Final answer:
Cyrus the Great is the founder of the Achaemenian Empire, known for his conquests and policy of respecting local traditions. He conquered the Neo-Babylonian Empire in 539 BCE, significantly expanding Persian territory. His son Cambyses II further extended the empire by conquering Egypt.
Step-by-step explanation:
True, Cyrus the Great was indeed the conqueror who founded the Achaemenian Empire, also known as the First Persian Empire.
Cyrus initiated a series of conquests beginning with the overthrow of the Median dynasty. Following this, he significantly expanded his realm by conquering Lydia and the Greek cities of Ionia, demonstrating a policy of tolerance and respect for local customs and traditions.
He continued his conquests eastward and westward and in 539 BCE, he conquered the Neo-Babylonian Empire, after which the Persian Empire reached its largest extent to that point, encompassing parts of Central Asia, the Middle East, and Northeast Africa.
His legacy was carried on by his son Cambyses II, who added Egypt to the empire's territories. Eventually, the vast Persian Empire that Cyrus the Great and his successors had built fell to Alexander the Great, who admired and emulated the Persian model of governance that respected local customs and traditions.