Introduction: On the trail of an empire
Prologue: The Persians before the Empire
PART 1: THE EMPIRE-BUILDERS FROM CYRUS TO DARIUS: The land-collectors: Cyrus the Great and Cambyses (559-522)
The conquest and after: an interim summary
Trouble, secession, and rebuilding (522-518)
Darius the Conqueror (520-486)
PART 2: THE GREAT KING: Images of the world
Representations of royalty and monarchic ideology
PART 3: TERRITORIES, POPULATIONS, AND THE DEPENDENT ECONOMY: Territories, communication, and trade
Royal assessments and tribute
Persia: empire and tribute economy
PART 4: FROM XERXES TO DARIUS III: AN EMPIRE IN TURMOIL: Xerxes the Great King (486-465) == From the accession of Artaxerxes I to the death of Darius II (465-405/404)
Artaxerxes II (405/404-359/338) and Artaxerxes III (359/358-338)
PART 5: THE FOURTH CENTURY AND THE EMPIRE OF DARIUS III IN THE ACHAEMENID LONGUE DUREE: A PROSPECTIVE ASSESSMENT: Lands, people, and satrapies: taking stock of the Achaemenid world
The great king, his armies, and his treasures
PART 6: THE FALL OF AN EMPIRE (336-330) : Darius and the empire confront Macedonian aggression
Conclusion: From Nabonidus to Seleucus.
