Achaemenid Empire

The Achaemenid Empire (c. 550–330 BCE), sometimes known as First Persian Empire, was an empire in Southwest Asia, founded in the 6th century BCE by Cyrus the Great. It expanded to eventually rule over significant portions of the ancient world which at around 500 BCE stretched from the Indus Valley in the east, to Thrace and Macedon on the northeastern border of Greece.

World Heritage Sites connected to 'Achaemenid Empire':

  • Bam Cultural Landscape The origins of Bam can be traced back to the Achaemenid period
  • Bisotun features remains from the prehistoric times to the Median, Achaemenid, Sassanian, and Ilkhanid periods
  • Kunya-Urgench Urgench was the capital of the Khorezm region, part of the Achaemenid Empire
  • Pasargadae Pasargadae was the first dynastic capital of the Achaemenid Empire, founded by Cyrus II the Great
  • Taxila "The Bhir mound is the earliest historic city of Taxila and was probably founded in the 6th century BC by the Achaemenids" (AB eval and UNESCO Web site)