Iran

Iran, formerly Persia, is a cradle of grand empires and crossroads of conquering armies dating back to 1,500 BC.

Here, Cyrus the Great established the vast Achaemanian Empire in the 6th century BC. Under Darius II, the empire expanded and the palatial Persepolis was built as his exquisite summer capital only to be destroyed later by Alexander the Great in his conquest of Asia in 331 BC.

• The Cultures and Tribes of IRAN (17 days)

• Map of Iran