MEDO-PERSIAN EMPIRE

THE Medes and the Persians are referred to repeatedly in the Scriptures because they pursued a policy of religious toleration that served to fulfill Bible prophecy.

Jehovah had permitted the Jews to be taken into captivity by Babylon, a nation that did not release captive peoples. Yet, God also had foretold Jewish restoration to their homeland. (Jer 27:22; 30:3) Medo-Persia, referred to in the Bible symbolically as a bear (Da 7:5), served Jehovah’s purpose in this regard.

Shortly after Babylon’s fall, Persian King Cyrus decreed that the formerly captive Jews could return to their homeland and rebuild Jehovah’s temple. (Ezr 1:2-4) Darius I later honored this decree. (Ezr 6:1-11) King Ahasuerus (evidently Xerxes I), when properly informed, signed a decree that thwarted a scheme to exterminate the Jews. (Es 7:3–8:14) In 455 B.C.E., King Artaxerxes Longimanus granted permission for Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls, thus beginning the prophetic countdown to the appearance of the Messiah.​—Ne 2:3-8; Da 9:25.

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PRINCIPAL LOCATIONS

Pasargadae: An early Persian capital

Shushan: Former Elamite capital that became administrative center of the Medo-Persian Empire

Persepolis: A royal city built by Emperors Darius I, Xerxes I, and Artaxerxes Longimanus

Ecbatana: Summer capital of the empire; it had been the capital of Media

Babylon: A royal city of the empire; because of the torrid summer weather, the city seldom served as more than a winter capital

Gaugamela: Site of the defeat of Persia’s vast army under Darius III by Alexander the Great in 331 B.C.E., thus marking the end of the empire

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Black Sea

MACEDONIA

LYDIA

Great Sea

ASSYRIA

Gaugamela

Tigris River

Euphrates River

Babylon

SYRIA

Damascus

Jerusalem

MEDIA

Ecbatana

PARTHIA

ELAM

Shushan

Pasargadae

PERSIA

Persepolis

Persian Gulf

INDIA

Indus River

Indian Ocean

EGYPT

Memphis

Thebes

Nile River

Red Sea

ETHIOPIA

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Relief work showing Medes (with round hats) and Persians (with fluted hats)

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Seal impression of Darius I. Darius upheld the Jews in their temple-rebuilding work in Jerusalem

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Cyrus Cylinder

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Modern Hamadan (in Iran), the site of ancient Ecbatana. Here Cyrus the Great had a palace. His policy of religious toleration greatly benefited the Jews

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Ruins from ancient Persepolis. Here Darius I, Xerxes I, and Artaxerxes Longimanus built palaces

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Excavations of ancient town area in Shushan

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Decorations typical of those that adorned the palace audience hall at Shushan

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Mordecai and Esther before King Ahasuerus (evidently Xerxes I)