330 BC – 320 BCs

Events in 330 BC – 320 BC 3

• 550 BC – 330 BC Achaemenid Empire — First Persian Empire The largest empire the ancient world had yet seen Founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC, the Achaemenid Empire stretched from the Balkans and Egypt to the Indus Valley — the largest empire the world had yet seen. It was renowned for its tolerance of subject peoples, its network of royal roads and the administrative system of satrapies.
• 330 BC Alexander conquers Persia The Achaemenid Empire falls to Macedon In 330 BC Alexander the Great defeated Darius III, burned Persepolis and ended the Achaemenid Empire after a three-year campaign. His conquest brought Greek rule and the Hellenistic age to Iran, though Persian culture endured and would later reassert itself.
• 322 BC – 185 BC Maurya Empire First empire to unify the subcontinent The Maurya Empire, founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BC, was the first state to unify most of the Indian subcontinent under one centralised administration. From its capital Pataliputra it became one of the largest empires of the ancient world.