Capital Cities of the Persian Empire

Built by Cyrus to mark his great victory against the Medes

The Assyrian king Ashurbanipal (668-627 BCE) destroyed this city completely between 645-640 BCE to avenge the perceived wrongs the people of Mesopotamia had suffered at the hands of the Elamites.

In 539 B.C., less than a century after its founding, the legendary Persian king Cyrus the Great conquered this city. Her fall was complete when the empire came under Persian control.

This city was the capital of the Persian Empire from the 6th century BC, until it was conquered by the Macedonians led by Alexander the Great in 330 BC.

According to Arrian, this city was deliberately and soberly burned as retribution for the Persians burning Athens in 480 BCE. Arrian writes, "Alexander burnt up the palace at this city to avenge the Greeks because the Persians had destroyed both temples and cities of the Greeks by fire and sword."