Understanding the Persian Empire

At its peak, the Persian Empire spanned 5.5 million square kilometers. For a modern day comparison, it is equivalent to approximately two times the size of Argentina. This might seem small (Russia occupies 17 million square kilometers), but one should be careful to avoid judging history by today’s standards.

The Persian Empire was centered in Persia, modern day Iran, and ruled over the Anatolian Pennisula…