Kings of the Persian Empire
Who was the founder of the Achaemenid Persian Empire?
Cyrus the Great.
What was the capital city founded by Darius I that became a ceremonial center of the empire?
Persepolis
Which empire did Cyrus the Great defeat when he captured Babylon?
The Neo-Babylonian Empire (539 BCE)
Which legal reform by Cyrus the Great is often considered the world’s first declaration of human rights?
The Cyrus Cylinder
What religion was dominant in the Persian Empire before Islam?
Zoroastrianism
Who succeeded Cyrus the Great after his death?
Cambyses II, his son
At its height, which three continents did the Persian Empire span?
Asia, Africa, and Europe
The Persian general who bravely resisted Alexander the Great’s invasion at the Persian Gate pass?
Ariobarzan
Which empire-wide communication system was set up by Darius the Great?
Chapar
Who was the chief deity in Zoroastrianism?
Ahura Mazda
Who was the last king of the Achaemenid Empire, defeated by Alexander the Great?
Darius III
The Persian Empire at its peak stretched from the Indus Valley in the east to which river in the west?
the Nile River
Which region in North Africa was conquered by Cambyses II after his victory over the Pharaoh?
Egypt
What road system connected the empire and allowed rapid communication?
The Royal Road
Which Greek historian wrote extensively about the Persian Empire in his work Histories?
Herodotus
Which Persian king organized the empire into satrapies and built the Royal Road?
Darius I (Darius the Great)
What mountain range in Persia served as a natural barrier and influenced military strategies?
What mountain range in Persia served as a natural barrier and influenced military strategies?
In which battle of 490 BCE did the Athenians defeat the Persians?
The Battle of Marathon
What was the name of the empire’s provincial governors?
Satraps
What was the sacred fire in Zoroastrianism a symbol of?
Purity and the eternal presence of Ahura Mazda
Which Persian king is known for his massive invasion of Greece in 480 BCE?
Xerxes I
Which ancient kingdom, conquered by Cyrus the Great, became one of the empire’s wealthiest provinces?
Lydia
Which Persian king conquered the region of Ionia (in Asia Minor), bringing many Greek cities under Persian rule?
Cyrus the Great
What was the standardized coin introduced by Darius I called?
The Daric
What was the name of the royal archives in Persepolis where thousands of clay tablets have been found?
The Persepolis Fortification Tablets