The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Dynasty is the name used for the Persian dynasty which lasted from 558 to 330 BC. 558 BC - Accession of Cyrus the Great to the throne of Anshan in Fars and Khuzestan; he moves the Achaemenid capital to Susa. 550 BC - Cyrus defeats Astyages, king of the Medes, and captures Ecbatana, succeeding the Median king and uniting Media and Persia. Wikipedia