Students of ancient history are well aware of the Persians. A still-present cultural and linguistic group, the Persians are the founders of today's modern-day nation of Iran. They trace their roots back to the Aryans of Northern Europe, but over the course of time, they managed to assert a distinct identity that led to the formation of some of the world's most powerful empires.

One of the most shocking things about the Persians is how quickly they went from an obscure, powerless, and nomadic tribe to an immense empire that spanned across western Asia, Africa, and parts of Europe. The rise of Cyrus the Great, considered the father of Persia, in the 7th century BCE, filled the power vacuum caused by the fall of the Assyrians, and it led to the formation of one of the most powerful empires of the ancient world.

The Persians have made significant contributions to world culture, ranging from their ability to raise and train one of the ancient world's most formidable fighting forces, the Persian Immortals, to their new and effective ways of organizing and administering government. And Persian art heavily influenced their Muslim invaders, helping to usher in the Islamic Golden Age that helped spread Islam throughout the Middle East and Africa.

In The Persian Empire: A Captivating Guide to the History of Persia, Starting from the Ancient Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sassanian Empires to the Safavid, Afsharid, and Qajar Dynasties, you will discover topics such as

• Who Are the Persians? The History of Human Population in Iran
• The Birth of the Achaemenid Empire: The Rise and Reign of Cyrus the Great
• The Glory of the Achaemenid Empire: Cambyses & Darius
• The Beginning of the End: The Reign of Xerxes and the Downfall of the Achaemenid Dynasty
• Life in Ancient Persia
• The Persian Military
• Zoroastrianism: Persia's Religion
• Later Persian Dynasties: The Parthian Empire to the Qajar Dynasty
• Persian Art: Mixing East and West
• Persian Contributions to Science and Technology
• And much, much more!