ABSTRACT
The Persian empire was founded by Cyrus II of the small kingdom of Persia (called ‘Persis’ by Greek authors), approximately equivalent to the modern Iranian province of Fars (OP Parsa). Much of the chronology of events and developments is uncertain (cf. 3, no.20, n.5). A Babylonian chronicle is the sole reliable, indeed crucial, document; it, therefore, opens this chapter (3, no.1), followed by sections on early Persia and Cyrus’ predecessors (3, nos.2-5), his defeat of the Medes (3, nos.6-11), the Lydian and Babylonian conquests (3, nos.12-28), the new royal residence at Pasargadae (3, no.29, figs.3.5-3.8; cf. RLA X, 351-63, s.v. Pasargadai), and some later stories about his birth, childhood, rise to power, death and unrivalled reputation (3, nos.30-7).
