Shownotes Transcript
This is the Sleepy History of Persepolis, narrated by Arif Hotzik, written by Tom Wilton. Someone traveling in southern Iran might come across the remains of an ancient city, Persepolis. Much of it was destroyed by fire thousands of years ago, and its full story remains a mystery even today.
But through the work of archaeologists and historians, some pieces of its tale have begun to emerge. What was the function of this ancient city at the heart of the Persian Empire? Who built it, lived in it, and fought for it time and again? We'll explore these questions and more tonight, so just relax and let your mind drift
as we explore the sleepy history of Persepolis. In Fars Province, southern Iran, stands the remains of Persepolis, an ancient ceremonial city. With its tall stone columns and long engraved walls, there are many clues to the importance Persepolis held in the Achaemenid dynasty.
also known as the First Persian Empire. Built upon a massive, half-natural, half-artificial terrace, the regal city stood in the shadow of Ramat Mountain. With its high cedar wood ceilings, precious artifacts, and rare fabrics,
Persepolis was so resplendent that the people of the Empire considered it the richest city in the world. Fars has an expansive, diverse landscape, typified by long, steep ridges of rock that run into the Zagros Mountains. The elevated regions are known for their mild winters and moderate summers,
The wide-open plains below experience long, dry summers with the soil quenched by a rainy winter. On the plains of Marvdost, the rain has carved natural steps and crevices into the rocky ground, making for natural waterfalls and tall, sheer rock faces. In the summer months,
A smattering of plants and trees come to life across the lowlands. Oak and willow trees stand tall in the sun, while crown imperial flowers, with their distinct orange-red draping petals, appear in clusters. Over the millennia, countless species have called the region home, including the wolf-like golden jackal,
and the furry wild boar. And indeed, long ago, Fars was also home to prides of regal Asiatic lions, land upon which a city fit for a king would one day rise. Construction of Persepolis began in 518 BCE,
During the reign of Darius the Great, who was technically the fourth king of the Persian Empire, though he is often called the third king, bypassing Bardiya, whom he overthrew. In 330 BCE, a Greek army, led by Alexander the Great, defeated the Persians and took control of the palatial complex at Persepolis.
Alexander's men ransacked the site and set it ablaze, burying a significant part of Persian history in deep ash. For over two thousand years, much of the Persian Empire was a mystery. Unlike the Greeks, Persians were primarily an oral culture and rarely documented their stories.
Indeed, most of what we understand now came from the writings of ancient Greek historians such as Herodotus and Arian of Nicomedia. But when a French archaeologist excavated Persepolis in the early 1930s, an alternative story of Persia emerged. History remembers Cyrus II,
also known as Cyrus the Great, as the father of the Persian Empire. He was born between 600 and 580 BCE to a tribal king and his wife, who herself was the daughter of Astyages, overlord of the Median Empire. Astyages' rule stretched from the Black Sea to the border of India,
encompassing many tribal cultures. Legend has it that, when Cyrus was still a baby, Astyages had a premonition his grandson would one day try to dethrone him. Anxious of the threat, the king ordered the execution of Cyrus. However, an advisor to Astyages instead gave the boy to a shepherd, who raised him as his own.
It is said that when Cyrus reached the age of ten, Astyages reconciled with the boy, allowing him to return to his birth family. Cyrus' father died in 559 BCE, and he succeeded him as a tribal ruler. However, he was in liege to his grandfather, who was still in charge of the Median Empire.
Over the following years, Cyrus and the people of Persia tired of Astyages' brutal rule, and a bitter feud swelled between them. Cyrus knew a war was coming, but unlike Astyages, Cyrus did not control a grand army. Instead, Cyrus collaborated with other disgruntled leaders from across the empire, promising that
Should they help him defeat Astyages, all subjects would receive equal treatment under his rule. In 553 BCE, Astyages led an army to confront his grandson and all those loyal to him. Cyrus, backed by his coalition forces, fought with Astyages for several years, but ultimately
The grandfather's premonition would come true. Cyrus would overthrow him, and so become known as the King of Kings. Herodotus tells us Cyrus was true to his word. In one of his first acts as leader, he forgave those who had supported his grandfather. He also vowed to not interfere with the religious traditions of the nations
Now, in his domain, one of the most famous instances of Cyrus' benevolent nature comes from 539 BCE, when his army crossed the Tigris River and conquered Babylon, part of modern-day Iraq. With the city under his control, the Persian king freed the Babylonians, Jewish captives
and helped them return to their homeland. By the time of Cyrus' death in 530 BCE, the Persian Empire covered more than 3,000 miles, with domain over many nations and tribes. The Persians controlled a region that spread from the Indus Valley to Hellespont,
where present-day Turkey meets the Aegean Sea. In 529 BCE, control of the empire passed to Cambyses II, the eldest son of Cyrus. Determined to expand the empire further, Cambyses took control of Egypt in 525 BCE.
But history notes Cambyses did not share his father's egalitarian ways, and that his army carried out many atrocities. Among these was killing the sacred bull of Apis, an animal the Egyptians considered an incarnation of one of their gods.
The Persian king's reputation spread throughout the empire, and according to Herodotus, he had many detractors. Cambyses died in 522 BCE, though the exact circumstances of his passing are unclear. Some say an assassin killed Cambyses, while others suggest he died from a battle wound.
Following the death of Cambyses, Cyrus' youngest son, Bardiya, took the throne. Bardiya made clear to the empire's satraps, similar to modern-day U.S. governors, that he would rule more like his father than his brother to begin
Bardiya promised to not impose military service on the Persians or require gifts for three years. The move was popular among the satraps, though some within the empire did not trust Bardiya, believing he was actually an imposter named Galmata.
As Herodotus tells it, Cambyses had secretly killed his brother Bardiya years earlier, something that few people had knowledge of. Among those that knew him was a man called Patazethus, whose own brother Gaumata bore a resemblance to Bardiya, with Cambyses and Bardiya both gone.
Patizethus presented Gaumada as though he were Bardiya, giving them control of the Persian Empire. Many scholars have debated whether such a deceit actually occurred, and today, most historians do not believe that this story, which came mostly from Darius, is true. But one thing is clear:
Seven Persian noblemen banded together to deal with the supposedly fraudulent king. Among the group was Darius, who had recently served in Cambyses' army. According to the Behistun inscription, an ancient, multilingual carving on the side of Mount Behistun, Darius was the son of Asatrap.
who was himself descended from Persia's line of kings. As the relief explains, Darius and his six cohorts discussed evidence that Bardiya was, in fact, Galmada. The seven quickly deduced it was up to them to do something about the man on the throne. As the Behistun inscription explains,
The group stormed the palace and fought with Bardiya and Padasithas, eventually overpowering them and seizing control of the throne. Bardiya, imposter or otherwise, was king of Persia for only a handful of months. Following the coup,
The seven noblemen knew they had to decide amongst themselves who should be the next Persian leader. The group assembled together on horseback at dawn. They agreed whichever horse neighed first, they would recognize its rider as the true king of kings. As legend has it, Darius' horse rose on its hind legs
neighing at the golden sun as it appeared on the horizon. Then, as the horse's hooves hit the ground, thunder and lightning tore through the waking sky. By the moment, the other men dismounted and got down on their knees, pledging fealty to the new King of Kings. In the Persian capital, Pasargade, Darius became king. However,
His installment soon proved controversial. In one of his first acts on the throne, Darius dismissed the previous king's commitments to the Persian nations. Whereas Bardiya had promised to stay on military obligations and tributes, Darius instead increased the burdens
telling the satraps they had to pay a fixed annual tribute in either gold or silver. Many across the empire were unhappy with Bardiya's fate and Darius's demands. Soon uprisings broke out across the empire, with many challenging the authority of the king. Darius turned to the noble class
who pledged the might of their respective forces to his cause. Ultimately, Darius quelled the rebellion and secured full authority over the satraps and their people. With his power secured, Darius expanded the empire further. His armies took over new territories, including additional parts of Egypt and much of Greece.
He also instituted a new monetary system and a network of roads to improve travel throughout the Persian nations. Indeed, thanks to the wealth afforded to Darius from taxes and gifts, he could commission many construction projects, the greatest of which was Persepolis, designed to be the new heart of the empire.
Darius' men used stone, mud brick, and cedar wood to build the site, decorating it with items from across the empire. Initially, three structures were erected: the Apadana, a large hall for receiving dignitaries; the king's palace, Takara; and the Triplyon, which served as meeting space for Darius and his advisors.
The Apadana, the largest building in the city, comprised 72 columns, each of which stood 62 feet high. Along the tops of the columns was an array of animal sculptures to symbolize the king's power and authority. It was here that representatives from the 23 nations of the Persian Empire
would bring their gifts for the King of Kings. Reliefs on the walls and staircases of Persepolis show people bringing vessels, ivories, gold, and more. People arrived from far and wide, including modern-day Turkey, Ethiopia, India. Atakara, Darius' residence, was constructed from grey stone
which was then highly polished, giving it a shiny black sheen. As with the rest of Persepolis, the Takara's walls featured engravings of visitors from across the empire bearing gifts. The Triplion featured four columns, each hosting a statue of a male Lamassu, a mythical beast with the body of a bull and the head of a
Originating in Babylonian culture, the Persians adopted the Lamassu, believing it could ward off evil. Darius also designed a treasury to house gifts of gold and silver, but he would not live to see its completion. Darius soon found himself entangled in a series of battles with various Greek cities.
ultimately culminating in defeat at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE. Though humiliated by the loss, Darius refused to give up. He wanted to bring the Greeks fully into the Persian Empire, and so focused on raising a powerful army to complete his campaign. However,
An uprising in Egypt took his attention and resources, and he fell ill soon after. Darius the Great died in 486 BCE, meaning the future of the dynasty fell to his son, Xerxes I. Soon after ascending to the throne, Xerxes suppressed the Egyptian revolt.
He then returned focus to his father's ambitions and made plans for a huge invasion of Greece. During this time, Xerxes also continued work on Persepolis, finishing his father's construction projects and expanding the city further. Arguably his most famous commission was the Gate of All Nations.
a magnificent building through which visitors passed as they entered the city. The structure comprised four stone columns, each at a height of 54 feet. At the front was a large entryway, guarded by imposing winged Lamassu, carved into stone pillars on either side. Between the columns on the east and west sides
were two stone doorways embossed with bulls. The rear of the Gate of All Nations opened into the grand space that was the Apadana. It seems Xerxes wanted all who visited to be humbled by the might and power of the Persians. By the spring of 480 BCE, Xerxes' army was ready.
He sent an army of approximately 120,000 soldiers to invade Greece with a plan to attack via sea and land. Among their boldest assaults was the burning of Athens in September of that year. The Persians overpowered a small force who were defending the Acropolis Sanctuary, a rocky fortress overlooking Athens.
Xerxes ordered his men to destroy entire parts of the site, including the sacred old temple of Athena. But despite Xerxes' successes, the Persians' fight would be far from simple. One of the most famous conflicts of this period is the Battle of Thermopylae.
in which Xerxes purportedly sent more than 100,000 soldiers to fight a much smaller Greek army that included 300 Spartan warriors. As history tells, the two sides fought over three days, with the Persians besting the brave Spartans. While many details of the battle are difficult to corroborate,
It's certainly true that Xerxes, much like his father, had no intention of giving up and continued the fight in what became known as the Greco-Versian Wars. However, Xerxes was assassinated in 465 BCE, and the fate of the empire fell to his son, Artaxerxes I. Much like his father before him,
Artaxerxes fought to stabilize and expand the Persian Empire. One of his most significant challenges came in 460 BCE, when the Egyptians staged another uprising. This time, the Athenians, who accused Artaxerxes of funding their enemies, supported the rebels.
While Artaxerxes' army would spend the next six years fighting, he continued developing Persepolis. By the end of his reign in 424 BCE, the city comprised grand buildings, multiple tombs, and countless treasures, gifts from the many nations of the empire.
One can only imagine what a visitor might have experienced as they reached Persepolis. To deliver a gift to the king, many would have traveled for months, crossing both sea and land to bring their precious tribute. Upon arriving at Persepolis, they may well have held their breath a moment
as they took in the grandeur of a city that emerged from the mountains. What an awe-inspiring moment it must have been to pass under the gaze of the giant Lamassu, entering Persepolis for the first time. Flickering firelight from torches fixed to the stone walls would have led the way forward into the Apadana,
The incredible sight of countless tall columns holding up an impossibly high wooden ceiling would have likely overwhelmed a visitor. Around, there would have been gold and silver trinkets reflecting the light of the flames. Large, impeccably crafted rugs would have hung from the walls, providing brilliant color. And there,
middle of the colossal space, would have stood an immense throne fit only for the King of Kings. By 334 BCE, Darius III led the Persian Empire. He had ascended to the throne just two years before, and as history writes, he lacked the respect of the empire's satraps.
Adding to his troubles was the rise of Alexander the Great, the Macedonian king who had set his sights on taking over Persia's domain. For many years, Alexander and Darius fought for control of the sprawling Persian lands. It is said Darius lost three battles to Alexander and his army,
fleeing after their final meeting in 331 BCE. Darius was planning to continue the fight, but he died the following year when two conspirators turned on him. History writes that Alexander came across the fallen king's body and ordered it to be sent to Persepolis to be buried alongside the other Persian rulers.
The reasoning for the fire at Persepolis is still a mystery after 2000 years. Some ancient historians write of a great victory party thrown by the conquering Macedonians that escalated from a celebration into accidental destruction.
However, Arion says Alexander wanted to take revenge against the Persians for the damage done to the Acropolis Sanctuary under Xerxes' rule. Whatever the truth of Persepolis' fate, even after two millennia, the weather-worn columns and embossed steps that lead nowhere are still an immense sight.
Persepolis was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, and the ruins still fascinate archaeologists, historians, and other scholars today. The etchings and carved stones unearthed at the site have provided a new insight into a culture and empire that was long thought lost.