Persia: An ancient empire, extending from the Indus to Thrace, and from the
Caspian Sea to the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. The Persians were
originally a Medic tribe which settled in Persia, on the eastern side
of the Persian Gulf. They were Aryans, their language belonging to
the eastern division of the Indo-European group. One of their chiefs,
Teispes, conquered Elam in the time of the decay of the Assyrian
Empire, and established himself in the district of Anzan. His
descendants branched off into two lines, one line ruling in Anzan,
while the other remained in Persia. Cyrus II., king of Anzan, finally
united the divided power, conquered Media, Lydia, and Babylonia, and
carried his arms into the far East. His son, Cambyses, added Egypt to
the empire, which, however, fell to pieces after his death. It was
reconquered and thoroughly organized by Darius, the son of Hystaspes,
whose dominions extended from India to the Danube.
