The Achaemenid Persian Empire functioned as well as it did because of the efficient bureaucracy established by its founder Cyrus the Great (r. c. 550-530 BCE) which was administered through the satrapy system. A Persian governor of a province was known as a satrap (“protector of the kingdom” or “keeper of the province”) and the province as a satrapy.
More about: Ancient Persian GovernorsDefinition
Timeline
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2334 BCE - 2083 BCEPosition of provincial governors is established by the Akkadian Empire.
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745 BCE - 727 BCENeo-Assyrian king Tiglath Pileser III revises and implements Akkadian model of government.
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c. 647 BCEAkkadian/Assyrian system of government adopted by the Medes under Phraortes.
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c. 550 BCE - 330 BCEAchaemenid Empire of Persia refines the earlier system of satraps.
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c. 377 BCE - c. 353 BCEReign of Mausolus, semi-independent satrap of Caria.
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312 BCE - 63 BCESeleucid Empire adopts Achaemenid system of Persian government but with Greek satraps.
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247 BCE - 224 CEParthia adopts satrapy system but decentralizes the government which weakens the empire.
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224 CE - 651 CESassanian Empire adopts satrapy system and founds its principles on religion of Zoroastrianism/Zorvanism.
