Persia existed as a name for the region and civilization of modern Iran for more than 2,500 years, mainly referring to several powerful Persian empires.

Major Persian empires and periods

1. Achaemenid Empire (550–330 BC)
   • Founded by Cyrus the Great
   • One of the largest empires in ancient history
   • Controlled lands from Egypt to India
2. Parthian Empire (247 BC – AD 224)
   • Known for strong cavalry and long wars with Roman–Parthian Wars against the Roman Empire.
   • About 295 years of intermittent wars between Rome and Parthia.
3. Sasanian Empire (AD 224 – 651)
   • Last great Persian empire before the Islamic conquest.
   • Ended after the Muslim conquest of Persia.

After the ancient empires

Persia continued as a cultural and political region under later dynasties such as:

• Safavid Empire (1501–1736)
• Qajar dynasty (1789–1925)

Name change

In 1935, the government asked the world to officially use the name Iran instead of Persia.

✅ Simple timeline:

• Persia as an empire: 550 BC – 651 AD (ancient empires)
• Persia as a country name: until 1935
• After 1935: officially called Iran