[{"n": "Achaemenid Empire", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/achaemenid-empire/", "s": "The largest empire of its time, founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC."}, {"n": "Akkadian Empire", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/akkadian-empire/", "s": "The first empire in history?"}, {"n": "Chola dynasty", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/chola-dynasty/", "s": "Tamil dynasty ruling a maritime empire from Southern India."}, {"n": "Gupta Empire", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/gupta-empire/", "s": "Classical Indian empire spanning northern subcontinent, noted for cultural achievements."}, {"n": "Han dynasty", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/han-dynasty/", "s": "The golden age that shaped Chinese identity."}, {"n": "Macedonia (ancient kingdom)", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/macedonia-ancient-kingdom/", "s": "Ancient kingdom that became the dominant Hellenistic state."}, {"n": "Maya civilization", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/maya-civilization/", "s": "Ancient Mesoamerican civilization known for its temples, glyphs, and advanced mathematics."}, {"n": "Medes", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/medes/", "s": "Iron Age Iranian people of Media, known from foreign sources and archaeology."}, {"n": "Ptolemaic Kingdom", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/ptolemaic-kingdom/", "s": "The final dynasty of ancient Egypt, blending Greek and Egyptian cultures for nearly three centuries."}, {"n": "Roman Empire", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/roman-empire/", "s": "Medieval and early modern empire claiming direct Roman succession, dissolved in 1806."}, {"n": "Sassanid Empire", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/sassanid-empire/", "s": "The Sasanian Empire: Iran's late antique power, from 224 to 651 AD."}, {"n": "Song dynasty", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/song-dynasty/", "s": "Chinese dynasty that pioneered paper money and gunpowder weapons."}, {"n": "Srivijaya", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/srivijaya/", "s": "A Malay thalassocratic empire dominating western Maritime Southeast Asia."}, {"n": "Xiongnu", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/xiongnu/", "s": "Nomadic confederation that dominated the eastern Eurasian Steppe from the 3rd century BC to the late 1st centu"}, {"n": "Zhou dynasty", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/zhou-dynasty/", "s": "Longest-reigning Chinese dynasty, spanning nearly eight centuries."}, {"n": "Ancient Carthage", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/ancient-carthage/", "s": "Ancient Carthage: A dominant western Mediterranean power until its destruction in 146 BC."}, {"n": "Ancient Israel and Judah", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/ancient-israel-and-judah/", "s": "Two Israelite kingdoms of the Iron Age, from their emergence to exile and return."}, {"n": "Ancient Rome", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/ancient-rome/", "s": "Ancient Rome spanned from 753 BC to 476 AD."}, {"n": "Bactria", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/bactria/", "s": "Ancient Iranian civilization, key Zoroastrian center and Greco-Bactrian kingdom."}, {"n": "Delian League", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/delian-league/", "s": "Anti-Persian alliance that became the Athenian Empire."}, {"n": "Ebla", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/ebla/", "s": "Early Syrian kingdom with a vast trading network and cuneiform archive."}, {"n": "Fatimid Caliphate", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/fatimid-caliphate/", "s": "Isma'ili Shi'a caliphate spanning North Africa and West Asia."}, {"n": "First Bulgarian Empire", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/first-bulgarian-empire/", "s": "Medieval Balkan power that rivaled Byzantium and shaped Slavic culture."}, {"n": "Inca Empire", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/inca-empire/", "s": "Largest pre-Columbian empire, centered in the Andes."}, {"n": "Kushan Empire", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/kushan-empire/", "s": "Syncretic empire that spread Buddhism and linked Rome and China."}, {"n": "Mali Empire", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/mali-empire/", "s": "West African empire known for wealth and cultural influence."}, {"n": "Maurya Empire", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/maurya-empire/", "s": "Iron Age empire unifying much of South Asia."}, {"n": "Ming dynasty", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/ming-dynasty/", "s": "The last Han-led imperial dynasty of China."}, {"n": "Mitanni", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/mitanni/", "s": "A Hurrian kingdom of northern Syria and Anatolia, known from foreign records."}, {"n": "Tang dynasty", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/tang-dynasty/", "s": "Imperial dynasty ruling China from 618 to 907."}, {"n": "Three Kingdoms of Korea", "u": "/e/ancient-empires/three-kingdoms-of-korea/", "s": "The Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo, Paekche, and Silla competed for hegemony over the Korean Peninsula unti"}]