The Persian Empire was the first empire to connect multiple world regions, including the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia, India, Europe, and the Mediterranean world.

South Asia is like a world unto itself ... (Recommended: 5 Greatest Superpowers of All Time) The empire was initially very successful both internally and in terms of foreign policy.

But like life, empires have a few certainties: taxation if the empire is to survive and death when the money is gone. Not until Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales all fracture off from England ...

Long before the Mongol Empire arose, Asia’s first nomadic empire ... spent most or possibly all their lives in the Khanuy Valley where they were buried, say archaeologist Ligang Zhou of Henan ...