Achaemenid Empire: Difference between revisions

The Achaemenid Empire was the second Persian Empire but the one which firmly defined the Persian identity. Founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BCE, it ruled over Western Asia, conquering the Neo-Babylonian Empire in its entirety, annexing Egypt, and reaching as far as Greece.

History

Around 524 BCE during his conquest of Egypt, Emperor Cambyses II sent an army of 50,000 soldiers to destroy the Oracle of Amun in Siwa, but it was buried in a sandstorm in the Isolated Desert.^[1] In 522 BCE, Cambyses was usurped by Gaumata. With the support of Proto-Templars, Gaumata was defeated and overthrown by Darius I.^[2]

In what became known as the Greco-Persian Wars, the Persians attempted twice to subjugate the rebellious Greeks in the first half of the 5th century BCE.^[3] In 465 BCE,^[4] Emperor Xerxes I was assassinated by Darius in what became the first recorded usage of the Hidden Blade.^[5]^[3]

After Xerxes' death, his eldest son Artaxerxes I succeeded him as Emperor, reigning from 465 BCE. During the 420s BCE, his younger brother, Hystaspes, plotted his assassination, hiring Darius to poison the emperor. Artaxerxes survived the assassination attempt however, but not without losing his vision. Faking his death, Artaxerxes fled to Greece, and sought refuge in the city of Megaris.^[3]

In around 343 BCE, Artaxerxes III led an invasion of Egypt with his generals Mentor of Rhodes and Bagoas.^[1]

The Achaemenid Empire ultimately fell to the might of Alexander the Great of Macedon in 330 BCE, but the restive locals assisted Iltani of the Babylonian Brotherhood in poisoning Alexander to death.^[6]

Trivia

The Immortals in Assassin's Creed: Odyssey are depicted wearing black clothing while in reality they were very colorful. Their in game appearance appears to be inspired by the movie 300.

Gallery

Persian fleet during the Battle of Thermopylae

Persian fleet during the Battle of Thermopylae

Appearances

Assassin's Creed II (mentioned only)
Assassin's Creed: Initiates (mentioned only)
Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India (mentioned only)
Assassin's Creed: Origins (mentioned only)
Assassin's Creed: Odyssey (first appearance)
- Legacy of the First Blade

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Assassin's Creed: Origins
↑ Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
↑ Assassin's Creed: Initiates
↑ Assassin's Creed II
↑ Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India

Assassin's Creed: Odyssey

Characters

Assassins	Layla Hassan • Victoria Bibeau • Kiyoshi Takakura • Alannah Ryan • Harlan Cunningham \| Amunet \| Kassandra (Ikaros) • Darius

Cult of Kosmos	Aspasia • Deimos • Nyx (Elpenor • Sotera • The Master • Hermippos • Midas) • Polemon (Epiktetos • The Centaur of Euboea • The Chimera • The Silver Griffin • Machaon) • Kleon (Brison • Podarkes • Rhexenor • Iobates • Kodros) • Exekias (Pallas • Deianeira • Belos • Swordfish • Okytos) • Iokaste (Melite • Harpalos • Zoisme • Diona • Chrysis) • The Hydra (The Mytilenian Shark • Melanthos • The Octopus • Sokos • Asterion) • Pausanias (Skylax • The Monger • Lagos • Kallias • Silanos)

Templars / Order of the Ancients	Juhani Otso Berg \| Amorges • Pactyas (Akantha • Bubares • Echion • Konon • Phratagounè • Timosa • Order Elite) • Phila (Augos • Nestor • Megakreon • Sophos) • The Immortals • Gergis (Artazostre • Dimokrates • Pithias • Gaspar • Harpagos) \| Xerxes I

Isu	Aletheia \| Persephone • Hades • Poseidon • Hermes • Hekate • Atlas • Gadiros • Ampheres • Azaes • Neokles • Aita • Juno • Melitta • Xarios

Olympos Project	Cyclops (Brontes • Steropes • Arges) • Writhing Dread (Medusa • Ligeia) • Minotaur • Sphinx • Cerberos • Lycanthropes (Lyra) • Hekatonchires

Mercenaries	Kassandra the Eagle-Bearer • Exekias the Legend • Talos the Stone-Fist • Sosipatros the Archon's Servant • The Poisoner • The False Leonidas • Zetes the Retired • Hyrkanos the Cunning • Agis of the North • Theos the Stargazer • Gaia the Fist • Exadios the Backbreaker • Edonos the Charging Bull • Atos the Beast Caller • Hirpes the Sordid • Aias the Clean • Kephalon the Thinker • Proktos the Moon King • "Eagle Bearer" (Chikaros) • Polykaste the Jilted • Narkissos the Babbler • Nestor the Great • Testiklos the Nut • Harpina the Heavy Hitter • Iaeira the Overcomer • Damais the Indifferent • Astarte the Swamp • Nanno the Abakos • Okyllos the Successor • Thaleia the Talon Hand • Laches the Eternal • Abia the Shaded \| Cyclops of Kephallonia • The Poisoner of Athens • Testikles the Olympian • Deianeira the Boeotian Champion • Epiktetos the Forthcoming • Swordfish of Octopus Bay • The Monger of Korinthia • Achilles the Trojan War Hero • King Agamemnon of Mycenae • Herakles the Legendary • Perseus the Gorgon Slayer

Love interests	Aikaterine • Alkibiades • Anais • Aspasia • Auxesia • Daphnae • Diona • Kosta • Kyra • Lykaon • Lykinos • Mikkos • Odessa • Roxana • Thaletas • Thyia • Timotheos • Xenia • Zopheras • "Eagle Bearer" • Natakas \| Adonis • Elpis

Others	Archidamos • Aristophanes • Artaxerxes I • Barnabas • Brasidas • Darius II • Demokritos • Elpidios • Euripides • Herodotos • Hippokrates • Iola • Markos • Myrrine • Nikolaos • Perikles • Phidias • Polykleitos • Praxilla • Pythagoras • Phoibe • Sargon • Sophokles • Sokrates • Thespis • Thrasymachos \| Leonidas • Dienekes • Kurush

Factions

Assassins (Layla Hassan's cell | Protectors of Persia) | Templars (Abstergo Industries • Sigma Team | Order of the Ancients) • Cult of Kosmos • Delian League • Peloponnesian League • Achaemenid Empire • Minor factions (Daughters of Artemis • Followers of Ares • The Dagger • Periklean Circle)

Locations

United Kingdom (London) | Egypt (Giza) | Isu Locations (Atlantis (Gateway to the Lost City) • Ancient Forge • Cave of Mt. Zas • Cave of the Forgotten Isle • Myson Cave • Nisyros • Sphinx Lair • Labyrinth of Lost Souls • Petrified Temple • Teichos of Herakles) • Greece • Aegean Sea (Andros) • Volcanic Islands (Thera • Anaphi • Nisyros) • Krete (Messara (Gortyn) • Pephka) • Kythera Island • Melos • Attika Peninsula (Attika (Athens • Dekelia • Lavrio • Port of Piraeus) • Boeotia (Lake Kopais • Mykalessos • Orchomenos • Thebes) • Megaris (Megara • Pagai)) • Forest Islands (Thasos • Abantis Islands (Euboea • Skyros) • Petrified Islands (Chios • Lesbos)) • Kephallonia Islands (Kephallonia (Sami) • Ithaka) • Korinthian Gulf • Peloponnese (Arkadia (Tegea) • Argolis (Argos • Epidauros) • Achaia (Dyme • Patrai • Pellene) • Elis • Korinthia (Korinth) • Lakonia (Sparta) • Messenia) • Pirate Islands (Keos (Koressia) • Seriphos • Lestris) • Paradise Islands (Delos • Mykonos • Naxos Island • Paros Island) • Southern Sporades (Samos • Kradia Isle • Kos) • Northern Greece (Lokris • Makedonia (Amphipolis • Potidaia) • Malis • Phokis (Kirrha)) • Afterlife (Elysium • Underworld)

Events

Search for the Staff of Hermes Trismegistus | Peloponnesian War (Battle of Amphipolis • Battle of Pylos) • Plague of Athens | Greco-Persian Wars (Battle of Thermopylae)

Terms and concepts

Achievements • Ainigmata Ostraka • Crafting • Customization • Currencies (Drachma • Orichalcum) • Dual-wielding • Eagle Vision • Engraving • Genetic memory • Helix Credits • Historical Locations • Leap of Faith • Memories • Message boards • Outfits • Photo Mode • Pieces of Eden (Artifact Fragment • Atlantis Artifacts • Pyramid • Spear of Leonidas • Staff of Hermes Trismegistus • Sword of Damokles) • Ships (Adrestia) • Skills • Social stealth • Story Creator Mode • Swimming • Viewpoints

Weapons and tools

Bows • Blunt weapons • Swords • Spears • Shields

DLC

The Blind King • Secrets of Greece • Legacy of the First Blade (Hunted • Shadow Heritage • Bloodline) • The Fate of Atlantis (Fields of Elysium • Torment of Hades • Judgment of Atlantis) • The Lost Tales of Greece • Discovery Tour: Ancient Greece

@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 ==Trivia==
-*The Immortals in the game are depicted wearing black clothing while in reality they were very colorful. Their in game appearance appears to be inspired by the movie ''{{wiki|300 (film)|300}}''.
+*The Immortals in ''[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]]'' are depicted wearing black clothing while in reality they were very colorful. Their in game appearance appears to be inspired by the movie ''{{wiki|300 (film)|300}}''.
 ==Gallery==