ancient Iran

Table of Contents

Introduction
The Elamites, Medians, and Achaemenids
- The prehistoric period
  - The Paleolithic Period (Old Stone Age)
  - The Neolithic Period (New Stone Age)
  - The 5th to mid-3rd millennia
  - The late 3rd and 2nd millennia
- The Elamites
  - The Old Elamite period
  - The Middle Elamite period
  - The Neo-Elamite period
- The protohistoric period and the kingdom of the Medes
  - The coming of the Iranians
  - The kingdom of the Medes
  - The rise of the Persians under Cyrus II
- The Achaemenian dynasty
  - Cambyses
  - Darius I
  - Xerxes I
  - Artaxerxes I to Darius III
- Achaemenian society and culture
  - Language
  - Social organization
  - Religion
  - Art
- The organization and achievement of the Achaemenian Empire
The Hellenistic and Parthian periods
- Alexander and his successors
  - The nobles and the nomads
  - The Seleucids
  - The movement of Iranian peoples
  - Revolt of the high satrapies
- The rise of the Parthians
  - Invasion of the Parni
  - Formation of the Parthian state
  - Arsaces
  - Artabanus I
  - Phraates I
- The “phil-Hellenistic” period (c. 171 bc–ad 12)
  - Mithradates I
  - Phraates II
  - Mithradates II
  - Wars with Rome
  - Settlement with Rome
- The “anti-Hellenistic” period (ad 12–162)
  - Artabanus III
  - Dissolution of the Parthian state
  - Peace with Rome
- The end of the Parthian empire (162–226)
The Sāsānian period
- Foundation of the empire
  - Rise of Ardashīr I
  - Wars of Shāpūr I
  - Organization of the empire
- Religious developments
  - Zoroastrianism
  - Christianity
  - Manichaeism
- Art and literature
- Foreign policy
  - Conflicts with Rome
  - Intermittent conflicts from Yazdegerd I to Khosrow I
  - Conflicts with the Turks and Byzantium
  - Triumph of the Arabs
Persian dynasties

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images

Achaemenian dynasty

Persepolis, Iran:
sculpture

Parthian empire

Sāsānian empire at the time of Shāpūr I

Valerian surrendering to Shāpūr I

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ancient Iran

Written by Mark J. Dresden, T. Cuyler Young•All

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Nov 8, 2024 • Article History

Also known as:: Persia

Key People:: Achaemenian dynasty; Sasanian dynasty

Related Topics:: Persian Royal Road

Related Places:: Iran; Persepolis; Bactria; Elam; Parthia

See all related content

ancient Iran, historic region of southwestern Asia that is only roughly coterminous with modern Iran. The term Persia was used for centuries, chiefly in the West, to designate those regions where Persian language and culture predominated, but it more correctly refers to a region of southern Iran formerly known as Persis, alternatively as Pārs or Parsa, modern Fārs. Parsa was the name of an Indo-European nomadic people who migrated into the region about 1000 bc. The first mention of Parsa occurs in the annals of Shalmanesar II, an Assyrian king, in 844 bc. During the rule of the Persian Achaemenian ...(100 of 27353 words)

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