The Achaemenid Empire

The Achaemenid Empire was a large empire founded by the Persians in ancient times. It existed from the 6th century BC to the mid-4th century BC. The empire founded under the leadership of Cyrus the Great expanded by destroying the Med Empire and reached its peak during the reigns of Darius I and Keyhusrev. The empire spread Persian culture and rulership over a wide geography. However, it ended with the conquest of Alexander the Great of Macedon, and the historical and cultural heritage of the Persian Empire left deep traces in the Middle East and Central Asia.