Middle East Kingdoms

Media
c.728 - 530 BC

The Medians were Indo-Europeans. They co-operated with the Babylonians to destroy Assyria, and shared the captured territory between themselves, with Media assuming power in Eastern Assyria, and north and east of the Tigris from 609 BC. The kingdom's capital was at Ecbatana.

c.728 - 675 BC

Deioces

675 - 653 BC

Phraortes

653 - 585 BC

Cyaxares

Helped overthrow the Assyrian Empire.

c.620 BC

The Medians take control of Achaemenid Persia from the weakening Assyrians.

614 - 609 BC

Independence achieved as Assyria is overthrown by Cyaxares and the Babylonians. Cyaxares marries his daughter to the Babylonian ruler, Nebuchadnezzar II.

590/585 BC

Cyaxares captures the territory which had formed the kingdom of Urartu and, at the end of a fifteen year war, defeats the army of Lydia in the Battle of the Eclipse.

585 - 550 BC

Astyages

550 BC

The Medians lose control of Achaemenid Persia.

530 BC

Media is conquered and subjugated by Persia.

521 BC

Farvartish

Descended from Cyaxares. Pretender to Persian throne.

332 - 323 BC

The region is conquered by Alexander the Great's Greek Empire.

323 - 320? BC

Media is governed by Peithon, one of Alexander's generals.

320 - 141 BC

The region is inherited by the Greek Seleucid Empire.

141 BC - AD 4

Parthian Persians take Media from the Seleucids. The Parthian Empire eventually breaks up, leaving a patchwork of kingdoms which remain in a loose alliance with one another for a further 200 years.

c.70

Pacorus

Brother of Vologeses of Persia and Tiridates II of Armenia.

c.70

An attack by the warlike Alani tribe to the north of the Black Sea defeats a Median force.