-
3400 BCE
Elamite kingdom
Elamite kingdom emerges in southwestern Iran and Mesopotamia -
1000 BCE
Scythians migrate
Scythians migrate from Persia into the Asian steppes. -
553 BCE
Achaemenid Empire of Persia
Cyrus the Great successfully rebels against the Medes and establishes the Achaemenid Empire of Persia. -
Period: 553 BCE to 550 BCE
Cyrus II founds Achaemenid Empire.
Cyrus II (Cyrus the Great) overthrows Median king; becomes ruler of Persia and Media; founds Achaemenid Empire. -
Period: 547 BCE to 546 BCE
Cyrus II of Persia conquers Lydia
Cyrus II of Persia conquers Lydia. -
546 BCE
Persia controls Lycia
Persia controls Lycia. -
539 BCE
Babylon conquered
Fall of Babylon, conquered by Cyrus of Persia. Return of the Jews. -
530 BCE
Persia conquers the Indus Valley
Persia conquers the Indus Valley. -
Period: 530 BCE to 522 BCE
Cambyses II of Persia
Reign of Cambyses II of Persia. -
525 BCE
Persia takes the city of Pelusium
Cambyses II of Persia takes the city of Pelusium, conquers Egypt. -
525 BCE
Persia invades Egypt
Cambyses II of Persia invades Egypt and forces Egyptian surrender at the Battle of Pelusium. -
Period: 525 BCE to 522 BCE
Cambyses II rules Egypt
Cambyses II of Persia rules Egypt and leads campaign to Nubia. -
Period: 525 BCE to 404 BCE
Persia conquers Egypt
Persia conquers Egypt. -
521 BCE
Darius I rules Persia
Darius I (Darius the Great) succeeds to the throne of Persia after the death of Cambyses. -
520 BCE
Builds canal links Nile and the Red Sea
Darius of Persia links the Nile and the Red Sea by a canal. -
515 BCE
capital of Persia moves to Persepolis. .
Darius I moves the capital of Persia from Pasargadae to Persepolis. . -
513 BCE
Persia invades Asia Minor
Darius I of Persia invades Asia Minor, Miltiades becomes Persian vassal. -
499 BCE
Greek colonies of Asia Minor revolt against Persia
Ionian Greek colonies of Asia Minor revolt against Persia; with Miltiades support -
492 BCE
Persia invades Greece.
Darius I of Persia invades Greece. -
487 BCE
Sparta withdraws from alliance
Sparta withdraws from alliance against Persia. -
486 BCE
Xerxes succeeds to the throne
Xerxes succeeds to the throne of Persia after the death of Darius I. -
485 BCE
Babylon is destroyed
Babylon is destroyed by Xerxes -
Period: 485 BCE to 465 BCE
Reign of Xerxes I
Reign of Xerxes I (the Great) of Persia. -
480 BCE
Thebes sides with Persia
Thebes sides with Persia during Xerxes invasion of Greece. -
479 BCE
Xerxes' Persian forces are defeated by Greek forces
Xerxes' Persian forces are defeated by Greek forces at Plataea effectively ending Persia's imperial ambitions in Greece. -
Period: 449 BCE to 448 BCE
Greece and Persian peace
Peace between Greece and Persia. -
448 BCE
Ionian cities become independent
Ionian cities become independent from Persia. -
412 BCE
Sparta allies with Persia
Sparta allies with Persia. -
Period: 380 BCE to 330 BCE
Darius III
Life of Darius III of Persia. -
333 BCE
Battle of Issus
Battle of Issus. Alexander is victorious against Darius III of Persia. -
330 BCE
Death of Darius III/end of the Achaemenid Empire
Death of Darius III and end of the Achaemenid Empire of Persia. -
Period: 224 to 240
Reign of Ardashir I
Reign of Ardashir I.
reformed Persia by centralizing power, making Zoroastrianism state religion, and rivalling Rome. -
Period: 607 to 627
East Rome defeats Sasanian Persia
East Rome defeats Sasanian Persia.