In the early days of the Achaemenid Empire (c. 550-330 BCE), the kings came to realise that, if they were to be able to administer the vast mass of land and the multicultural people who inhabited it, they had to create an organizational system that would enable administration without causing any rebellion or disorder and, more importantly, ensure the timely and fair payment of tribute to the court.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original content at https://www.worldhistory.org/article/767/bureaucracy-in-the-achaemenid-empire-learning-from/.