# Persia, Persians

## Definition:

Persia was a country that also became a powerful empire founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC. The country of Persia was located southeast of Babylonia and Assyria in a region that is now the modern-day country of Iran. 

* The people of Persia were called “Persians.”
* Under King Cyrus’ decree, the Jews were freed from their captivity in Babylon and allowed to go home, and the temple in Jerusalem was rebuilt, with funds provided by the Persian Empire.
* King Artaxerxes was the ruler of the Persian Empire when Ezra and Nehemiah went back to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
* Esther became a queen of the Persian empire when she married King Ahasuerus.

(See also: [Ahasuerus](../names/ahasuerus.md), [Artaxerxes](../names/artaxerxes.md), [Assyria](../names/assyria.md), [Babylon](../names/babylon.md), [Cyrus](../names/cyrus.md), [Esther](../names/esther.md), [Ezra](../names/ezra.md), [Nehemiah](../names/nehemiah.md))

## Bible References:

* [2 Chronicles 36:20](rc://en/tn/help/2ch/36/20)
* [Daniel 10:13](rc://en/tn/help/dan/10/13)
* [Esther 01:3-4](rc://en/tn/help/est/01/03)
* [Ezekiel 27:10](rc://en/tn/help/ezk/27/10)

## Word Data:

* Strong’s: H6539, H6540, H6542, H6543
