Cyrus the Great was the first king of Achneamid Empire. He conquered Babylon and freed thousands of Jews. He founded a capital city, Parsagadae. He conquered the Median Empire, Lydian Empire and the Neo-Babylonian Empire. His achievements in politics, human rights and military strategies are recognized along with his influence on Western and Eastern civilizations.
Darius the Great extended the empire borders into India and Europe. He established the government that has became future models of government. He establish a tax-collection system, divided his empire into districts known as Satrapies, built system of roads, establish a network of spies and built two new capital cities at Susa and Persepolis.
Xerxes the Great captured Athens when he won the Battle of Thermopylae but succeeding battles didn't favored the Persians forcing them to went back to Persia. There, Xerxes completed projects left unfinished by his father at Susa and Persepolis. He built the Gate of All Nation and the Hall of Hundred Columns at Persepolis.He completed Apadana, the palace of Darius and the Treasury. He also built his own palace twice larger than his father's.
Blacks were excluded from voting in state primates
In the age of the enlightenment people shifted their mentality, suddenly it didn't matter if you were rich or powerful, all it mattered is how smart, educated, innovative and serious you were. This led to many breakthroughs and tendency to write things down boosting the overall society's education and interest in science, tech, philosophy etc.
That's all I know (I'm more mathematically oriented) but I hope this helps.
