifetime of the Author Creation is an epic Historical fiction Novel by Gore Vidal which was published in 1981. Gore Vidal (born October 3 1925 ˌgɔər vɪˈdɑːl or /vɪˈdæl/ is an American Novelist, Screenwriter, Playwright, Darius I the Great (c 549 BC&ndash486 BC 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎺𐎢𐏁 Dārayavahuš: "Possessing goodness" Having ascended to power amidst controversy and bloodshed
• The Prince of Nothing books by R. Scott Bakker, set in a fictional land that draws influence from Hellenistic Greece, Scythia, and the Persian Empire. Prince of Nothing is a series of Fantasy books by the Canadian author R Richard Scott Bakker (born February 2, 1967, Simcoe Ontario) is a Canadian Fantasy Author. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία In Classical Antiquity, Scythia ( Greek Skuthia) was the area in Eurasia inhabited by the Scythians, from the 8th
• Gates of Fire, by Steven Pressfield and 300 by Frank Miller, about the Battle of Thermopylae. Gates of Fire is a 1998 historical fiction novel by Steven Pressfield that recounts the Battle of Thermopylae through Xeones a Spartan Steven Pressfield (born September 1943 in Port of Spain, Trinidad) is an American novelist and author of screenplays principally of Military Frank Miller (born January 27, 1957) is an American Writer, Artist and Film director best known for his dark
• Mary Renault's second book in her trilogy on Alexander the Great. Mary Renault (pronounced Ren-olt ( 4 September 1905 – 13 December 1983) born Mary Challans, was an English Writer Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' The Persian Boy, narrated by Bagoas set during Alexander the Great's reign of Persia. The Persian Boy is a 1972 Historical novel written by Mary Renault and narrated by Bagoas, a young Persian from an aristocratic family Bagoas (in Old Persian Bagoi) was a Eunuch in the Persian Empire in the 4th Century BCE
• Robert E. Howard's short story The Shadow of the Vulture, featuring Red Sonya, is set in the Safavid Dynasty, as she seeks vengeance on an Ottoman sultan. Robert Ervin Howard ( January 22 1906 &ndash June 11 1936) was an American pulp writer of Fantasy, "The Shadow of the Vulture" is a short story by Robert E Red Sonja, the She-Devil with a Sword, is a Fictional character, a Low fantasy Sword and sorcery heroine created by Roy Thomas The Safavids ( صفوی) were an Iranian ref>Helen Chapin Metz The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish It was published in The Magic Carpet Magazine, a magazine that was known for their stories set in the Orient. Oriental Stories later retitled The Magic Carpet Magazine, was a Pulp magazine of 1930-34 an offshoot of the famous Weird Tales
• Godless Man, by Paul Doherty - An historical mystery, set during the reign of Alexander the Great (who is also a major character). Paul C Doherty (born 1946 Middlesbrough) is an English Writer, with a doctorate in history from the University of Oxford, who writes historical Telamon, friend and physician of Alexander, must unravel the threatening murders by a high-ranking Persian spy only known as "the Centaur". Second part of a trilogy.
• Hadassah: One Night With the King by Tommy Tenney, tells the story of Esther, Queen of Persia. Tommy Tenney (born 1956) is an American preacher most famous for his message of "God Chasing"
• Gardens of Light by Amin Maalouf
• Persia: The Land of the Magi or the Home of the Wisemen by Samuel K. Amin Maalouf ( أمين معلوف) born 25 February, 1949 in Beirut, is a Lebanese Author. Nweeya
• The Sassanid Persian Empire was featured as the ally of Byzantium in the jointly written six book long Bellisarius Saga by David Drake and Eric Flint. This article is about the city See also Byzantine Empire. Byzantium ( Greek: Βυζάντιον Latin: la BYZANTIVM The Belisarius Series is an David Drake (born September 24, 1945) is an author of Science fiction and Fantasy literature Eric Flint (born 1947 is an American Alternate history and Fantasy author, editor, and e-publisher.
• The Battle of Thermopylae, part of the Persian invasion of Greece in 480 BC, is dramatically retold in Frank Miller's comic book (and subsequent film) 300 and features such historical figures as Persian King Xerxes I and Spartan King Leonidas I. In the Battle of Thermopylae, which occurred in August 480 BC (and was detailed almost entirely by Herodotus) an alliance of Greek City-states fought Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Frank Miller (born January 27, 1957) is an American Writer, Artist and Film director best known for his dark A comic book (often shortened to simply comic and sometimes called a comic paper or comic magazine) is a Magazine or Book of narrative 300 is a historically-inspired 1998 Comic book Limited series (later collected into a single hardcover volume) written and illustrated Xerxes I of Persia was a King of Persia (reigned 485–465 BC of the Achaemenid dynasty. The city of Sparta ( Doric Σπάρτα Attic Σπάρτη Leonidas ( Greek:; "Lion's son" "Lion-like" was a king of Sparta, the 17th of the Agiad line one of the sons
• Jamshid and the Lost Mountain of Light by Howard Lee - A children's book which draws heavily from Persian mythology

See also

• Iran
• Greater Iran
• History of Iran
• Geography of Iran
• Aryan
• Persian people
• Persian culture
• Persianization
• Science in Persia
• List of kings of Persia
• List of Iranian scientists
• List of monarchies
• Capitals of Persia
• Prince of Persia (video game)
• Wildlife of Iran

References

• Stronach, David "Darius at Pasargadae: A Neglected Source for the History of Early Persia," Topoi
• Abdolhossein Zarinkoob, Ruzgaran: tarikh-i Iran az aghz ta saqut saltnat Pahlvi Sukhan, 1999. Howard Lee is the name of Howard Nathaniel Lee (born July 28, 1934) North Carolina politician For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Greater Iran (in Irān-e Bozorg, or fa ایران‌زمین Irān-zamīn; the Encyclopedia Iranica uses the term See Also Persian Empire History of Iran and Greater Iran (also referred to as the " Iranian Cultural Continent Iran is situated in Southwest Asia, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Aryan is an English word derived from the Sanskrit " Ārya " meaning "noble" or "honorable" layout and formatting it should ensure no clashes with the top of the infobox To best understand Iran and its people one must first attempt to acquire an understanding of its ancient culture Persianization or Persianisation is a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-Persian becomes Persian. Science and technology in Iran, formerly known as Persia, have a history like the country itself The following is a comprehensive list of kings of Persia, which includes all of the empires ruling over geographical Iran Classical (pre-modern Era The following is a non-comprehensive list of Iranian scientists and engineers that lived from antiquity up until the beginning of the modern There are and were a very large number of monarchies in the world Regional and Imperial capitals of Persia in history Ardabil, Safavid Babylon, Achaemenid era Baghdad Prince of Persia is an action-adventure Video game series created by Jordan Mechner. Wildlife of Iran includes its Flora and Fauna and their natural Habitats. Abdolhossein Zarinkoob (in عبدالحسين زرين‌کوب also spelled Zarrinkoub) was a prominent scholar of Iranian literature history of literature Persian ISBN 964-6961-11-8
• Ali Akbar Sarfaraz, Bahman Firuzmandi Mad, Hakhamanishi, Ashkani, Sasani, Marlik, 1996. ISBN 964-90495-1-7
• Daniel, Elton, The History of Iran, Greenwood Press, 2001
• Iran Chamber Society (History of Iran)

Notes

Further reading

• Bailey, Harold (ed. Sir Harold Walter Bailey (December 16 1899 - January 11 1996 who published as H ) The Cambridge History of Iran, Cambridge University Press 1993, Cambridge. ISBN 0-521-45148-5
• Wiesehofer, Josef: Ancient Persia
• J. E Curtis and N. Tallis: Forgotten Empire: The World of Ancient Persia
• Pierre Briant: From Cyrus to Alexander: A History of the Persian Empire
• Richard N. Pierre Briant (born September 30, 1940 in Angers) is a French Iranologist, Professor of History and Civilisation of the Achaemenid Frye: The Heritage of Persia
• A. T. Olmstead: History of the Persian Empire
• Lindsay Allen: The Persian Empire
• J. M. Cook: The Persian Empire
• Tom Holland: Persian Fire: The First World Empire and the Battle for the West
• Amini Sam: Pictorial History of Iran: Ancient Persia Before Islam 15000 B. C. -625 A. D.
• Timelife Persians: Masters of the Empire (Lost Civilizations)
• Houchang Nahavandi, The Last Shah of Iran - Fatal Countdown of a Great Patriot betrayed by the Free World, a Great Country whose fault was Success, Aquilion, 2005, ISBN 1-904997-03-1

External links

• In Search of Cyrus the Great: Spenta Productions - a Documentary Movie about Cyrus the Great
• Persian Innovations
• Persepolis Recreated - Reconstruction of Persepolis MOVIE DOCUMENTARY
• Iran’s Cultural Heritage News Agency (CHN)
• The History of the Ancient Near East
• Persia, by S. G. W. Benjamin, 1891
• Ancient History Sourcebook: Persia
• PersianDNA History of the Great Persian Empire and the Ancient Zoroastrian Religion.
• Iran Cultural Heritage Organization Documentation Center (Persian)
• Iran Cultural Heritage Organization Technical Office for Preservation and Restoration (Persian)
• Iran Research Center for Conservation of Cultural Relics
• Iran Cultural Heritage News Agency (Recommended)
• Persepolis Fortification Archive Project
• Persepolis Official website
• Persians Are Not Arabs
• Oriental Institute Photographic Archives (Nearly 1,000 archaeological photographs of Persepolis and Ancient Persia)
• Publication of Old Maps of Persia (Iran) in The Netherlands
• Iran Cultural, Natural and Historical Attractions
• Persian Wars, Herodotus on the Web.