Seven Ancient Empires Ranked by Peak Landmass and Population

A recent survey has assessed the seven largest ancient empires from 3500 BC to AD 476 based on their maximum land area and population. Leading the list is the Xiongnu Empire, which, around 176 BC, covered 9 million square kilometers and had a population of 3 million. By 50 BC, the Han Dynasty expanded to 6.5 million square kilometers, supporting 58 million residents. The Achaemenid Empire, established by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC, reached 5.5 million square kilometers by 480 BC, housing 50 million individuals. At the time of Alexander the Great's death in 323 BC, his Macedonian Empire spanned 5.2 million square kilometers. The Roman Empire, at its zenith in AD 117, measured 5 million square kilometers with 70 million people, while the Maurya Empire, estimated between 3.4 and 5 million square kilometers by 250 BC, had 50 million inhabitants. Attila's Hunnic Empire, in AD 453, covered 4 million square kilometers with a population of 3 million.