Babylonian Empire Vs Persian Empire

In 539 BCE the Babylonian Empire fell to the Achaemenid Empire, also known as the Persian Empire. Led by Cyrus the Great, it was the largest and wealthiest empire at the time and lasted until Alexander the Great conquered them in 333 BCE. The Babylonians had forced elite Judeans into exile and experienced many hardships. Once the Persians defeated the Babylonians they allowed them to return to Jerusalem. The Persian Empire's approach differed from the Babylonians because they worked to build a symbiotic relationship with the Judeans. As a result the Yehud area flourished and the Temple in Jerusalem was rebuilt. For the most part Israelite religion/culture was not heavily threatened by the need to assimilate to Persian customs and religion.