THE GROWTH AND DEMISE OF THE ACHAEMENID EMPIRE

From its humble beginnings in Persia, the Achaemenid Empire rose to become a colossal power, stretching from the borders of the Aegean Sea to the core of India. Under ambitious rulers like Cyrus the Great and Darius I, it expanded, assimilating diverse cultures and religions within its vast dominion. The Achaemenids built a sophisticated network of