Achaemenid Dynasty (jan 1, 559 BC – jan 1, 330 BC)

Description:

The Achaemenid Dynasty was the first dynasty in the Persian Empire. It is made up the kings from Cyrus I to Darius III. The end of the dynasty is marked by Darius III being conquered by Alexander the Great. The greatest of the kings were Cyrus II (the Great), Darius I, and Xerxes I.

The Achaemenid dynasty was characterized by expansion under a hierarchical kingship model. Cyrus the Great united many smaller Persian kings under himself and used the title King of Kings. In order to prevent instability, this system depended on internal spies and ethnic specialization which created an interdependence within the empire.

The Achaemenids derived their power from the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda. Despite deriving their power from a god, they did not force their religion on their subjects, but rather the god of their subjects would be seen as submissive to Ahura Mazda in the same way a vassal king or satrap was under the leadership of the King of Kings.

Additional Sources:

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"Achaemenian dynasty." Britannica Concise Encyclopedia, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Britannica Digital Learning, 2017. Credo Reference, http://ezproxy.macalester.edu/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/ebconcise/achaemenian_dynasty/0?institutionId=742. Accessed 27 Apr. 2018.

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