This Persia timeline of major events is based on a Library of Congress Persia timeline (from their 2008 PDF article on Iran).
Iran (Persia) Timeline of Important Events
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Early History
c. 3400 B.C.Elamite kingdom emerges in southwestern Iran and Mesopotamia.
c. 2000 B.C.Nomadic peoples -- Scythians, Medes, and Persians -- move from Central Asia to Iranian plateau.
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6th Century B.C.
c. 553-550 B.C.
Cyrus II (Cyrus the Great) overthrows Median king; becomes ruler of Persia and Media; founds Achaemenid Empire.
539 B.C.
Cyrus captures Babylon, releases Jews from captivity.
525 B.C.
Cyrus's son Cambyses II conquers Egypt.
522 B.C.
Darius I becomes king; restablishes and extends empire, carries out administrative reorganization.
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5th Century B.C.
490 B.C.
Darius invades Greek mainland; defeated at the Battle of Marathon.
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4th Century B.C.
334 B.C.
Alexander the Great begins Persian campaign; completes conquest of Persia and Mesoptamia, 330 B.C.
323 B.C.
Death of Alexander; division of empire among generals; Seleucids emerge as principal heirs in Iran.
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3rd Century B.C.
247 B.C.
Parthians overthrow Seleucids; establish own dynasty.
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3rd Century A.D.
A.D. 224
Ardeshir overthrows last Parthian ruler; establishes Sassanian dynasty with capital at Ctesiphon.
A.D. 260
Shahpur I wages campaign against Romans, takes emperor Valerian captive.
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7th Century
637
Muslim armies capture Ctesiphon, Sassanian Empire begins to crumble.
641-42
Sassanian army defeated at Nahavand; Iran comes under Muslim rule.
