List of plates; List of text figures; List of maps; 1. Elam I. M. Diakonoff; 2. Anshan in the Median and Achaemenian periods J. Hansman; 3. Media I. M. Diakonoff; 4. The Scyths T. Sulimirski; 5. The rise of the Achaemenids and establishment of their empire J. M. Cook; 6. Persia and the Greeks A. R. Burn; 7. Cyrus the Great (558–529 BC) Max Mallowan; 8. Alexander in Iran E. Badian; 9. The Persian occupation of Egypt E. Bresciani; 10. The Babylonian evidence of Achaemenian rule in Mesopotamia A. L. Oppenheim; 11. The evidence of the Persepolis tablets R. T. Hallock; 12. Achaemenid coins, weights and measures A. D. H. Bivar; 13. The old eastern Iranian world view according to the Avesta M. Schwartz; 14. The religion of Achaemenian Iran M. Schwartz; 15. Aramaic in the Achaemenian Empire J. C. Greenfield; 16. Old Iranian calendars Willy Hartner; 17. Classic Achaemenian architecture and sculpture Edith Porada; 18. The Behistun relief Ann Farkas; 19. Tepe Nush-i Jan: the Median settlement David Stronach; 20. Pasargadae David Stronach; 21. Metalwork and glyptic P. R. S. Moorey; Appendixes; Bibliography; Index.