History of Iran - Introduction

The current situation in the Middle East has focused attention on Iran — a country whose history rivals that of any on earth, stretching back over 5,000 years and encompassing 29 UNESCO World Heritage sites.

This multi-part series explores that history. Here is a list of the entries, click to read each part:

Published to-date

  • Part 1 - the Elamites and the Medes - 3000 BCE - 559 BCE

  • Part 2 - Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Persian empire - 559 BCE - 530 BC

  • Part 3 - Darius the Great - 530 BCE - 486 BCE

  • Part 4 - Xerxes and the invasion of Greece - 486 BCE - 465 BCE

  • Part 5 - Alexander the Great’s conquest of Persia - 465 BCE - 323 BCE

  • Part 6 - Seleucid Empire and the founding of the Parthian Empire - 323 BCE - 53 BCE

  • Part 7 - Parthian Wars against Rome and the fall of the Parthian Empire 53 BCE - 224 CE

  • Part 8 - The Sasanian Dynasty - 224 CE - 602 CE

Still to come:

  • Part 9 - Culture and the Arts of the Sasanian Dynasty

  • Part 10 - The Last Great War of Antiquity

  • And more to follow

Howard TanzmanComment