Achaemenid

Persian:هخامنشی

Other Forms:Hakhamaneshi

Dynasty of kings that ruled in ancient Persia (550-331 BC)
Achaemenian dynasty : Early Persian dynasty. It derives its name from Achaemenes, who is thought to have lived in the early 7th century BC. From his son Teispes were descended two lines of kings. The older line included Cyrus I, Cambyses I, Cyrus II or Cyrus The Great, and Cambyses II; the junior line began with Dariush I and ended with the death of Dariush III. Its greatest rulers were Cyrus II (559-529 BC), who actually established the Persian empire and from whose reign it is dated; Dariush I, who secured the borders from external threats; and Xerxes I, who completed many of Dariush's public works. At its height, the Achaemenian Empire reached from Macedonia to northern India and from the Caucasus Mountains to the Persian Gulf. The ruins of one of its capitals, Persepolis, survive from its golden age.
Kings of the Achaemenid Empire:
- Achaemenes of Persia
- Ariaramnes of Persia, son of Teispes and co-ruler with Cyrus I
- Arsames of Persia, son of Ariaramnes and co-ruler with Cambyses I
- Teispes of Anshan, son of Achaemenes
- Cyrus I of Anshan, son of Teispes
- Cambyses I of Anshan, son of Cyrus I
- Cyrus 2. the Great, son of Cambyses I, ruled from c.550-530 BCE (ruler of Anshan c. 559 BCE – conquered Media 550 BCE)
- Cambyses 2., son of Cyrus the Great, ruled 529-522 BCE
- Smerdis (Bardiya), alleged son of Cyrus the Great, ruled 522 BCE (Possibly an usurper)
- Dariush I the Great, brother-in-law of Smerdis and grandson of Arsames, ruled 521-486 BCE
- Xerxes I the Great, son of Dariush I, ruled 485-465 BCE
- Artaxerxes I Longimanus, son of Xerxes I, ruled 465-424 BCE
- Xerxes 2., son of Artaxerxes I, ruled 424 BCE
- Sogdianus, half-brother and rival of Xerxes 2., ruled 424-423 BCE
- Dariush 2. Nothus, half-brother and rival of Xerxes 2., ruled 423-405 BCE
- Artaxerxes 2. Mnemon, son of Darius 2., ruled 404-359 BCE (see also Xenophon)
- Artaxerxes I3. Ochus, son of Artaxerxes 2., ruled 358-338 BCE
- Artaxerxes 4. Arses, son of Artaxerxes 3., ruled 338-336 BCE
- Dariush 3. Codomannus, great-grandson of Darius 2., ruled 336-330 BCE