Historically, Iran was commonly referred to as "Persia" in the Western world. [10] Likewise, the modern-day ethnonym " Persian " was typically used as a demonym for all Iranian nationals, regardless of whether or not they were ethnic Persians. The History of Iran (also known as Persia ) is intertwined with Greater Iran, which is a region encompassing all of the areas that have witnessed significant settlement or influence by the Iranian peoples and the Iranian languages – chiefly the Persians and the Persian language. Central to this region is the Iranian plateau, now largely covered by modern Iran. The most pronounced impact of Iranian history can be seen stretching from Anatolia in the west to the Indus Valley in the east ... Learn about the history and culture of Persia , one of the oldest inhabited regions in the world, from the Paleolithic Age to the Muslim conquest. Explore the rise and fall of the Persian empires, the religion of Zoroastrianism, and the legacy of Persia in world civilization.