Persia | Definition, Location, & Facts - Encyclopedia Britannica

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External Websites
  • JewishEncyclopedia.com - Persia
  • Pressbooks - A Brief History of the World To 1500 - Ancient Persia
  • Getty - Persia: Ancient Iran and the Classical World
  • Humanities LibreTexts - Persia
  • LOUIS Pressbooks - Western Civilization: A Concise History - Persia and the Greek Wars
  • World History Encyclopedia - Ancient Persia
  • Iran Chamber Society - Persia, the Thousand-Year-Old Name of Iran
  • Jewish Virtual Library - Persia
  • History World - History of Iran (Persia)
  • The History Files - Persia / Parsua (Indo-Iranians)
  • Khan Academy - Ancient Persia
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Persia, Afghanistan, and Baluchistan, c. 1902
Persia, Afghanistan, and Baluchistan, c. 1902 Map of Persia (Iran), Afghanistan, and Baluchistan, from the 10th edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, published in 1902. (more)
Persia historical region, Asia Ask Anything Homework Help Written and fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Dec. 5, 2025 •History Britannica AI Icon Britannica AI Ask Anything Homework Help Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask Anything

Persia, historic region of southwestern Asia associated with the area that is now modern Iran. The term Persia was used for centuries and originated from a region of southern Iran formerly known as Persis, alternatively as Pārs or Parsa, modern Fārs. The use of the name was gradually extended by the ancient Greeks and other peoples to apply to the whole Iranian plateau. The people of that region have traditionally called their country Iran, “Land of the Aryans.” That name was officially adopted in 1935.

Major Events: Greco-Persian Wars Battle of Gaugamela Battle of Thermopylae Battle of the Granicus Battle of Marathon (Show more) Key People: Alexander the Great Genghis Khan Xenophon Herodotus Cyrus the Great (Show more) Related Topics: Ten Thousand Immortals Mede (Show more) Related Places: Caria Clazomenae Ephesus Iran Susa (Show more) On the Web: Iran Chamber Society - Persia, the Thousand-Year-Old Name of Iran (Dec. 05, 2025) (Show more) See all related content

For the history of the region prior to the 7th century ce, see Iran, ancient. For the history of succeeding periods and a study of the current geography, see Iran. For a discussion of the religions of ancient Iran, see Iranian religion. For a discussion of visual arts from the prehistoric period through the Sasanian period, see art and architecture, Iranian. For a detailed account of Mesopotamian history through the Sasanian period, see Mesopotamia, history of.

Keep Learning
  • How did ancient Persia become modern Iran?
  • Who were the most famous Persian kings and what did they accomplish?
  • What was the Persian Empire and how large did it grow?
  • How did Persian culture influence other civilizations?
  • What were the major achievements of Persian science, art, and architecture?
The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Michele Metych.

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