During the reigns of Darius II and his son Xerxes I it engaged in military conflict with some of the major city-states of Ancient Greece, and although it came close to defeating the Greek army this war ultimately led to the overthrow of the Achaemenid empire by the conquest of Alexander the Great in 330 BCE. The empire ended up conquering and enlarging the Median empire to include in addition Egypt and Asia Minor. The empire took its unified form with a central administration around Pasargadae erected by Cyrus the Great. They were succeeded by their respective sons Cambyses I of Anshan ( KambЕ«jiya, 'the Elder'), and Arsames ( ArЕЎДЃma 'Having a Hero's Might') of Iran (Persia), thus forming two branches of the Achaemenid royal house.ДЇormation and expansion of the empire It has also been discussed that the kingdom of Teispes was divided between Cyrus and his brother Ariaramnes ( AriyДЃramna, 'Having the Iranians at Peace').

ДЄccording to many inscriptions Teispes had a son called Cyrus ( KuruЕЎ) succeeding his father as 'King of Anshan'. Achaemenes built the state Parsumash and was succeeded by his son Teispes ( CiЕЎpi) who was the first to take the title King of AnЕЎДЃn after seizing AnЕЎДЃn city from the Elamites and enlarging his kingdom to include Persis. The founder of this dynasty was Achaemenes: Щ‡Ш®Ш§Щ…Щ†Шґ ( Old Persian: HaxДЃmaniЕЎ, meaning вЂњhaving a friendвЂ™s mind,вЂќ or 'characterized by a followerвЂ™s spirit'). The Persian domination by the Achaemenid empire over the Iranian peoples started by an extension of Achaemenid dynasty who expanded their earlier ruling clan over the Persians going, possibly, back in 9th century BC. 1.2 Formation and expansion of the empire.In universal history the role of the Persian empire founded by Cyrus the Great lies in their very successful model for centralized administration and a government working to the advantage and profit of all. Because of the Empire's vast extent and long endurance, Persian influence upon the language, religion, architecture, philosophy, law and government of nations around the world lasts to this day. It fell during the Wars of Alexander the Great in 330 BC.

It is noted in western history as the foe of the Greek city states in the Greco-Persian Wars, for freeing the Jews from their Babylonian captivity, and for instituting Aramaic as the empire's official language. The empire was forged by Cyrus the Great, and spanned three continents, including territories of Afghanistan and Pakistan, parts of Central Asia, Asia Minor, Thrace, much of the Black Sea coastal regions, Iraq, northern Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and all significant population centers of ancient Egypt as far west as Libya. At the height of its power, the Iranian Achaemenid Empire encompassed approximately 10.7 million square kilometers and became the largest empire of the ancient world and perhaps the most wealthy and magnificent in history. The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire ( Persian: Щ‡Ш®Ш§Щ…Щ†ШґЫЊШ§Щ†, UniPers: HaxГўmaneЕЎiyan, IPA: ) (550вЂ“330 BC) was amongst the first Persian Empires that ruled over significant portions of Greater Iran, and followed the Iranian Median Empire.

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