The SHAHANSHAH Encyclopedia
The Persian empire, 559 to 479 BCE
528 articles and 12 level histories, 2,694 painted sections: every battle, building, soldier, ship, ruler, people, place and royal order the game names, each part tagged by how we know it.
The History, level by level
The Founder's TombLevel 1: The Founder's Tomb, Pasargadae, 530 BCE
The Spear-bearerLevel 2: The Spear-bearer, Memphis, 525–524 BCE
The LieLevel 3: The Lie, Bagastana, 521 BCE
The TerraceLevel 4: The Terrace, Parsa, 521–509 BCE
The CharterLevel 5: The Charter, Susa, 519–515 BCE
The Bridge of BoatsLevel 6: The Bridge of Boats, The Ister, 513 BCE
Sardis BurnsLevel 7: Sardis Burns, Sardis, 499–494 BCE
The Bay of MarathonLevel 8: The Bay of Marathon, Marathon, 490 BCE
The CanalLevel 9: The Canal, Athos, 483–480 BCE
The Hot GatesLevel 10: The Hot Gates, Thermopylae, 480 BCE
The FinaleLevel 11: The Finale, Plataea, 480–479 BCE
MycaleEpilogue: Mycale, Mycale and the Hellespont, 479 BCEBattles and events 64
The revolt of Cyrus against the MedesPersian war that overthrew the Median king Astyages, about 553-550 BCE
The battle of PasargadaeCyrus's victory over Astyages the Mede, probably near Pasargadae in Persis, about 550 BCE
The fall of SardisCyrus's capture of the Lydian capital from Croesus, about 547-546 BCE
Harpagus's conquest of IoniaPersian campaign against the Greek cities of Asia Minor, about 546-545 BCE
The fall of BabylonCyrus's capture of the Babylonian kingdom at Opis and Babylon, 539 BCE
Cyrus's return of the exilesCyrus's restoration of gods and peoples after taking Babylon, 539-538 BCE
Cyrus's war with the MassagetaeCyrus's last campaign, against Queen Tomyris beyond the Araxes, about 530 BCE
The burial of CyrusThe entombment of the founder of the empire at Pasargadae, Persis, about 530 BCE
Cambyses' conquest of EgyptPersian invasion and conquest of Pharaoh's kingdom, Pelusium and Memphis, 525 BCE
The battle of PelusiumCambyses' victory over Psamtik III on the eastern edge of the Nile Delta, 525 BCE
The siege of MemphisCambyses' siege and capture of Egypt's royal city after Pelusium, 525 BCE
The death of the Apis bullDeath and burial of the sacred bull of Memphis, Cambyses' sixth year, 524 BCE
The abandoned expedition against CarthageCambyses' planned naval war on Carthage, called off after Egypt fell, about 525-524 BCE
Cambyses' marches on Ammon and EthiopiaDesert and Nile campaigns of Cambyses beyond Egypt, probably about 524 BCE
The death of CambysesThe King's death on the march home from Egypt, 522 BCE
The killing of GaumataDarius and six nobles kill the reigning king at Sikayauvati in Media, 522 BCE
The revolts of 522-521Risings against Darius across the empire, autumn 522 to late 521 BCE
The revolt of Nidintu-BelA Babylonian rising under a royal name, crushed by Darius, Babylonia, 522 BCE
The revolt of FravartishMedian rising against Darius, spreading to Parthia, Hyrcania and Sagartia, 522-521 BCE
The revolt of VahyazdataA rising in Persis by a second claimant to the name of Bardiya, 522-521 BCE
The war in ArmeniaDarius's generals against the Armenian rebels, Armenia and Assyria, 522-521 BCE
The revolt of ArakhaSecond Babylonian rising against Darius, Babylon, 521 BCE
The third Elamite revoltRising of Elam under Athamaita, put down by Gobryas, about 520-519 BCE
Darius's tribute assessmentDarius I's division of the empire into tribute districts, about 518 BCE
Darius's restoration of the House of Life at SaisRoyal order to revive the House of Life, probably at Sais in Egypt, about 519-518 BCE
Darius's campaign against SkunkhaDarius's war on the pointed-cap Saka of Central Asia, about 519 BCE
The building of the terrace of ParsaDarius I's palace platform at Parsa (Persepolis) in Persis, begun about 518 BCE
Darius's Susa charterDarius I's building inscription for his palace at Susa, probably late 6th century BCE
The voyage of ScylaxA Persian voyage of exploration down the Indus and west to Egypt, about 517 BCE
Darius's canal from the Nile to the Red SeaCanal from the Nile to the Gulf of Suez, Egypt, under Darius I, about 500 BCE
The striking of the daricThe first royal Persian coinage in gold and silver, probably at Sardis, about 510-500 BCE
The siege of BarcaPersian siege of a Greek city in Cyrenaica, Libya, about 513 BCE
The bridging of the BosporusDarius's bridge of boats between Asia and Europe, about 513 BCE
Darius's Scythian campaignDarius's march across the Bosporus and the Ister against the Scythians, about 513 BCE
The defeat of the GetaeDarius's conquest of a Thracian people on the march to the Ister, about 513 BCE
The debate at the Ister bridgeCouncil of Greek tyrants at the Danube bridge, Scythian campaign, about 513 BCE
The siege of NaxosFailed Persian and Milesian attack on the island of Naxos, 499 BCE
The Ionian RevoltRising of the Greek cities of Asia Minor against Darius, about 499-494 BCE
The burning of SardisIonian and Athenian raid on the Lydian satrapal capital, 498 BCE
The battle of EphesusPersian victory over the Ionians and their allies near Ephesus, Ionia, 498 BCE
The revolt of CyprusRising of the Cypriot kingdoms against Darius during the Ionian Revolt, 498-497 BCE
The battle of LadeSea battle off Miletus that broke the Ionian Revolt, 494 BCE
The fall of MiletusPersian capture of the leading city of the Ionian Revolt, Ionia, 494 BCE
Mardonius's expedition and the wreck off AthosPersian campaign into Thrace and Macedonia, with a fleet wrecked off Mount Athos, 492 BCE
The expedition of Datis and ArtaphernesDarius's seaborne campaign against Eretria and Athens across the Aegean, 490 BCE
The fall of EretriaPersian siege and capture of the Euboean city of Eretria, 490 BCE
The battle of MarathonAthenians and Plataeans against a Persian army, Attica, 490 BCE
The digging of the Athos canalXerxes' ship canal across the isthmus behind Mount Athos, about 483-480 BCE
Xerxes' bridges over the HellespontTwo bridges of boats from Abydos to Europe, built for the invasion of Greece, 481-480 BCE
The crossing of the HellespontXerxes' army passes from Asia into Europe near Abydos, 480 BCE
Xerxes' invasion of GreecePersian campaign by land and sea against the Greek mainland, 480-479 BCE
The review at DoriscusXerxes' count and inspection of his army and fleet in Thrace, 480 BCE
The storm off MagnesiaStorm that wrecked part of Xerxes' fleet on the Magnesian coast, Thessaly, 480 BCE
The battle of ThermopylaeBattle between Xerxes' army and the Greeks in the pass of Thermopylae, 480 BCE
The battle of ArtemisiumSea battle off northern Euboea between Xerxes' fleet and the Greeks, 480 BCE
The Persian capture of AthensXerxes' taking and burning of Athens and its Acropolis, late summer 480 BCE
The battle of SalamisSea battle in the strait between Salamis and Attica, 480 BCE
Xerxes' return to AsiaThe King's withdrawal from Greece to Sardis after the defeat at Salamis, autumn 480 BCE
Alexander of Macedon's embassy to AthensA Persian peace offer carried to Athens by the king of Macedon, 479 BCE
Mardonius's capture of AthensSecond Persian occupation and burning of Athens, summer 479 BCE
The death of MasistiusCavalry fight below Mount Cithaeron, near Erythrae in Boeotia, 479 BCE
The battle of PlataeaGreek victory over Mardonius's army near Plataea in Boeotia, 479 BCE
The battle of MycaleGreek landing against a Persian camp on the Ionian coast opposite Samos, 479 BCE
The siege of SestosAthenian siege of the Persian stronghold on the Hellespont, 479-478 BCEBuildings 110
RoadTracks and the King's road network, Achaemenid empire, 6th-5th centuries BCE
Housing PlotOrdinary homes of the Achaemenid empire, about 559-479 BCE
Barley FarmGrain fields of Persis and the wider empire, 6th-5th century BCE
GranaryRoyal grain stores of the Achaemenid empire, about 530-479 BCE
BazaarMarkets and the exchange of goods in the Achaemenid empire, 6th to 5th century BCE
WellShafts dug to groundwater, a basic water source of the Achaemenid empire, 6th-5th c. BCE
Plane TreeA great shade tree of Persian gardens and Lydian roads, 6th to 5th centuries BCE
Fire AltarStepped stone stand for an open-air fire in Persian royal cult, Persis, about 530-479 BCE
Water ChannelCut-stone garden watercourses with basins, Pasargadae, about 540-530 BCE
Cypress RowRows of conifers in Achaemenid art and gardens, Persepolis and Pasargadae, 530-480 BCE
Inscribed StoneRoyal inscriptions in Old Persian, Elamite and Babylonian, about 520-480 BCE
Column PorchColumned portico of Persian royal palaces, about 540-480 BCE
Royal ReliefCarved stone stair panels of gift-bearers and guards, Persepolis, about 515-480 BCE
Gate BullsColossal stone bulls flanking royal gateways, Pasargadae and Persepolis, about 540-450 BCE
Glazed-brick PanelMoulded, glazed brick friezes from the Palace of Darius at Susa, late 6th century BCE
Sphinx PairPaired stone sphinxes on Egyptian temple approaches, Sais and Memphis, 6th century BCE
ObeliskSingle-stone granite shaft set before Egyptian temples, long standing by 525 BCE
KoreArchaic Greek marble statue of a standing maiden, about 650-480 BCE
HermPillar of Hermes at Athenian roadsides and doorways, from about 520 BCE
Stone LionLion sculpture of Lydian Sardis and the Persian royal cities, 6th-5th centuries BCE
Feasting HallBanquets of Persian households and the royal court, 6th and 5th centuries BCE
Gaming CourtDice, knucklebones and ball games at Sardis and across the empire, about 550-479 BCE
Temple ForecourtOpen court of an Egyptian temple, Memphis, about 525 BCE
Garden PavilionColumned shelter in a royal walled garden, Pasargadae, 6th century BCE
Hunting ParkWalled royal and satrapal parks stocked with game, Persian empire, 6th-5th century BCE
Festival QuayLanding for festival boats on the Nile, Egypt, 6th-5th centuries BCE
Theatre of DionysusOpen-air theatre on the south slope of the Acropolis, Athens, sixth to fifth century BCE
GymnasiumGreek training ground for athletes and young citizens, 6th-5th century BCE
Symposium HouseGreek drinking party and its rooms; a Theban feast for Mardonius, 479 BCE
SanctuaryPlaces of offering and cult in the Achaemenid empire, about 550-479 BCE
Lodge of the MagiGuardians' house beside the Tomb of Cyrus, Pasargadae, from about 530 BCE
Healer's HouseHealers in the Persian empire and its subject lands, 6th-5th centuries BCE
PrivyHousehold latrine seat of an old Egyptian and Near Eastern type, in use 6th-5th century BCE
Water HouseDrawn water for washing, after a Persian custom, 6th to 5th centuries BCE
Palace BathWashrooms and drains in the Achaemenid palaces, Persepolis, about 518-465 BCE
Physician's HouseEgyptian physicians in the service of the Persian kings, about 540-500 BCE
Burial GroundGraves and burial customs of the Persians and their subjects, about 550-479 BCE
Guard-postA guarded crossing, gate or fort in the Achaemenid empire, 6th-5th century BCE
Judgment SeatSeat of the King's judges, Achaemenid empire, 6th to 5th centuries BCE
House of the King's EyeThe King's Eye, a royal watcher known from Greek writers, 6th-5th century BCE
Stone DrainCovered channels for rain and waste water, Persepolis terrace, about 518-460 BCE
Scribal OfficeWriting office for royal records and dues, Achaemenid empire, about 530-479 BCE
WoodcutterFelling and supply of timber in the Achaemenid empire, about 530-479 BCE
Clay PitDigging earth and clay for brick, pots and tablets, Persian empire, 6th-5th century BCE
Potter's YardWorkshops making everyday and storage pottery in the Persian empire, 6th-5th century BCE
Limestone QuarryStone-cutting sites that supplied Achaemenid palaces and tombs, about 550-480 BCE
StoreyardRoyal stores for materials and goods in the Persian empire, about 530-479 BCE
BreweryWorkshop making barley and emmer beer, Memphis, Egypt, about 525 BCE
Perfumer's WorkshopMakers of scented oils and unguents at Sardis, Lydia, about 500 BCE
Flax FieldFibre crop for linen and rope, in the Athos level, 483-480 BCE
RopewalkMaking cables for Xerxes' bridges over the Hellespont, about 483-480 BCE
OrchardIrrigated fruit groves of the Achaemenid empire, 6th to 5th centuries BCE
VineyardGrape-growing and winemaking on the estates of the Persian empire, 6th to 5th century BCE
Livestock PenSheep and goat herding across the Achaemenid empire, 6th to 5th century BCE
Hunters' LodgeHunting for game and against dangerous beasts in the Achaemenid world, 6th to 5th century BCE
Weaver's WorkshopSpinning and weaving of wool and linen across the Persian empire, about 550-479 BCE
Caravan YardOverland trade and pack-animal transport in the Achaemenid empire, about 550-479 BCE
Formal GardenWalled Persian garden of trees and water channels, from about 540 BCE
Masons' CampStoneworkers who built the royal residences of Persis and Elam, about 550-480 BCE
Tomb of CyrusStone gabled tomb of Cyrus the Great at Pasargadae, Persis, about 540-530 BCE
Audience HallColumned hall of Cyrus, known as Palace S, at Pasargadae, about 540-530 BCE
Residential PalacePalace P at Pasargadae, begun under Cyrus before 530 BCE and finished later
Royal GardenGarden with stone water channels by the palaces of Pasargadae, about 540-530 BCE
The King's ReliefDarius I's carved relief and inscription in three languages, Bagastana, about 520 BCE
Royal TerraceStone platform of Darius's palace city at Parsa (Persepolis), begun about 518 BCE
Palace of DariusPalace and columned hall of Darius I at Susa, in Elam, begun about 520-518 BCE
Glazed-brick KilnWorkshops making coloured brick facings for Darius's palace at Susa, about 520-500 BCE
Bridge of BoatsDarius's pontoon bridge over the lower Danube, built by Ionian Greeks, about 513 BCE
Ionian ShipwrightsGreek ship crews and carpenters who bridged the Ister for Darius, about 513 BCE
King's PavilionThe royal seat from which Xerxes watched the fighting at Thermopylae, 480 BCE
Nisaean StudRoyal horse pastures on the Nisaean plain in Media, 6th to 5th century BCE
Burial of the ApisRock-cut tomb galleries of the sacred Apis bulls at Saqqara, Egypt; burial of 524 BCE
Xerxes' CanalShip canal across the isthmus of Athos in the northern Aegean, dug about 483-480 BCE
Citadel of SardisAcropolis of the Lydian kings and Persian satraps at Sardis, 6th-4th century BCE
Pactolus Gold RefineryWorkshop for refining river gold beside the Pactolus at Sardis, Lydia, sixth century BCE
Royal MintWorkshop striking the King's archer coins, probably at Sardis, about 500 BCE
Road StationWaystation on the King's roads for officials, couriers and troops, about 500 BCE
Scout PostRiders sent ahead to look at the land and the enemy, Achaemenid armies, 6th-5th centuries BCE
Supply DepotFood stores laid up along Xerxes' road through Thrace and Macedonia, about 483-480 BCE
Mardonius's FortPersian timber stronghold beside the Asopus river in Boeotia, 479 BCE
Ship CampThe beached Persian fleet at Marathon bay, Attica, 490 BCE
BarracksQuarters and supply for soldiers of the Achaemenid empire, 6th to 5th century BCE
Archery RangeTraining ground for the bow, chief weapon of Persian foot soldiers, 6th-5th century BCE
Cavalry StableHousing and feeding horses for the King's cavalry, Persian empire, 6th-5th century BCE
Muster GroundAssembly place where Persian levies gathered for counting and review, about 530-479 BCE
ArmouryWorkshops and stores for the King's weapons, Persian empire, about 550-479 BCE
WatchtowerLookout and signal post on roads and frontiers, Persian empire, 6th-5th century BCE
Defensive WallMudbrick walls on stone footings, Near East and Aegean, 6th to 5th century BCE
Old Temple of AthenaTemple of Athena Polias on the Athenian Acropolis, burned by the Persians in 480 BCE
The Older ParthenonUnfinished marble temple of Athena on the Acropolis of Athens, about 490-480 BCE
Sanctuary of HeraHera's precinct in front of Plataea in Boeotia, a landmark of the battle of 479 BCE
Precinct of DemeterSanctuary of Eleusinian Demeter on the battlefield of Plataea, Boeotia, 479 BCE
The Wooden BarricadeTimber barricade at the entrance to the Acropolis of Athens, 480 BCE
Altars and StatuesDedications and small shrines on the Acropolis of Athens, sacked in 480 BCE
Empty HouseAn abandoned house in the lower town of Athens, 480-479 BCE
House of SestosA house in Sestos on the Hellespont, besieged by the Athenians, 479-478 BCE
Athena's OliveSacred olive tree on the Acropolis of Athens, burned by the Persians in 480 BCE
GatehouseFortified and ceremonial gateways of the Achaemenid world, about 550-479 BCE
Watch PostNight watch, fire and repair in the towns of the Achaemenid empire, 6th-5th century BCE
Hill Raider CampEncampment of the mountain peoples of Persis and the Zagros, 6th-5th century BCE
River StepsRiverside landing for washing and laundry on the Nile, Memphis, about 525 BCE
Fountain HouseRoofed public fountain of the Greek cities, sixth to fifth centuries BCE
NecropolisThe cemeteries on the western desert edge of Memphis, Egypt, as in 525-524 BCE
Royal TumulusLydian burial mounds at Bin Tepe, north of Sardis, seventh to fourth century BCE
Cemetery by the RoadGreek roadside cemeteries outside city walls, Attica and Boeotia, about 600-479 BCE
Burial MoundEarth mound heaped over the dead, a Thracian custom met at Athos, 483-480 BCE
Phoenician ShipyardPhoenician shipbuilders of the King's fleet, Sidon and Tyre, about 525-479 BCE
Date GroveGroves of date palms on the Nile floodplain around Memphis, Egypt, about 525 BCE
Olive GroveOlive orchards and oil presses of Greece and the Aegean coasts, about 490-479 BCE
Greek SurgeryA Greek physician's workroom, in the Greek world, about 520-479 BCESoldiers and ships 49
Persian SpearmanInfantryman of the Achaemenid King's army, about 550-479 BCE
Persian ArcherBow-armed foot soldier of the Achaemenid Persian army, about 550-479 BCE
Persian HorsemanMounted soldiers of the Achaemenid King's army, 6th to 5th centuries BCE
ScoutMounted scouts of the King's armies, 6th-5th centuries BCE
Levy SpearmanFoot soldier raised by obligation for the Achaemenid King's army, about 550-479 BCE
Levy ArcherBowman raised by royal levy for the Persian King's army, 6th-5th century BCE
King's SpearmanPersian foot soldier of the royal army and guard, about 530-479 BCE
ImmortalPicked Persian infantry of ten thousand men, as Herodotus describes them, in 480 BCE
Saka ArcherBowman of the Saka peoples of Central Asia in the Achaemenid army, about 520-479 BCE
Median Horse ArcherMounted bowman from Media in the Achaemenid army, about 550-479 BCE
Arab Camel RiderArab archers mounted on camels in the Persian King's army, about 525-479 BCE
Cissian SpearmanInfantry from Susa and its plain in Xerxes' army, 480 BCE
Bactrian SpearmanInfantryman from Bactria in the Persian royal army, about 520-479 BCE
Phoenician MarineFighting man of the Phoenician ships in the King's fleet, about 525-479 BCE
Egyptian MarineArmed fighters of the Egyptian squadron in Xerxes' fleet, 480-479 BCE
Indian ArcherBowman from the Achaemenid province of Hindush in the Indus valley, about 515-479 BCE
King's ArcherTrained Persian bowman of the King's army, Persia, about 550-479 BCE
King's HorsemanPicked Persian cavalry who rode close to the King, about 530-479 BCE
King's Horse ArcherMounted bowmen of the Achaemenid royal army, about 550-479 BCE
Persian Covered RamA roofed battering ram for breaking walls and gates, Near East, 9th-5th centuries BCE
HazarapatishPersian 'commander of a thousand', officer rank and court office, 6th-5th century BCE
Hill RaiderLightly armed raiders from the mountains and margins of the empire, 6th-5th century BCE
Carian MercenaryCarian soldiers hired by Egypt's kings and at war with Persia, about 664-494 BCE
Greek Mercenary HopliteHired Greek heavy infantry, chiefly in Egyptian service, about 664-525 BCE
Covered RamRoofed battering ram for breaching walls, in Near Eastern use long before 530 BCE
SapperSoldiers who dug under city walls in the sieges of the Achaemenid age, 6th-5th c. BCE
Scaling LadderSiege ladder for climbing city walls, Near East and Greece, 9th to 5th centuries BCE
Siege TowerWheeled timber engine for assaulting walls, Near East and Greece, 9th-4th century BCE
Earth CarrierMen who heaped siege mounds against city walls, Near East and Aegean, to 479 BCE
Hill War ChiefLeader of the mountain peoples of Persis and its borders, 6th-4th centuries BCE
Great Chief of the HillsImagined war leader of the Zagros and Persis hill peoples, about 530-479 BCE
Hill Horse ArcherMounted bowman among the King's enemies in the game, about 530-479 BCE
War DrummerA signaller of the King's enemies at the siege, a game figure for 530-479 BCE
Hill ArcherBowmen of the Zagros and Persis highlands, about 550-479 BCE
Greek hoplitesArmoured citizen spearmen of the Greek cities, foes and subjects of the King, 499-479 BCE
Spartan soldiersHoplites of Sparta who faced the Persians at Thermopylae and Plataea, 480-479 BCE
Greek archers and light troopsBowmen, slingers and lightly armed men in Greek armies, about 499-479 BCE
Greek horsemenCavalry of the Greek states, strongest in Thessaly and Boeotia, about 550-479 BCE
Greek generalsCommanders of Athens and the Ionian cities against Persia, 499-490 BCE
Egyptian soldiersNative fighting men of Saite Egypt, defeated by Cambyses at Pelusium in 525 BCE
Libyan ridersHorse- and chariot-using peoples west of Egypt, subjects of Persia from 525 BCE
Elamite rebelsRisings in Elam against Darius I, recorded at Behistun, 522-519 BCE
Median rebelsFollowers of Fravartish in the revolt of Media against Darius, 522-521 BCE
The rebels of VahyazdataPersian soldiers who followed a second false Bardiya against Darius, Persis, 521 BCE
Scythian warriorsNomad horsemen of the Pontic steppe who faced Darius's army, about 513 BCE
Thracian warriorsTribal fighters of Thrace, subjects and soldiers of the King, about 513-479 BCE
Levies of the subject peoplesContingents raised from the peoples of the Achaemenid empire, about 530-479 BCE
The triremeThree-banked oared warship of the Persian and Greek fleets, about 525-479 BCE
The penteconterGreek and Phoenician fifty-oared warship and long-range vessel, about 700-480 BCEPeople 87
AstyagesLast king of the Medes, ruled from Ecbatana until about 550 BCE
Cyrus the GreatKing of Anshan and founder of the Persian empire, reigned about 559-530 BCE
HarpagusMedian noble who served Cyrus and conquered western Anatolia, about 550-540 BCE
CroesusLast Mermnad king of Lydia, ruling from Sardis about 560-547 BCE
TomyrisQueen of the Massagetae of Central Asia, who fought Cyrus the Great in 530 BCE
HystaspesPersian noble of the Achaemenid clan and father of Darius I, 6th century BCE
CambysesSon of Cyrus, king of Persia 530-522 BCE and conqueror of Egypt
Psamtik IIILast Pharaoh of Egypt's 26th dynasty, reigned about 526-525 BCE
UdjahorresnetEgyptian naval commander, physician and priest of Sais, 6th century BCE
Bardiya, or GaumataKing of the Persians for some months in 522 BCE, son of Cyrus or impostor
Darius the GreatKing of the Persian empire, son of Hystaspes, reigned 522-486 BCE
FravartishMedian rebel who claimed the throne of Media against Darius, 522-521 BCE
VahyazdataPersian pretender who claimed to be Bardiya, son of Cyrus, Persis, 522-521 BCE
ArakhaArmenian rebel who ruled Babylon as Nebuchadnezzar IV, 521 BCE
GobryasPersian noble, helper and kinsman of Darius I, late sixth century BCE
AthamaitaElamite rebel leader against Darius I, Elam, about 520-519 BCE
AtossaPersian queen, daughter of Cyrus and mother of Xerxes, late 6th-early 5th century BCE
Mandrocles of SamosGreek engineer from Samos who bridged the Bosporus for Darius, about 513 BCE
Scylax of CaryandaCarian sea captain sent by Darius down the Indus, late 6th century BCE
Histiaeus of MiletusGreek tyrant of Miletus under Darius, keeper of the Ister bridge, died 494 or 493 BCE
Aristagoras of MiletusDeputy tyrant of Miletus and leader of the Ionian revolt, died about 497 BCE
CleomenesAgiad king of Sparta, about 520-490 BCE
ArtaphernesBrother of Darius and satrap of Sardis from about 513 BCE; father of the general of 490
Datis the MedeMedian general of Darius I, commander of the expedition of 490 BCE
HippiasTyrant of Athens about 527-510 BCE, later an exile who turned to Persia
PheidippidesAthenian long-distance runner sent to Sparta before Marathon, 490 BCE
MiltiadesAthenian noble, Persian vassal in the Chersonese, general at Marathon, died about 489 BCE
CallimachusAthenian polemarch of Aphidna, killed at Marathon in 490 BCE
MardoniusPersian general, son of Gobryas and son-in-law of Darius, died at Plataea in 479 BCE
XerxesKing of the Persian empire, son of Darius and Atossa, reigned 486-465 BCE
BubaresPersian noble, son of Megabazus, overseer of the Athos canal, about 483-480 BCE
ArtachaeesPersian noble, overseer of the Athos canal, died at Acanthus in 480 BCE
LeonidasAgiad king of Sparta and commander at Thermopylae, died 480 BCE
DemaratusEurypontid king of Sparta, later an exile at the Persian court, about 515-480 BCE
Ephialtes of MalisMalian Greek who guided Xerxes' troops over the mountain path at Thermopylae, 480 BCE
HydarnesPersian general, commander of the Immortals at Thermopylae, 480 BCE
DienecesSpartan soldier who fell at Thermopylae in 480 BCE
Alexander of MacedonKing of Macedon and subject of the Persian King, ruled about 498-454 BCE
MasistiusPersian cavalry commander under Mardonius, killed near Erythrae in Boeotia in 479 BCE
ArtabazusPersian general under Xerxes, later satrap at Dascylium, active from 480 BCE
Dionysius of PhocaeaPhocaean general who trained the Ionian fleet before the battle of Lade, 494 BCE
AriabignesPersian prince and admiral of Xerxes' fleet, killed at Salamis in 480 BCE
AchaemenesSon of Darius, satrap of Egypt and Xerxes' admiral, died about 460 BCE
Artemisia of HalicarnassusRuler of Halicarnassus and commander in Xerxes' fleet, 480 BCE
PausaniasSpartan regent who led the Greek army at Plataea in 479 BCE; died about 470
ThemistoclesAthenian statesman who led the Athenian ships at Salamis, died about 459 BCE
AristidesAthenian statesman and general, called the Just, died about 467 BCE
EurybiadesSpartan commander of the Greek allied fleet at Artemisium and Salamis, 480 BCE
LeotychidesEurypontid king of Sparta, about 491-469 BCE, Greek commander at Mycale in 479
XanthippusAthenian politician and general, commander at Mycale and Sestos, 479 BCE
TigranesAchaemenid noble, commander of the Medes and of the army at Mycale, died 479 BCE
Phanes of HalicarnassusGreek mercenary officer who deserted Egypt for Cambyses, about 526-525 BCE
Alexander the GreatKing of Macedon who conquered the Achaemenid empire, 336-323 BCE
NabonidusLast native king of Babylon, reigned 556-539 BCE, deposed by Cyrus
MazaresMedian general of Cyrus who put down the revolt of Pactyes at Sardis, about 546 BCE
AryandesPersian satrap of Egypt under Darius, put to death after 518 BCE
Intaphernes (Vindafarna)Persian noble and general of Darius, one of the seven conspirators, 522-521 BCE
DadarshishServant and general of Darius in the Armenian war, 521 BCE
VaumisaPersian commander against the Armenian rebels for Darius, 522-521 BCE
Nidintu-BelBabylonian who took the name Nebuchadnezzar and rebelled against Darius, 522 BCE
SkunkhaSaka chief captured by Darius and added to the Behistun relief, probably after 520 BCE
Onesilus of SalamisCypriot leader of the revolt of Cyprus, killed in battle near Salamis, about 497 BCE
MegabatesPersian commander of the fleet sent against Naxos, about 500 BCE
MegabazusPersian general in Europe after Darius's Scythian campaign, about 513 BCE
IdanthyrsusScythian king who faced Darius's invasion north of the Ister, about 513 BCE
Coes of MytileneGreek commander in Darius's service at the Ister, about 513 BCE
PactyesLydian who rebelled after the fall of Sardis, probably about 546-545 BCE
ZopyrusPersian noble in Herodotus's tale of the recapture of Babylon, about 521 BCE
ArtayctesPersian governor of Sestos on the Hellespont, put to death by the Athenians in 479 or 478 BCE
OeobazusPersian at Sestos in 479 BCE who held the bridge cables and died in Thrace
ArtayntesPersian fleet commander who escaped the defeat at Mycale, 479 BCE
LycidasAthenian councillor stoned on Salamis for urging Mardonius's terms, 479 BCE
Adeimantus of CorinthCorinthian naval commander at Artemisium and Salamis, 480 BCE
PheretimeMother of a king of Cyrene who sought Persian help and avenged her son at Barca, about 515 BCE
Amasis IIPharaoh of Egypt, reigned 570 to 526 BCE, whose death preceded the Persian conquest
MardontesPersian commander in Xerxes' army, killed at Mycale in 479 BCE
UgbaruGovernor of Gutium who took Babylon for Cyrus, 539 BCE
VivanaSatrap of Arachosia under Darius, who fought a rebel army there, about 521 BCE
ArtavardiyaPersian general of Darius against Vahyazdata in Persis, 522-521 BCE
PrexaspesTwo Persian noblemen of this name in Herodotus, under Cambyses and Xerxes, 522-480 BCE
Polycrates of SamosTyrant of Samos and sea power of the Aegean, 6th century BCE, died about 522 BCE
Syloson of SamosExile who became Persian-backed tyrant of Samos, about 520 to 517 BCE
Pythius the LydianWealthy Lydian host of Xerxes' army at Celaenae, about 481 BCE, known only from Herodotus
CyaxaresMedian king of the later seventh and early sixth century BCE, claimed as an ancestor by Fravartish
Necho IISaite pharaoh of Egypt, reigned about 610 to 595 BCE, who began a Nile canal
MelanthiusAthenian commander of the twenty ships sent to the Ionian Revolt, about 498 BCE
Nebuchadnezzar IIKing of Babylon 605-562 BCE, whose name two rebels took against Darius in 522-521Peoples 49
The PersiansThe ruling people of the Achaemenid empire, from Persis (Parsa), 559-479 BCE
The MedesIranian-speaking people of the Zagros, centred on Ecbatana, 9th-5th centuries BCE
The ElamitesThe ancient people of Susa and its plain, under Persian rule in the 6th century BCE
The CissiansGreek name for the people of the lowlands around Susa, 6th-5th century BCE
The BabyloniansPeople of the lower Tigris and Euphrates, under Persian rule from 539 BCE
The Assyrians of ArbelaPeople of the old Assyrian heartland around Arbela under Persian rule, 6th-5th century BCE
The LydiansPeople of western Anatolia, ruled from Sardis; a Persian province from the 540s BCE
The IoniansGreek cities of the Aegean coast of Asia Minor under Persian rule, 540s-479 BCE
The CariansPeople of Caria in southwest Anatolia, under Persian rule from about 540 BCE
The PhoeniciansSeafaring city-states of the Levant coast under Persian rule, about 539-479 BCE
The CypriotsIsland kingdoms of Cyprus, Persian subjects and naval allies, about 525-479 BCE
The CiliciansPeople of south-eastern Anatolia, sailors in the King's fleet, 6th-5th century BCE
The EgyptiansPeople of the Nile valley, ruled by Persian kings from 525 BCE
The LibyansPeoples west of Egypt who submitted to Persia, from 525 BCE
The ArabsDesert peoples of the Persian Empire's south-western borders, about 530-479 BCE
The IndiansPeoples of Hindush, the Indus lands of the Persian empire, after about 520 BCE
The BactriansPeople of the upper Oxus around Bactra (Balkh), an eastern province of the King
The SakaNomad peoples of Central Asia who served the Persian kings, about 540-479 BCE
The ScythiansNomadic peoples of the steppe north of the Black Sea, foes of Darius about 513 BCE
The ThraciansPeoples between the Aegean and the Ister, partly under Persian rule, about 513-479 BCE
The MacedoniansKingdom on the Thermaic Gulf, subject to Persia, about 510-479 BCE
The ThessaliansHorse-rearing people of the northern Greek plain who sided with Xerxes, 480-479 BCE
The ThebansThe people of Thebes in Boeotia, allies of Persia in 480-479 BCE
The AtheniansCitizens of Athens in Attica, Persia's opponents in the west, about 507-479 BCE
The SpartansThe citizens of Sparta in Laconia, the leading land power of Greece, about 550-479 BCE
The ArgivesCitizens of Argos in the Peloponnese, rivals of Sparta, neutral in 480 BCE
The ThasiansGreek islanders of Thasos in the north Aegean, subjects of Persia 492-479 BCE
The Greeks of NaucratisGreek traders settled at Naucratis in the western Nile Delta, from about 620 BCE
The Greeks of IstrosMilesian colony on the Black Sea coast near the mouth of the Ister, from the late 600s BCE
The hill peoples of PersisPastoral and mountain tribes of Persis and the Zagros, 6th to 4th centuries BCE
The EretriansCitizens of Eretria on Euboea, captured and resettled near Susa in 490 BCE
The PlataeansCitizens of a small Boeotian city allied to Athens, about 519-479 BCE
The Hellenic LeagueThe Greek states sworn together against Xerxes, 481-479 BCE
The islandersThe Greeks of the Cyclades, the islands of the central Aegean, 6th-5th century BCE
The PhociansPeople of central Greece round Mount Parnassus, guards of the Anopaea path, 480-479 BCE
The TegeansArcadian Greeks of Tegea, allies of Sparta at Thermopylae and Plataea, 480-479 BCE
The SamiansIonian Greeks of the island of Samos, Persian subjects and rebels, about 517-479 BCE
The ThespiansBoeotian Greeks of Thespiae who stood at Thermopylae, 480 BCE
The LocriansGreek people of central Greece at Thermopylae and Plataea, 480-479 BCE
The BoeotiansGreek people of central Greece, most of them on the King's side, 480-479 BCE
The EthiopiansKush and the peoples south of Egypt as Persians and Greeks knew them, 6th-5th century BCE
The ChiansIonian Greeks of the island of Chios, off the Lydian coast, in the 6th and 5th centuries BCE
The LesbiansGreek islanders of Lesbos, with cities such as Mytilene, in the Ionian Revolt, 494 BCE
The CorinthiansGreeks of the isthmus city of Corinth who fought the Persians, 480-479 BCE
The MegariansGreeks of Megara on the Isthmus, fighting Xerxes and Mardonius, 480-479 BCE
The MaliansGreek people of the Malian Gulf, on the road to Thermopylae, 480-479 BCE
The MysiansA people of north-west Anatolia under Persian rule, 6th-5th century BCE
The ParthiansPeople of Parthia (Parthava), a north-eastern land of the Persian empire, 6th-5th century BCE
The MargiansPeople of the Murghab oasis in Margiana, far east of the empire; revolt of 522-521 BCEOffices 18
The satrapRoyal governor of a province in the Achaemenid empire, 6th to 4th centuries BCE
The hazarapatishPersian 'commander of the thousand', guard officer and court official, Achaemenid BCE
The King's EyeA royal inspector or informant named by Greek writers, Achaemenid empire, 6th-5th c. BCE
The royal judgesJudges who applied the King's law in the Achaemenid empire, 6th-5th centuries BCE
The royal scribesWriters and record-keepers of the Achaemenid administration, 6th-5th century BCE
The magiPriests and ritual experts of the Medes and Persians, about 550-479 BCE
The King's spear-bearerCourt title and bodyguard post of the Achaemenid kings, about 530-479 BCE
The treasurerKeeper of the King's silver and stored goods, Persepolis, late 6th-5th centuries BCE
The director of the King's economyHead of the royal food and labour administration at Persepolis, about 506-497 BCE
HeraldsEnvoys who carried the King's demand for earth and water, about 513-480 BCE
The King's generalsCommanders the Persian king appointed to lead his campaigns, about 521-479 BCE
Admirals of the King's fleetPersian commanders of the subject navies, about 499-479 BCE
Tyrants of the Greek citiesGreek rulers who held Ionian and Hellespontine cities for the King, about 545-479 BCE
The polemarchWar archon of Athens, one of the nine yearly archons, prominent at Marathon in 490 BCE
The strategoiThe board of ten elected generals of Athens, from about 501 BCE
The kings of Sparta and the ephorsSparta's two hereditary kings and five yearly magistrates, Laconia, 6th-5th centuries BCE
The archons of AthensNine annual magistrates of Athens; the senior one named the year (6th-5th century BCE)
The King's couriersRoyal messengers and the relay posts of the Achaemenid roads, about 530-479 BCEPlaces 108
PasargadaeCyrus's royal seat beside the Pulvar river in Persis, built about 550-530 BCE
Persepolis (Parsa)Darius's terrace palace city in Persis, begun about 518 BCE
Naqsh-e RostamCliff of royal rock tombs near Persepolis, cut from Darius's reign (522-486 BCE)
SusaOld Elamite city rebuilt as a royal seat by Darius, lowland Elam, from about 520 BCE
EcbatanaMedian capital and Persian royal residence, modern Hamadan, from about 550 BCE
BabylonGreat city on the Euphrates, taken by Cyrus in 539 BCE, rebel seat under Darius
Behistun (Bagastana)Cliff monument of Darius I on the road to Ecbatana, Media, carved about 520-518 BCE
MemphisAncient capital of Egypt at the head of the Nile Delta, taken by Cambyses in 525 BCE
PelusiumFortress town on the Nile's easternmost branch, where Cambyses won Egypt in 525 BCE
SardisLydian capital, taken by Cyrus in the 540s BCE, then the Persian satrap's seat in the west
The Royal RoadRoyal highway and courier route from Sardis to Susa, about 500 BCE
MiletusIonian Greek city at the mouth of the Maeander, taken by the Persians in 494 BCE
LadeIsland off Miletus and site of the sea battle that ended the Ionian Revolt, 494 BCE
The BosporusStrait between Asia and Europe, bridged for Darius about 513 BCE
The IsterThe lower Danube, bridged for Darius's Scythian campaign, about 513 BCE
The HellespontStrait between Asia and Europe, bridged for Xerxes at Abydos, 481-480 BCE
AthosHeadland and isthmus in the northern Aegean, site of a wreck and a canal, 492-480 BCE
EretriaGreek city on the island of Euboea, sacked by a Persian expedition in 490 BCE
MarathonBay and plain in Attica, scene of a Persian landing and defeat in 490 BCE
ThermopylaeCoastal pass in central Greece, where Xerxes forced Leonidas's line, 480 BCE
ArtemisiumCape of northern Euboea, scene of three days of sea fighting in 480 BCE
AthensGreek city of Attica, burned by Persian armies in 480 and 479 BCE
SalamisIsland and strait off Athens, scene of the sea battle of September 480 BCE
PlataeaBoeotian town below Mount Cithaeron, site of the battle of 479 BCE
MycaleHeadland in Ionia facing Samos; site of the battle of 479 BCE
PersisHomeland of the Persians in the southern Zagros, modern Fars, 6th to 5th centuries BCE
Bagastana (Behistun)Sacred cliff on the road from Babylon to Ecbatana, carved by Darius, about 520-518 BCE
ArbelaAncient Assyrian city, modern Erbil, under Persian rule from the 6th century BCE
NaucratisGreek trading port on the Canopic branch of the Nile, Egypt, from about 620 BCE
ElephantineIsland town and garrison at the First Cataract of the Nile, Egypt, 6th-5th centuries BCE
IstrosMilesian Greek colony on the Black Sea near the Ister mouth, 7th century BCE onwards
ThasosGreek island city in the northern Aegean, rich in gold, subject to Persia 492-479 BCE
SestosFortress town on the Hellespont, besieged and taken by Athens, 479-478 BCE
AbydosGreek city on the Asian shore of the Hellespont, the bridgehead of Xerxes in 480 BCE
DoriscusPersian fort on the Thracian coast, where Xerxes reviewed his army, 480 BCE
DelphiSanctuary and oracle of Apollo below Mount Parnassus, in Phocis, central Greece
SpartaChief city of Laconia in southern Greece, leading Greek power in 480-479 BCE
Thebes (Boeotia)Leading city of Boeotia and Persia's chief Greek ally in 480-479 BCE
ArgosGreek city of the Argolid, rival of Sparta, neutral in the war of 480 BCE
The Acropolis of AthensCitadel and sanctuary of Athena at Athens, taken and burned by Xerxes in 480 BCE
The Pulvar riverRiver of the Pasargadae plain in Persis, flowing south to the Kur near Persepolis
The PactolusGold-bearing river of Sardis in Lydia, flowing down from Mount Tmolus
The Anopaea pathMountain track behind the pass of Thermopylae, central Greece, used in 480 BCE
Mount Cithaeron and the AsopusMountain and river on the Boeotian border, ground of the battle of Plataea, 479 BCE
Eion and the StrymonPersian-held port and supply base at the mouth of the Strymon, Thrace, about 512-476 BCE
OpisTown on the Tigris, north of Babylon, site of a battle in 539 BCE
The Halys riverThe great river of central Anatolia, Lydian frontier and road crossing, 6th century BCE
CyprusIsland of copper and small kingdoms in the eastern Mediterranean, 6th to 5th century BCE
Salamis (Cyprus)Greek-speaking royal city on the east coast of Cyprus, site of a land battle about 497 BCE
NaxosAegean island of the Cyclades, attacked by Persian fleets in 499 and 490 BCE
EphesusGreek city on the Ionian coast of Asia Minor, site of a rebel defeat in 498 BCE
BarcaGreek city in Cyrenaica, Libya, besieged by a Persian army, probably about 513 BCE
EuboeaLong Aegean island off Attica and Boeotia, site of Eretria and Artemisium, 490 and 480 BCE
SaisEgyptian royal city and temple centre in the western Delta, 6th century BCE
Saqqara (the Serapeum)Memphite burial ground of the Apis bulls, Egypt, used under Persian kings, 6th-5th century BCE
Ammon (Siwa)Oracle oasis in the Libyan desert of western Egypt, 6th century BCE
Kush (Ethiopia)The Nile kingdom south of Egypt, known to the Persians as Kushiya, about 525-480 BCE
CarthagePhoenician city on the coast of Tunisia, target of a planned Persian sea attack, about 525 BCE
CyreneGreek city in Cyrenaica, Libya, founded from Thera about 630 BCE
SamosIonian island off the Carian coast, home of Polycrates and Mandrocles, 6th-5th century BCE
HalicarnassusGreek and Carian coastal city in south-west Anatolia under Persian rule, 6th-5th century BCE
ThraceThe lands north of the Aegean and Hellespont, a Persian foothold in Europe, 513-479 BCE
MediaHomeland of the Medes in the western Iranian plateau, before and after 550 BCE
ArachosiaEastern province of the Persian empire, around modern Kandahar, 6th-5th century BCE
ArmeniaHighland country of the Achaemenid empire, in revolt in 521 BCE
SogdianaEastern land of the Achaemenid empire beyond the Oxus, Central Asia, 6th-5th century BCE
LebanonMountain source of cedar timber for Persian royal building, 6th-5th century BCE
DelosAegean island sacred to Apollo and Artemis, spared by the Persian fleet in 490 BCE
AtticaThe territory of Athens in south-eastern Greece, invaded by Persian forces, 490-479 BCE
BoeotiaGreek region north of Attica, ground of the Plataea campaign, 479 BCE
BactriaThe great satrapy of the far north-east, between the Hindu Kush and the Oxus river
CappadociaThe high plateau of central Anatolia east of the Halys, Katpatuka in Darius's list of lands
CariaThe hill country of south-west Anatolia, conquered by Harpagus about 545 BCE, which rose with Ionia in 497
The ChersoneseThe Thracian peninsula on the European shore of the Hellespont, ruled by Miltiades until 493 BCE
CiliciaThe south-eastern corner of Anatolia, under its own kings, the army's crossing point to Cyprus
DidymaThe oracle of Apollo south of Miletus, kept by the Branchidae, burned in 494 BCE
EgyptThe Nile kingdom, conquered by Cambyses in 525 BCE and ruled as the satrapy of Mudraya
ElamThe old kingdom of south-west Iran around Susa, which rose three times against Darius
PsyttaleiaIslet in the strait of Salamis, where Persians were landed in 480 BCE
MagnesiaCoast of the Magnesian peninsula, Thessaly, where Xerxes' fleet met a storm in 480 BCE
Mount TmolusThe mountain above Sardis in Lydia, source of the Pactolus's gold, 6th-5th century BCE
TrachisTown and plain of Malis below the pass of Thermopylae, where Xerxes camped, 480 BCE
Malis and the Malian GulfThe land of the Malians at the head of the Malian Gulf, north of Thermopylae, 480 BCE
AcanthusGreek city at the neck of the Athos peninsula, beside Xerxes' canal, 483-480 BCE
AnshanOld royal city of the Elamite highlands in Persis, the kingdom of Cyrus's fathers, before 550 BCE
The Indus riverThe great river of Hindush, explored for Darius by Scylax, about 517 BCE
The spring of GargaphiaThe spring that watered the Greek army before Plataea, fouled by the King's horse, 479 BCE
The AraxesThe river beyond which Cyrus fought the Massagetae, where he died in 530 BCE
SidonPhoenician port city whose ships led the King's fleet, 6th-5th century BCE
The Hermus riverThe great river of Lydia, on whose plain Sardis stands, 6th-5th century BCE
Lesbos and MytileneThe great Aeolian island off Asia Minor and its chief city, under Persia 6th-5th century BCE
AeginaDorian island in the Saronic Gulf, rival of Athens and best ships at Salamis, 491-480 BCE
AbderaGreek city on the Thracian coast, founded by the Teians, on Xerxes' road, 545-479 BCE
The TigrisThe eastern river of Mesopotamia, where Darius beat Nidintu-Bel, 522 BCE
MargianaOasis land of the Murghab in Central Asia, which rose under Frada in 521 BCE
ParthiaLand south-east of the Caspian, held for Darius by his father Hystaspes in 522-521 BCE
ChiosIonian island whose hundred ships fought on at Lade, 494 BCE
PhaleronThe open bay that was the port of Athens before Piraeus, where the King's fleet came in 490 and 480 BCE
The Black SeaThe Pontus, the sea north of Asia Minor, crossed by Darius's army and its grain ships, 513-480 BCE
The Nile DeltaThe low land of the Nile's mouths in northern Egypt, Persian from 525 BCE
The Mountain of MercyKuh-e Rahmat, the mountain behind the terrace of Persepolis, from about 518 BCE
The PeloponneseThe great peninsula of southern Greece, led by Sparta, 480-479 BCE
SagartiaLand of the Sagartian nomads of Iran, which rose under Citrantakhma in 521 BCE
Cape SuniumThe southern cape of Attica, which the Persian fleet rounded after Marathon, 490 BCE
LauriumThe silver mines of southern Attica that paid for Athens' fleet, 483-480 BCE
GazaCity at the start of the desert road to Egypt, Herodotus's Cadytis, 525 BCE
TyrePhoenician island city, mother of Carthage, second in the King's fleet, 6th-5th century BCE
The EuphratesThe western river of Mesopotamia, flowing through Babylon, 539-521 BCERoyal orders 7
Grain doleRoyal rations of barley and other goods in Persis, about 509-493 BCE
Tax reliefFreedom from tribute and dues in the Achaemenid empire, sixth to fifth centuries BCE
Labour levyRoyal claims on workers' labour in the Achaemenid empire, about 520-479 BCE
Road worksRoyal upkeep of roads and way stations across the empire, about 520-479 BCE
Offerings to the godsRoyal issues of grain and goods for sacrifice, recorded at Persepolis, about 509-493 BCE
Trade charterRoyal tolls, tribute and commerce in the Achaemenid empire, about 530-479 BCE
Water rightsRoyal grants and dues for irrigation water across the Persian empire, about 550-330 BCEWildlife and weather 36
The gazelleAntelope of the Iranian plateau and the Egyptian desert edge, 6th-5th century BCE
The onagerThe wild ass of the Persian plateau and the Mesopotamian plains, 6th-5th centuries BCE
The wild goatThe bezoar goat of the Zagros and Persian hills, 6th-5th century BCE
DeerDeer in the woods and hunting grounds of the Persian world, 6th-5th century BCE
The wild boarWild pig of woods, reed beds and hills in Asia and Greece, 6th to 5th century BCE
The Nile crocodileEgypt's river predator, sacred in some places, as Herodotus saw it, about 450 BCE
Wild horses of the steppeFree-ranging horses of the Scythian plains north of the Ister, about 513 BCE
The white storkA migratory wading bird of the Near East and Egypt, 559-479 BCE
The hareSmall game of open country from Greece to Egypt, 6th-5th century BCE
The foxThe red fox in Anatolia, Thrace and Greece, 6th to 5th century BCE
The golden jackalA scavenging canid of open ground in Persis, Elam and Egypt, 6th-5th centuries BCE
The wolfGrey wolf of the woods and steppe in Greece, Thrace and Media, 6th to 5th century BCE
The lionBig cat of Persis, Elam and northern Greece, and the royal hunt image, 6th-5th century BCE
The Persian leopardThe leopard of the Zagros and nearby hills, a wild cat of the Persian lands, 6th-5th century BCE
The urialWild sheep of the hills of Persis and Media, 559-479 BCE
The Egyptian gooseA Nile waterbird of Egyptian marshes and art, Memphis, about 525 BCE
Wild ducksWaterfowl of the rivers, marshes and pools of the empire, 559-479 BCE
The heronGrey heron of the Nile marsh and the Anatolian river plains, 6th to 5th century BCE
The partridgeGame-bird of the stony hills of Persis, Media and Attica, 6th to 5th century BCE
The ostrichLarge flightless bird of the Near Eastern steppe, reported by Xenophon about 401 BCE
The aurochsThe giant wild ox of Europe and Asia, extinct in 1627 CE; known to Herodotus in 480 BCE
The hippopotamusRiver animal of the Nile in Egypt under Persian rule, 6th-5th centuries BCE
The kiteA scavenging bird of prey over the towns and camps of the empire, 6th-5th century BCE
The griffon vultureLarge scavenging bird of cliffs and open country; Greece and the Persian lands, 6th-5th century BCE
The rock doveWild pigeon of the lands of the Persian empire, known to Greek writers, 6th-5th century BCE
The jackdawA small, sociable crow of Persia and the Greek lands, 559-479 BCE
The egretWhite wading bird of the Nile marshes and canals, Egypt under Persian rule, 525 BCE
The sacred ibisWading bird of the Nile valley, sacred to Thoth, Egypt, 525 BCE and after
The craneA migratory bird seen across the Persian empire and Greece, 6th to 5th century BCE
The swallowA migratory bird seen across the Persian empire, 559-479 BCE
GullsSeabirds on the Aegean coasts in the campaigns of 490-479 BCE
BatsSmall flying mammals of the Persian, Egyptian and Aegean lands, 559-479 BCE
The little owlAthene noctua, Athena's bird on Athenian silver coins, about 500-479 BCE
The hooded crowA grey and black scavenging bird of farmland and towns, seen in the lands of the empire, 559-479 BCE
SandstormsDust-laden desert winds at Memphis and Susa, and the tale of Cambyses' lost army, about 525 BCE
Morning mistScenery on river plains and coasts in the game; not a documented event of 559-479 BCE