The Elamites were an ancient people who inhabited a region of Southwest Persia known as Elam. They were mainly farmers and horse breeders, who set up city states around 3500 BC. Elamite history can be divided into three main phases- the Old, Middle, and Late periods. In all the periods, Elam was closely involved with Sumer, Babylonia, and Assyria. This association was sometimes through peaceful trade, but more often through war. In 639 BC, the Assyrians finally sealed Elam’s fate by conquering it, and when Assyria fell, Elam was merged with the kingdom of Medes.
The Medes were an ancient people who were related to the Persians. Their kingdom, Media, lay in what is now Northwestern Iran, between the Caspian Sea and the Zagros Mountains. The major economic activity in this kingdom was centred around breeding horses, cows, sheep, and rarely, goats. They also excelled in metallurgy, especially iron work, and built the strongest and fastest chariots of the time.
The Medes gained local power by successfully defending the native tribes of Western Iran against the continuous attacks by Assyrians and Babylonians.
