How Persia Became the World’s First Superpower

The Persian Empire was one of the greatest and most powerful empires of the ancient world. But how did a relatively small kingdom on the Iranian plateau become a vast empire stretching across three continents? In this video, we explore the rise of the Achaemenid Persian Empire — from the rise of Cyrus the Great and the expansion of the empire, to the reign of Darius the Great, the construction of Persepolis, the wars with Greece, and the eventual conquest by Alexander the Great. We’ll also discover how the Persians managed to govern one of the most diverse empires of the ancient world through roads, administration, communication, trade, and a sophisticated system of provincial government. And although the Achaemenid Empire eventually fell, Persian civilization continued to shape the history and culture of the region for centuries. This is the story of how Persia became an ancient superpower. If you enjoy history, ancient civilizations, forgotten stories, and the rise and fall of great empires, make sure to SUBSCRIBE to MT for more historical documentaries. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — The Persian Empire 00:42 — The Beginning 01:35 — Cyrus the Great 02:45 — The Empire Expands 03:30 — How Persia Controlled Its Empire 04:25 — A Multicultural Empire 05:15 — Persia and Greece 06:35 — The Height of Persian Power 07:20 — The Fall of the Achaemenid Empire 08:05 — Persia After Alexander 08:45 — The Legacy of Persia