I'm pretty sure that was more of a case of the central control flat out deteriorating and being incapable of keeping the provincial commanders and adminstrators in check. AFAIK the Acheamenid imperial adminstration was more or less configured for a rather high degree of autonomy on part of the satraps from the start, owing to the vast distances involved and the due difficulty of overland communications - nevermind thoroughly lousy geography further restricting the speed messages could travel with.

The Romans, conversely, had their empire centered around the Mediterranean (or "Mare Nostrum" as they unabashedly took to calling it), which made for a lot easier traffic and communications and thus allowed them to at least try a bit higher degree of central control.