Formation of Achaemenid, The First Persian Empire Persia has always been known to its own people as Iran ( the land of Aryans ), although for centuries it was referred to as Persia (Pars or Fars ) by Europeans. In 1935 the government specified that it should be called Iran; however, in 1949 they allowed both names to be used. Most people today, know Persia through its carpet , its caviar, or through its importance as one of the world's major oil producer countries. Yet,Persia has one of the richest and oldest cultures in the world. Iran history life began as early as 4000 B.C, when the Iranian plateau was occupied by people with variety of cultures. Persia'sfirst growth began in the Neolitic era, and by the third millennium, under Cyrus the great , it became one of the world greatest empires. Before the formation of Persia, the region was occupied by a group of people by the name Elam. The Elamite civilization first developed in the Susian plain, under the influence of nearby Sumeria and Mesopotamia ( ancient name for an area now known as Iraq ) . the Sumerians were the most advanced and complex civilization at that time. In 3100 B.C they invented a Semipictographic writing system which was one of the first writing systems in the world. Around 3000 B.C a group of people by the name Akkaians moved into the northern Sumerian territory. Eventually the Akkads took over the Sumerians and Elams and established the Sume-Akkad Empire. At this time the Akkad Empire spread from the Mediterranean sea to the Caspian sea in the north and Persian Gulf in the south Meanwhile, a group of local people by the name Guti controlled the mountainous area of the western Iran. They took advantage of periods of weakness of Akkad's power and captured their capital, Babylon which caused the fall of Akkad Empire. The fall of Akkads gave this opportunity to Elams to capture Susa. Soon, the Elam civilization developed so much as they could be comp...
