The Mesopotamian civilization that tried to conquer the ancient Greek city states but failed was the Achaemenid Empire, specifically under the reign of King Xerxes I. The Achaemenid Empire attempted to invade Greece in 480 BC during the Greco-Persian Wars, but their invasion was ultimately thwarted by the Greek city states, notably at the famous battles of Thermopylae and Salamis.
Those crazy Persians.
The interactions between the ancient Persian Empire and the Greek city states were certainly tumultuous, with each side viewing the other as foreign and often seen as a threat to their way of life. The Greco-Persian Wars were a series of conflicts that lasted for over half a century and had significant implications for both civilizations. Despite the failed attempts at conquering the Greek city states, the Persian Empire remains an important and influential civilization in ancient history.
