PERSIA, DARIUS THE GREAT

Darius the Great was the 3rd Persian King of the Achaemenid Empire. His reign lasted 36 years, from 522 to 486 BCE and was existent in the time when the Persian empire reached its peak. He led military campaigns in Europe, but also the Indus Valley, where he conquered lands and expanded his empire. During this period, He extended the Achaemenid Empire to include Mesopotamia, Egypt, Anatolia, the Southern Caucasus, Macedonia, the western Indus Basin as well as parts of Central Asia. His conquest led him to annexing regions and by 518 BCE he crossed into the Himalayas into India to initiate a second period of conquest by taking regions up to the Jhelum River in Punjab. The Indus Valley was incorporated into the Achaemenid Empire as the Gandara, Hindush and Sattagydia satrapies and mentioned in several inscriptions. There are few indications of Darius in the region but the Bhir Mound in Taxila is said to be the most plausible evidence for Achaemenid India based on pottery styles found there. One of the key similarities between Darius the Great’s achievements and the Silk Road were was the Royal Road; an ancient highway reorganised and rebuilt by Darius in 5th Century BC and stimulated communication between his empires. The Royal Road stretched itself and coincided with the Silk Road itself as well, thus bringing forward a historical connect between Persia, present day Iran and the door of South Asian Nations such as Pakistan.