Definition: The term "Achaemenids" is a historically significant name used to refer to the ancient Persian Empire. However, it should be noted that this term refers specifically to the Achaemenid Dynasty from the 5th century BC until 336 BC. This dynasty was ruled by the Median King Achaemenes I and his successor kings who were descendants of his son Perdiccas I. Achaemenids refer to the Persian Empire as a whole, not just its specific time period. The term "Achaemenid" is often used in scholarly articles or academic sources to denote all the empires that ruled over Persia during this time period, including the Achaemenids, Parthians, Sassanids, and others. The word "Achaemenids" generally refers to a long period of Persian history spanning from the 5th century BC until the mid-2nd century AD. It can be used for both the entire empire and specific time periods within that empire. The term is sometimes abbreviated to "Achaemenid" or "Achaemenid Dynasty" when referring specifically to a single dynasty, or to more general terms such as "Persia" or "Iranian Empire."

Achaemenids