A definitive new history of the Persian Empire, the world's first superpower. THE PERSIANS is a definitive new history of the Persian Empire, the world's first superpower. The Great Kings of Persia ruled over the largest Empire of antiquity, stretching from Libya to the Steppes of Asia, and from Ethiopia to Pakistan. At the heart of the Empire was the fabled palace-city of Persepolis where the Achaemenid monarchs held court in unparalleled grandeur. From here, Cyrus the Great, Darius, Xerxes, and their heirs passed laws, raised armies, and governed their multicultural Empire of enormous diversity. The Achaemenids, however, were one of the great dysfunctional families of history. Brothers fought brothers for power, wives and concubines plotted to promote their sons to the throne, and eunuchs and courtiers vied for influence and prestige. Our understanding of the Persian Empire has traditionally come from the histories of Greek writers such as Herodotus - and as such, over many centuries, our perspective has been skewed by ancient political and cultural agendas. Professor Llewellyn-Jones, however, calls upon original Achaemenid sources, including inscriptions, art, and recent archaeological discoveries in Iran, to create an authentic 'Persian Version' of this remarkable first great empire of antiquity - the Age of the Great Kings. About the Author Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones is Professor of Ancient History at Cardiff University. He has spent extensive time in Egypt, the Middle East and Iran and is a specialist in the histories and cultures of Near Eastern and Hellenistic antiquity and champions a global approach to the study of the ancient world and its reception. Lloyd has appeared on the BBC, Channel 4, in The Times and other media outlets and in many popular podcasts. He has worked closely with the British Museum on major exhibitions. His previous books include Persians: the Age of the Great Kings , Ancient Persia and t he Book of Esther , The Hellenistic Court , Sister-Queens in the High Hellenistic Period , Aphrodite's Tortoise: The Veiled Women of Ancient Greece , and Designs on the Past: How Hollywood Created the Ancient World. He is currently writing a book on the ancient mega-city of Babylon. Born in Cefn Cribwr, Lloyd lives in Taffs Well, Wales.