Persian Wars of Conquest

B.C. 550-512. Persian Empire versus Medes, Lydia, Babylon, Egypt and Scythia. The Persian Empire was the great rival of Ancient Greece during its Golden Age. It came to prominence under Cyrus the Great in 550 B.C., and lasted until it was overthrown by the Macedonians under Alexander the Great in 331 B.C.. During this period, Persia was the largest, richest and most powerful empire the world had known, encompassing the formerly great kingdoms of Medes (modern Iran), Babylon (modern Iraq and Syria), Lydia (modern Turkey), and Egypt, and at its peak stretched from Thrace in Europe to India.