Achaemenid Empire

The Achaemenid Empire (Persian: هخامنشیان ) is one of the series of empires and dynasties of the Persian Empire.

The empire was forged by Cyrus the Great, and spanned three continents, including territories of Afghanistan and Pakistan, parts of Central Asia, Asia Minor, Thrace, much of the Black Sea coastal regions, Iraq, northern Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and all significant population centers of ancient Egypt as far west as Libya. It is noted in western history as the foe of the Greek city states in the Greco-Persian Wars, for freeing the Jews from their Babylonian captivity, and for instituting Aramaic as the empire's official language. It fell during the Wars of Alexander the Great in 330 BC.

In universal history the role of the Persian empire founded by Cyrus the Great lies in their very successful model for centralized administration and a government working to the advantage and profit of all.

History
In the 550's BC, Cyrus the Great disestablished the Median Empire. He started the Achaemenid dynasty in place of the Medes. In 525 BC, Cambyses II conquered Egypt and was part of the Achaemenid Empire untill the 400's BC, when the Egyptians declared independence. The Egyptians were captured again in 350's BC, but was captured by Alexander the Great in 330 BC.