Achaemenid Empire vs Macedonian Empire
At their height the two were about the same size: the Achaemenid Empire about 5.5 million km² in 500 BCE, the Macedonian Empire about 5.2 million km² in 323 BCE. The Achaemenid Empire lasted about 220 years (550 BCE to 330 BCE), the Macedonian Empire about 13 (336 BCE to 323 BCE). They existed side by side from 336 BCE to 330 BCE.
| Achaemenid Empire | Macedonian Empire | |
|---|---|---|
| Began | 550 BCE | 336 BCE |
| Ended | 330 BCE | 323 BCE |
| Lasted | about 220 years | about 13 years |
| Largest extent | about 5.5 million km² (500 BCE) | about 5.2 million km² (323 BCE) |
| Share of the world’s land | 3.7% | 3.5% |
| Capital | Persepolis | Babylon |
Achaemenid Empire
The first Persian Empire, founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BCE, stretched from the Balkans and Egypt to the Indus. Alexander the Great conquered it in 330 BCE.
Began 550 BCE: Cyrus the Great overthrows the Medes. Ended 330 BCE: Alexander the Great conquers it.
On the history map: World map in 500 BCE, World map in 400 BCE
Achaemenid Empire on Wikipedia
Macedonian Empire
Alexander III of Macedon conquered the Persian Empire between 334 and 323 BCE, from Greece and Egypt to the Indus. After his death in 323 BCE his generals divided it.
Began 336 BCE: Alexander the Great becomes king of Macedon. Ended 323 BCE: Alexander dies and his generals divide the empire.
On the history map: World map in 323 BCE
Macedonian Empire on Wikipedia
More comparisons
- Roman Empire vs Mongol Empire — about 5.0 million km² vs about 24 million km²
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- Roman Empire vs Byzantine Empire — about 5.0 million km² vs about 2.7 million km²
- Roman Empire vs Ottoman Empire — about 5.0 million km² vs about 5.2 million km²
- Roman Empire vs Achaemenid Empire — about 5.0 million km² vs about 5.5 million km²
- Roman Empire vs British Empire — about 5.0 million km² vs about 36 million km²
- Mongol Empire vs British Empire — about 24 million km² vs about 36 million km²
- Mongol Empire vs Russian Empire — about 24 million km² vs about 23 million km²
- Ottoman Empire vs Byzantine Empire — about 5.2 million km² vs about 2.7 million km²
- Ottoman Empire vs Mughal Empire — about 5.2 million km² vs about 4.0 million km²
- Ottoman Empire vs Russian Empire — about 5.2 million km² vs about 23 million km²
- Han dynasty vs Tang dynasty — about 6.0 million km² vs about 5.4 million km²
- Tang dynasty vs Abbasid Caliphate — about 5.4 million km² vs about 11 million km²
- Umayyad Caliphate vs Abbasid Caliphate — about 11 million km² vs about 11 million km²
- British Empire vs Spanish Empire — about 36 million km² vs about 14 million km²
- Spanish Empire vs Inca Empire — about 14 million km² vs about 2.0 million km²
Compare empires · The interactive history atlas
Largest extents are the widely cited estimates by Rein Taagepera and others, as listed in Wikipedia’s List of largest empires. Dates are the conventional ones; several are debated. Shares are of the world’s land area, about 148.9 million km².