- The Persian Empire was founded in 550 BCE by Cyrus the Great, the first ruler of the Achaemenid Dynasty.
- Cyrus was the son of Cambyses I, the king of Anshan, a small kingdom located in southwestern Iran.
- United Factions: Cyrus united various Persian factions under his rule and began expanding his territories by conquering neighboring kingdoms and provinces.
- Conquering Media: Cyrus successfully defeated the Median Empire, ruled by King Astyages, and annexed Media into his growing kingdom.
- Capturing Babylon: In 539 BCE, Cyrus conquered the city-state of Babylon, defeating King Nabonidus and ending the Neo-Babylonian Empire.
- Cyrus the Great's Conquests: He went on to conquer much of Anatolia, Central Asia, and the Indus Valley, creating one of the largest empires of the ancient world.
- Cyrus's Achievements: Cyrus is admired for his military leadership, administrative skills, and tolerance toward conquered peoples, allowing them to maintain their cultural and religious practices.
- His successors, such as Darius the Great, expanded the Persian Empire even further, reaching as far as Egypt, Libya, and parts of Europe.