Western Iranian peoples Iranian peoples

geographical extent of iranian influence in 1st century bce. parthian empire (mostly western iranian) shown in red, other areas, dominated scythia (eastern iranian), in orange.



achaemenid empire @ greatest extent under rule of darius (522 bce 486 bce)



persepolis-persian guards



geographic distribution of modern iranian languages



bronze statue of parthian nobleman, national museum of iran




the eastern iranian dialect continuum shown in eastern europe right next area of balto-slavic dialect continuum (purple); latter proposed material cultures correlating speakers of balto-slavic in bronze age (white). red dots = archaic slavic hydronyms



archaeological cultures in eastern-central europe @ beginning of iron age, showing location of proto-scythian culture , alongside balto-slavic cultures (lusatian, milograd , chernoles), c. 750 bce



scythian , related archaeological groups in circum- pontic region, c. 7th 3rd centuries bce

during 1st centuries of 1st millennium bce, ancient persians established in western portion of iranian plateau , appear have interacted considerably elamites , babylonians, while medes entered in contact assyrians. remnants of median language , old persian show common proto-iranian roots, emphasized in strabo , herodotus description of languages similar languages spoken bactrians , sogdians in east. following establishment of achaemenid empire, persian language (referred farsi in persian) spread pars or fars province various regions of empire, modern dialects of iran, afghanistan (also known dari) , central-asia (known tajiki) descending old persian.

at first, western iranian peoples in near east absolutely dominated various assyrian empires. alliance medes, persians, , rebelling babylonians, scythians, chaldeans, , cimmerians, helped medes capture nineveh in 612 bce, resulted in eventual collapse of neo-assyrian empire 605 bc. medes subsequently able establish median kingdom (with ecbatana royal centre) beyond original homeland , had territory stretching northeastern iran halys river in anatolia. after fall of assyrian empire, between 616 bce , 605 bce, unified median state formed, which, babylonia, lydia, , egypt, became 1 of 4 major powers of ancient near east

later on, in 550 bc, cyrus great, overthrow leading median rule, , conquer kingdom of lydia , babylonian empire after established achaemenid empire (or first persian empire), while successors dramatically extend borders. @ greatest extent, achaemenid empire encompass swaths of territory across 3 continents, namely europe, africa , asia, stretching balkans , eastern europe proper in west, indus valley in east. largest empire of ancient history, base in persis (although main capital located in babylon) achaemenids rule of known ancient world centuries. first persian empire equally notable successful model of centralised, bureaucratic administration (through satraps under king) , government working profit of subjects, building infrastructure such postal system , road systems , use of official language across territories , large professional army , civil services (inspiring similar systems in later empires), , emancipation of slaves including jewish exiles in babylon, , noted in western history antagonist of greek city states during greco-persian wars. mausoleum @ halicarnassus, 1 of 7 wonders of ancient world, built in empire well.

the greco-persian wars resulted in persians being forced withdraw european territories, setting direct further course of history of greece , rest of europe. more century later, prince of macedon (which subject persia late 6th century bc first persian invasion of greece) later known name of alexander great, overthrew incumbent persian king, achaemenid empire ended.

old persian attested in behistun inscription (c. 519 bce), recording proclamation darius great. in southwestern iran, achaemenid kings wrote inscriptions in trilingual form (elamite, babylonian , old persian) while elsewhere other languages used. administrative languages elamite in period, , later imperial aramaic, greek, making used bureaucratic language. though achaemenids had extensive contacts greeks , vice versa, , had conquered many of greek-speaking area s both in europe , asia minor during different periods of empire, native old iranian sources provide no indication of greek linguistic evidence. however, there plenty of evidence (in addition accounts of herodotus) greeks, apart being deployed , employed in core regions of empire, evidently lived , worked in heartland of achaemenid empire, namely iran. example, greeks part of various ethnicities constructed darius palace in susa, apart greek inscriptions found nearby there, , 1 short persepolis tablet written in greek.

the inhabitants of achaemenid empire appear have adopted religion of zoroastrianism. baloch speak west iranian language relate oral tradition regarding migration aleppo, syria around year 1000 ce, whereas linguistic evidence links balochi kurmanji, soranî, gorani , zazaki language.