Cyrus II of Persia (Old Persian: Kūruš; c. 600–530 BC) commonly known as Cyrus the Great, was the founder of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. Hailing from Persis, he brought the Achaemenid dynasty to power by defeating the Median Empire and embracing all of the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East, expanding vastly and eventually conquering most of West Asia and much of Central Asia to create the world’s then-largest polity and the first superpower of the world.
The Achaemenid Empire’s largest territorial extent was achieved under the rule of Cyrus’ successor Darius the Great, whose rule stretched from the Balkans (Eastern Bulgaria–Paeonia and Thrace–Macedonia) and the rest of Southeast Europe in the west to the Indus Valley in the east.
After conquering the Median Empire, Cyrus led the Achaemenids to conquer the Lydian Empire and eventually the Neo-Babylonian Empire. He also led an expedition into Central Asia, which resulted in major military campaigns that were described as having brought “into subjection every nation without exception”
Cyrus allegedly died in battle with the Massagetae, a nomadic tribal confederation of ancient Eastern Iranians, along the Syr Darya in December 530 BC. However, Xenophon claimed that Cyrus did not die fighting and had instead returned to the Achaemenid ceremonial capital of Persepolis.
He was succeeded by his son Cambyses II, whose campaigns into North Africa led to the conquests of Egypt, Nubia, and Cyrenaica during his short rule.
