Middle Eastern Dominance

Point of Divergence, September-October 27, 539 B.C.E
The PoD here is is at the Battle of Opis, where in the OTL, Babylon is defeated by the armies of Cyrus II, king of Persia. Here, Babylon sends two armies, one to engage the Persians in a frontal attack, and the other to flank them. While crossing behind, the second army encountered a small force sent by the Persians to do the same. The force was small, but was skilled in fighting while outnumbered. The flanking forces met, and eventually, the Babylonians win, although not without a price. More than half of the flanking force is lost, and the remainder are left without a leader. Eventually, a soldier, whose name is not recorded, leads the force into the fray against the Persians, and helps to turn the tide against them. The Persians, defeated, retreat back across the Tigris.

539 B.C.E - 500 C.E.
After the victory at the Battle of Opis, the Babylonians gathered their armies in a push to keep Persia away. By 500 B.C.E., the Babylonians had attacked and gained ground back along their borders. They also annexed places farther south, and sent an army to Cyprus. Cyprus, however, repulsed the attack, and was left alone for a few centuries.