Persepolis And Susa

Persepolis, is an ancient complex building in Persia. The first of the buildings in Persepolis is Apadana palace, which was build on the order of Cyrus the Great. Then, Darius the Great, completed the terraces, buildings and gardens.


After Darius the Great, the site of the buildings expanded and expanded, until Artaxerxes III, which included: the Imperial Treasury, the Royal Stables and the Chariot House. It has to be mention that Persepolis was such a cultured and educated palace, that it had sewage pipes 2500 BC.

Persepolis, used to be more glamorous, than the way it is now. Although, it still has a magical charm. Persepolis destroyed gradually, not once and by one group of people. First, it was Alexander, who intruded Persia, and burn the whole city, and a very precious library. That's one reason we don't have even a book written by a Persian historian. In sptie of being rebuild again, after the raid. Sadly, it was damaged heavily by the Arabs later at the fall of Sassanids, and never reconstructed like the way it was.

It is said that Persepolis was only used for the ceremonial Nowrooz. Which many different nations, brought their souvenir for the King, to express their loyalty. Persepolis used mainly as a summer capital. Knowing that the Ecbatana was the military capital, and Susa was the winter capital.



Susa, was a very interesting place for the people to live since the very old times. Ashurbanipal, which means the avenger, who was an Assyrian, invaded the city and destroy almost everything, as he mention:


"Susa, the great holy city, abode of their gods, seat of their mysteries, I conquered. I entered its palaces, I opened their treasuries where silver and gold, goods and wealth were amassed... I destroyed the ziggurat of Susa. I smashed its shining copper horns. I reduced the temples of Elam to naught; their gods and goddesses I scattered to the winds. The tombs of their ancient and recent kings I devastated, I exposed to the sun, and I carried away their bones toward the land of Ashur. I devastated the provinces of Elam and on their lands I sowed salt."



Like Persepolis, but more severe and brutal Susa was almost completely destroyed. The only remainings, are the sculptures of sphinx and gates that you may see in the museum. The only historic sites that are still outlasting through these harsh conditions are: Ziggurat Chogha Zanbil, and Daniel tomb. Although Daniel tomb reconstructed centuries after. But the Ziggurat still remains...