Persian Empire, Achaemenid Dynasty
The Achaemenid Dynasty of the Persian Empire got its start with Cyrus the Great in 550 BC.
One of largest ancient empires
Persia was one of the largest empires in ancient times—two-thirds the size of the United States. At 2.1 million square miles (5.5 sq km) it stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to the Indus River.
Achaemenid rulers were known for their administrative skills, tolerance towards different cultures and religions, and a well-organized infrastructure that helped connect distant regions of their empire.
Cyrus the Great, Persia’s most famous king
One of the most famous kings of this dynasty, Cyrus the Great, holds a special place in the Bible. Prophet Isaiah called Cyrus God’s “anointed one” or “Messiah” (Isaiah 45:1). This is odd because the Bible rarely uses this word to describe non-Israelite people. Jews honored Cyrus for allowing the Jewish people, who had been exiled in Babylon, to return to their homeland in Jerusalem and to rebuild their Temple (Ezra 1:1-4). This act of kindness and religious tolerance was monumental for the Jewish people. That's because it ended the 70-year-long Babylonian exile and allowed the Jewish people to reconnect with their faith and culture. They were again able to bring sacrifices to the Jerusalem Temple and celebrate Passover and other sacred festivals in Jerusalem.
Darius the Great
Darius the Great also shows up in the Bible. During his reign, he supported the Jewish efforts to finish rebuilding of the Second Temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 6:1-12). The Bible also mentions Xerxes I (Ahasuerus in the book of Esther), who married Esther, a Jewish woman. Her courage saved the Jewish people from a plot to destroy them in a holocaust (Esther 7:1-10).
So, Achaemenid rulers are not only key figures in world history. They played pivotal roles in shaping important events in the Bible.