Persian Empire
Language: English
Part of speech: name
Forms: form: the Persian Empire
Etymology: Collocation of 'Persian' (as a demonym of Latinate Persia in the sense of Greek Persis, Old Persian Pārsa) and 'empire'. Translates Latin Imperium Persārum, as attested e.g. in the 1st century (e.g. Quintus Curtius Rufus "Life and exploits of Alexander the Great" 3.3.8).
In English from the 17th centuryhttp://books.google.com/books?id=lLhHAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA37&dq=%22Persian+Empire%22&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=1700&as_brr=0#v=onepage&q=%22Persian%20Empire%22&f=falsehttp://books.google.com/books?id=cY8pAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA3-PA400&dq=%22Persian+Empire%22&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=1800&as_brr=0#v=onepage&q=%22Persian%20Empire%22&f=false, invariably in reference to the Achaemenid Empire (550–330 B.C.E.) conquered by Alexander the Great. Sometimes expanded to Medo-Persian Empirehttp://books.google.com/books?id=AOYqAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA33&dq=%22Medo-Persian+Empire%22&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=1800&as_brr=0#v=onepage&q=%22Medo-Persian%20Empire%22&f=false (translating Imperium Persārum et Mēdōrum, "empire of (ruled by) Persians and Medians"). The 'et Medorum' is not a reference to Median empire (625–550 B.C.E.), but rather to (1) the tribal affiliation and shared status of the Persians and Medians, (2) the mixed Persian-Median parentage of the founder of the dynasty, Cyrus I.
The term 'Persian empire' has sometimes been extended to the later, "restored" empire ruled by the Sasanian dynastyhttp://books.google.com/books?id=YfoEAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA129&dq=%22Persian+Empire%22+Sassanian&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=1850&as_brr=0#v=onepage&q=%22Persian%20Empire%22%20Sassanian&f=falsehttp://books.google.com/books?id=PNYLJakw1SQC&pg=PA28&dq=%22Persian+Empire%22+Sassanian&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=1980&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&as_brr=0#v=onepage&q=%22Persian%20Empire%22%20Sassanian&f=falsehttp://books.google.com/books?id=MziRd4ddZz4C&pg=PA100&dq=%22Persian+Empire%22+Sassanian&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=1980&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&as_brr=0#v=onepage&q=%22Persian%20Empire%22%20Sassanian&f=false, the ruling dynasty of which was also from Persia in the sense of Greek Persis, Old Persian Pārsa. It is sometimes taken more loosely to refer to the Achaemenid, Parthian and Sasanian states taken together (so Encyclopædia Britannica 2009: "historical empire from about 550 B.C.E. – 640 C.E.").
Senses: examples: text: We know how Darius got the Persian Empire from the rest of his fellow Peers, from the first neighing of his generous Steed.
ref: 1652, Thomas Fuller, Holy and Profane State, page 140:
synonyms: Persia
Achaemenid Empire
First Persian Empire
glosses: The empire ruled by the Achaemenid dynasty 550–330 B.C.E.
examples: text: The geographical limits of the Sassanian or Later Persian Empire were so nearly identical with those of its predecessor, the Parthian, […]
ref: 1880, George Rawlinson, A manual of ancient history, from the earliest times to the fall of the Sassanian empire, page 569:
synonyms: Persia
Sasanian Empire
Second Persian Empire
Neo-Persian Empire
glosses: The empire ruled by the Sasanian dynasty 224–651 C.E.
Related terms: Persia