Hood Note
Because this is a Persian Hood and not a Hellenic one, I will refrain from calling the capital, Persepolis. Parsa was known as Persepolis to the Greeks. I will refer to the city as Parsa from this point forward.
Introduction
Parsa was built around 518 BCE during the height of the Achaemenid Dynasty in Persia by Darius I [521-485 BCE] and his son Xerxes I [485-465 BCE]. The previous capital was at Pasargadea. The new location would be at the foot of the Mount of Mercy [Kuh-i-Rahmat]. The Mount of Mercy would hold the royal tombs [Naksh-i-Rustan] after this relocation. The city sat on a wide plain surrounded by mountains which made the area suitable for agriculture mainly in the form of wheat. The main complex at Parsa was the palace. Within two generations, the palace complex would become the religious and imperial centre of the Persian Empire; it would be the tangible symbol of the Persian kings.
The most important aspect of the location of Parsa was its isolation. Because of this, the palace complex became the focal point for the king’s authority. The complex was surrounded by three large walls that funneled all visitors to a massive gate built by Xerxes that was known as - The Gate of All Countries. Once inside the walls one could find: reception halls, royal treasuries, the residences of the king and his harem, dwellings for members of the royal family, and quarters for the nobles who were the military leaders of the Persian army.
Istakhr
The palace complex of Parsa also included suburbs which were three kilometers from the site. The town was known as Istakhr. It served as the administrative, commercial, residential, and diplomatic hub for Parsa. The visiting delegations from the client nations were housed inside the town. Also, the homes of the Persian aristocracy were located here along with the lesser members of the royal family.
Tribute at the Apadana
The largest and most well-preserved architectural structure at the site is the Apadana. Begun by Darius I and finished by Xerxes I, the Apadana was the reception or audience hall where the Persian kings would hold their annual durbar [formal reception] around the New Year’s festival. At this time, the client kingdoms and civilizations that were held under the dominion of the Persians would bring tribute to the king at his Apadana. At the empire’s zenith, it is believed that twenty-three subject nations attended the durbar per year. Some of the gifts that they bestowed on the king included: silver and gold vessels, vases, weapons, fabrics, jewelry, and exotic animals. Thirteen of the original seventy-two columns still remain standing. Two massive stairways lead to the audience hall entrance. The stairways were decorated with an artistic representation of the tribute processions from the various delegations of the kingdoms. Here is an example of the Arabian procession from the Oriental Institute’s collection: Click Here
The Most Hated City On Earth
The city fell during the reign of Darius III [336-330 BCE] to the rival of Darius. Most of the world knows him as Alexander the Great. To this day, many Iranians refer to him as Iskander Gujaste or Alexander the Accursed. He is remembered here for his greed and ruthlessness. Alexander of Macedon reached Parsa on the 30th of January in 330 BCE. Soon after, he set the city ablaze along with the town of Istakhr. Within Istakhr, the main sacred fire of the Persian Empire was kept constantly aflame. Amazingly, the sacred fire was smuggled out of the city and to this day it continues to burn.
Here is an account from Roman historian, Diodorus of Sicily. It is a secondary source and he was notably hostile towards Alexander and his achievements but the sense of the destruction to the city is still evident in his words:
“The grand mansions of the royal family, famed throughout the whole civilized world fell victim to the hubris and utter destruction. The Macedonians gave themselves up to this orgy of plunder for a whole day and still could not satisfy their greed for more.”
DIODORUS SICULUS Library of History BOOK XVII 70
The ruins of the city would not be discovered again until 1620 CE. Over the next four hundred years various adventurers, soldiers, and archaeologist would sift through and excavate the ruins of the city. Many of the site’s treasures were shipped off to England and America; many remain in Iran today. In 1979, a movement was started to demolish the entire site in order to crush the legitimacy for Iranian royalty. Thankfully, Parsa remains.
List of Kings at Parsa
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Darius I, the Great [521-485 BCE]
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Xerxes I [485-465 BCE]
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Artaxerxes I Longimanus [465- 424 BCE]
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Xerxes II [424 BCE]
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Sogdianus [424-423 BCE]
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Darius II Nothus [423-405 BCE]
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Artaxerxes II Mnemon [404-359 BCE]
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Artaxerxes III Ochus [358-338 BCE]
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Artaxerxes IV Arses [338-336 BCE]
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Darius III [336-330 BCE]
Links of Note
Persepolis Reconstructed
K. Afhami and W. Gambke
Parsa (Persepolis) – An Essay
David Stronach & Kim Codella via The Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies
Persepolis and Ancient Iran
The Oriental Institute via the University of Chicago
Sources
Internet: The Center of Ancient Iranian Studies
Internet: The Oriental Institute via the University of Chicago
Wood, Michael. In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great. Pages. 108-115.
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