The Achaemenid Persians ruled most of the Near East for more than 200 years, from 550–330 BC, unifying for the first time in history a diverse empire stretching from the Aegean to Afghanistan and from Russia to Egypt. You can learn more about the Persians in Prof. Cahill’s seminar AH 505/805: “Persia: The First World Empire” on Tuesdays from 4:00–6:30pm.