Phraortes

Phraortes, son of Deioces, led a military campaign that conquered the Persian tribes. This expansion brought the Persians under Median control, significantly enlarging the Median kingdom's territory and influence.

Phraortes subjugated various other tribes in the Iranian plateau, including the Parthians and possibly the Hyrcanians. These conquests consolidated Median hegemony over much of western Iran.

Phraortes died while leading a campaign against the Assyrian Empire. His defeat and death halted Median expansion and left the kingdom vulnerable, though it later revived under his successor Cyaxares.