What type of leadership did the Medo-Persian Empire have?
The Medo-Persian Empire had a dual kingship: two kings, Darius and Cyrus, representing the Medes and Persians, who had to agree before any military, economic, or political action. It was not rule by one absolute dictator like Babylon, making coordinated action harder.
Les explains that the Medo-Persian Empire was the next kingdom after Babylon, and it was the one that defeated Babylon. Militarily it was already greater than Babylon. But instead of Babylon's absolute dictator of one, it had two kings, Darius and Cyrus, the Medes and the Persians. Before they made any military, economic, or political move, they had to agree. Les notes that getting two people to agree is harder than getting one to act. The prophecy's flow continues to the next kingdom, Greece under Alexander the Great.