Great King and the equivalent in many languages is a semantic title for historical titles of
Monarchs, suggesting an elevated status among the host of
Kings and
Princes. This title is most usually associated with the
shahanshah (Shah of shahs, i.e. king of kings, indeed translated in Greek
Basileus toon basileoon, later adopted by the Byzantine emperors) of
Persia under the
Achaemenid dynasty whose vast empire in
Asia lasted for 200 years up to the year 330 BC, and later adopted by successors of the
Achaemenid empire whose monarchial names were also succeeded by "the Great". In comparison,
High King was used by ancient rulers in Britain, Scotland and Ireland, as well as Greece.