When did Persia start?

The history of Persia, or the Persian Empire, began around the 6th century BCE with the rise of the Achaemenid dynasty, founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BCE. This marked the establishment of a vast empire that eventually encompassed much of the known world, including parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa. The region had earlier civilizations, but the formal identity as Persia is often associated with Cyrus's conquests and the subsequent expansion of the empire.