Venerable City: Persepolis, Fars Province, Iran
Thirty miles
north-east of Shiraz, in Fars province, lies a vast stone platform covering an
area of over a million square feet, atop which stand the remains of Persepolis,
one of Iran’s greatest archaeological treasures, declared a UNESCO World
Heritage Site in 1979.
Known to the
ancient Persians as ‘Parsa’, the city is now recognised internationally by its
Greek name, which translates as ‘Persian City’ or ‘City of the Persians’.
Persepolis was constructed over a period of sixty years, starting in 518 BC
during the Achaemenid Empire (c. 550–330 BC). Inscriptions on some of
Persepolis’ buildings indicate that Darius I was the ruler responsible. It is
believed that it was primarily used as a ritual or ceremonial complex and as a
treasury, and mainly during the spring and summer months. It may have been the
place where people gathered to celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year. Even
today, thousands gather at Persepolis to mark what is still an important
Iranian holiday.
Whilst the
various mud-brick palace buildings within the citadel are long gone, stone door
frames, columns, and friezes have survived. They tell a story of empire, of
different languages, styles, and nationalities. Inscriptions found at
Persepolis are written in Old Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian; and Egyptian,
Mesopotamian, and Greek stylistic elements are incorporated into the complex’s
construction. Stairway reliefs depict peoples of the Persian Empire including,
amongst others, Medes, Egyptians, Lydians, Ethiopians, Thracians, and
Assyrians, recognisable by their distinctive dress and forms of tribute. These
representatives would pass through the so-called Gate of All Nations en route
to an audience with the King of Kings in the Apadana Hall. I cannot claim to
know a great deal about the Achaemenid Empire, but it would appear that at its
height in the fifth century BC, it ruled 44% of the world’s population, a feat
unmatched by any other empire. It was a cultural centre for art, religion,
science, and technology, and for trade. Religious tolerance was practised (as
long as you paid your taxes), and women were surprisingly free, able to own and
manage large estates and workforces and work alongside men as merchants,
artisans, or labourers. They also received a good education, even including
horsemanship and archery. Peasants could own their own land, and even slaves
were better treated than anywhere else in the ancient world. I’m sure things
weren’t perfect, but then, neither are we, and everything is relative. This was
rather a long time ago.
Sadly, all
this magnificence and progressiveness had to come to an end, as with all
empires. In the case of Persepolis, in 330 BC, Alexander the Great sacked the
city and had it largely burned down and destroyed. Naturally, he made off with
plenty of booty, and allegedly thousands of mules and camels were required to transport
it. Accounts vary as to why the complex was burned. It may have represented a
deliberate attempt to destroy a symbolically important location for the
Persians, or it may have been an act of revenge for the Persian destruction of
the Acropolis of Athens. It has even been suggested that the Greeks were drunk,
quite literally, on their military success, and that the fire was an accident
brought about because the victors were smashed.
Despite its
destruction, Persepolis remained an important cultural focal point in Iran
throughout the centuries. Medieval Persians referred to the ruined city as
Takht-e-Jamshid, meaning ‘Throne of Jamshid’, since they believed it to have
been built by a mythological king called Jamshid, who supposedly ruled for
three hundred years. Iranians still refer to it by this name today. Excavation
attempts began in the seventeenth century and continue to this day. Persepolis’
significance in Iran’s history and national consciousness was evident when, in
1971, it was the site of the 2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire, presided
over by the then Shah, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. Many heads of state from around
the world were invited to attend this lavish and costly festival at a time when
millions of Iranians were living in poverty. Whilst some historians believe the
extravagance of the event was exaggerated by the Shah’s enemies to foment
discontent, it’s undeniable that the optics of such decadence were not good and
may well have contributed to the Shah’s downfall in 1979. You can still see the
skeletal remains of the vastly expensive tented city erected for the celebration
at Persepolis. They stand as a testament to folly and hubris, right next door
to Darius I’s ceremonial capital, from which Persian rulers presided over one
of the greatest empires the world has ever seen. Oh, the irony.
Persepolis
was a stunning place to visit and one of the most memorable destinations for me from my trip
to Iran a few years ago. It really is a wonder of the ancient world, and I hope
you may be able to get some idea of what it’s like from the photos shown here.
I also managed to find a good video showing a reconstruction. If you haven’t
done so already, and if you ever get the chance, it’s well worth seeing.
For more
information: Persepolis - World History
Encyclopedia
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