From Cyrus to Alexander: A History of the Persian Empire

Abstract

Introduction: On the trail of an empire -- Prologue: The Persians before the Empire -- PART 1: THE EMPIRE-BUILDERS FROM CYRUS TO DARIUS: The land-collectors: Cyrus the Great and Cambyses (559-522) -- The conquest and after: an interim summary -- Trouble, secession, and rebuilding (522-518) -- Darius the Conqueror (520-486) -- PART 2: THE GREAT KING: Images of the world -- Representations of royalty and monarchic ideology -- People and life at court -- The King's men -- PART 3: TERRITORIES, POPULATIONS, AND THE DEPENDENT ECONOMY: Territories, communication, and trade -- Royal assessments and tribute -- Persia: empire and tribute economy -- The king of the lands -- PART 4: FROM XERXES TO DARIUS III: AN EMPIRE IN TURMOIL: Xerxes the Great King (486-465) == From the accession of Artaxerxes I to the death of Darius II (465-405/404) -- Artaxerxes II (405/404-359/338) and Artaxerxes III (359/358-338) -- PART 5: THE FOURTH CENTURY AND THE EMPIRE OF DARIUS III IN THE ACHAEMENID LONGUE DUREE: A PROSPECTIVE ASSESSMENT: Lands, people, and satrapies: taking stock of the Achaemenid world -- The great king, his armies, and his treasures -- PART 6: THE FALL OF AN EMPIRE (336-330) : Darius and the empire confront Macedonian aggression -- Conclusion: From Nabonidus to Seleucus.