Question: What other civilizations in the area should I know? (scroll down for answer)       Answer: Persians - In 550 BC, Cyrus became King and the Persian Empire reached as far as India. Cyrus was tolerant of Jews, and allowed them to resettle in Jerusalem. Under King Darius, the Empire spread further into western Asia. The Persians never took over Greece (explained later). Hittites - These were Indo-European settlers in Anatolia (Asia Minor/Turkey). Their use of iron weapons helped them expand their Empire. Phoenicians - They were maritime explorers who settled many cities around the Mediterranean Sea. Phoenicians are important to know because the modern alphabet derived from them. Their writing system spread to the cultures of the Mediterranean, including the Greeks. Click here for next flash card.      Back to eFlashcard headquarters