A Short History of the World Chapter 20 - The Last Babylonian Empire and the Empire of Darius I

In which the twilight of the Assyrian empire gives way to the rise of the Chaldean and Median realms, with Babylon reaching a final brilliance under Nebuchadnezzar before its peaceful submission to Cyrus the Persian. The vast dominion of Darius I unfolds, stretching from Asia Minor to the Indus, heralding new modes of communication, commerce, and imperial administration, while ancient cities gradually surrender their former grandeur.