Cyrus the Great's Conquests and Governance (c. 550–530 BCE)

1. Cambyses II succeeds Cyrus as Great King

   Jan 1, 529Labels: Cambyses II, Achaemenid Empire

   • Britannica Cambyses
   • Britannica Facts

2. Cyrus killed during northeastern frontier campaign

   Jan 1, 530Labels: Cyrus the, Massagetae

   • Britannica
   • Massagetae

3. Cambyses performs Babylonian New Year ritual

   Mar 27, 538Labels: Cambyses II, Babylon New

   • Cambyses II
   • Britannica Cambyses

4. Cambyses appointed to oversee Babylonian affairs

   Apr 1, 538Labels: Cambyses II, Babylon administration

   • Cambyses II
   • Britannica Cambyses

5. Battle of Opis defeats Babylonian forces

   Sep 1, 539Labels: Battle of, Babylon

   • Battle of Opis
   • Fall of Babylon

6. Sippar taken without battle

   Oct 10, 539Labels: Sippar, Babylon

   • Cyrus Great
   • Nabonidus

7. Persian forces enter Babylon

   Oct 12, 539Labels: Ugbaru, Babylon

   • Nabonidus
   • Fall of Babylon

8. Cyrus formally enters Babylon as king

   Oct 29, 539Labels: Cyrus the, Babylon

   • Nabonidus
   • Fall of Babylon

9. Cyrus Cylinder issued after Babylon conquest

   Nov 1, 539Labels: Cyrus Cylinder, Marduk

   • British Museum
   • Cyrus Cylinder

10. Elam and Susa brought under Persian rule

    Jan 1, 540Labels: Susa, Elam

    • Susa
    • Cyrus Great

11. Sardis captured; Lydia annexed

    Jan 1, 546Labels: Sardis, Lydia

    • Britannica
    • Britannica Sardis

12. Cyrus overthrows Astyages and takes Ecbatana

    Jan 1, 550Labels: Astyages, Ecbatana

    • Britannica
    • Pasargadae UNESCO

13. Pasargadae founded as dynastic capital

    Jan 1, 550Labels: Pasargadae, dynastic capital

    • Pasargadae UNESCO
    • Britannica Pasargadae

14. Cyrus succeeds Cambyses I in Anshan

    Jan 1, 5591Labels: Cyrus II, Anshan

    • Britannica
    • Britannica Facts