Culture & context
A Short History of Persia / Iran
Last verified: 2026-06-29
A timeline from Elam and the Achaemenids (Cyrus, Persepolis) through Parthian/Sasanian, the Islamic golden age, Mongol/Timurid, Safavid Isfahan, Qajar Tehran and the Pahlavi era to the 1979 Islamic Republic - each era tied to the sites where you can see it.
Key things to know
- Achaemenid: Cyrus → Persepolis / Pasargadae / Naqsh-e Rostam
- Sasanian rock reliefs + Zoroastrian heritage
- Safavid Isfahan = the artistic peak
- Qajar → Tehran capital; 1979 Republic
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