The Archaeology of Iran
Persia has long been used by the West to describe the nation of Iran, its people, and its ancient empires. It derives from the ancient Greek name for Iran's maritime province, called Fars in the modern Persian language, Pars in Middle Persian and PÄrsÄ in Old Persian, a word meaning "above reproach". Persis is the Hellenized form of Pars, and through the Latinized word Persia, the other European nations came to use this word for the region.