Persia — The Empire That Ruled the World

Most people today know of Rome, Greece, or Egypt—but what about ancient Persia? In this full-length historical documentary, we explore the fascinating story of the Achaemenid Empire, from its humble nomadic origins to its staggering heights under legendary rulers like Cyrus the Great, Darius I, and Xerxes, and finally to its dramatic fall at the hands of Alexander the Great. At its peak, the Persian Empire was the largest the world had ever seen—stretching from the Aegean Sea to the Indus Valley, from the Caucasus Mountains to the deserts of Egypt, and nearly half of the global population lived under its rule. We dive deep into the culture, administration, religion, and daily life of the Persian Empire, offering a balanced and fact‑checked view that goes beyond the biased accounts of ancient Greek writers like Herodotus, Xenophon, and Ctesias. The Persian legacy didn’t end with Alexander; it lived on through the Seleucid, Parthian, and Sasanian empires—and continues to influence the modern world today, from the Persian language to the lingering traditions of Zoroastrianism.