dynasty predecessor successor religion birth_place title article_title name reign
median dynasty phraortes astyages pre-zoroastrian iranian religion ecbatana -lrb- present-day hamadan -rrb- king cyaxares
 cyaxares 625 -rrb- bc -- 585 bc -lrb- according to herodotus
cyaxares

cyaxares or hvakhshathra -lrb- `` uvaxštra '' , ; r. 625 -- 585 bc -rrb- , the son of king phraortes , and according to herodotus was the third and most capable king of media .
according to herodotus , cyaxares , grandson of deioces , had a far greater military reputation than his father or grandfather .
he was the first to divide his troops into separate sections of spearmen , archers , and horsemen .
by uniting the iranian tribes of ancient iran and conquering neighbouring territories , cyaxares built the median empire into a regional power .
he facilitated the fall of the neo-assyrian empire , and according to herodotus repelled the scythians from media .
