Persia was the largest and most impressive of the world's empires by 500 B.C.E., spanning three continents and having a total population of approximately 35 million. Under the leadership of the famous monarchs Cyrus the Great (reigned 557-530 B.C.E.) and Darius (reigned 522-486 B.C.E.) the empire quickly expanded and gained immense wealth. What was unique about this empire was its respect for non-Persian cultural traditions and religions.
The empire's government was a centralized, bureaucratic administration under the Emperor. The monarch was secluded in "royal magnificence" and could only be approached through an elaborate ritual. The great empire fell in 330 B.C.E. after Alexander III of Macedon led a military campaign against Persia.
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