Achaemenid Empire

The Achaemenid Empire was the first Persian Empire, 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. In 522 BCE, Cambyses was usurped by Gaumata, and died before being able to confront him. Gaumata was in turn defeated and overthrown by Darius I, who was supported by the Order of the Ancients.

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. In 465 BCE, Emperor Xerxes I was assassinated by Darius in what became the first recorded usage of the Hidden Blade.

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 murder with the Order of the Ancients' support, hiring assassins to poison Artaxerxes, and framing the now-fugitive Darius for the plot. Artaxerxes survived the assassination attempt, though not without losing his vision, and fled to Greece after faking his death.

Also during the 420s BCE, Mestor of Samos made plans with the Persians to invade the Greek island of Samos, in exchange for being able to rule it. However, the plot was discovered and foiled by Herodotos and the misthios Kassandra.

In 429 BCE, a number of Persian Immortals accompanied the Order of the Ancients to Makedonia, Greece, in search of a "Tainted One" known as the "Eagle Bearer". Allying with a Spartan army detachment, they faced unexpected resistance from Darius and a group of mercenaries who sought to join the Eagle Bearer's crew and killed the Immortals and the Spartans. Although the Order succeeded in capturing Darius' son Natakas, his father and the mercenaries soon rescued him and eliminated the Order members.

Around 343 BCE, Artaxerxes III led an invasion of Egypt with his generals Mentor of Rhodes and Bagoas.

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 fatally poisoning Alexander.

Great Kings of the Achaemenid Empire

• 
  Cambyses II
  (530-522 BCE)
• 
  Gaumata
  (522 BCE)
• 
  Darius I
  (522-486 BCE)
• 
  Xerxes I
  (486-465 BCE)
• 
  Artaxerxes I
  (465-424 BCE)
• 
  Darius II
  (423-405 BCE)
• 
  Artaxerxes II
  (404-358 BCE)
• 
  Artaxerxes III
  (358-338 BCE)

Behind the scenes

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 2006 movie 300, which was based on the American author Frank Miller's 1996 comic of the same name.

Gallery

• 
  The Faravahar used by the Achaemenid Empire
• 
  A Persian fleet during the Battle of Thermopylae
• 
  Xerxes I traveling with his convoy

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
• Assassin's Creed: Rebellion – The Hunter's Hounds
• Echoes of History (mentioned only)