Persepolis at Nowruz

Overview

Persepolis was begun by Darius I and embellished by his successors. Built on a great stone terrace, its Apadana hall received delegations from twenty-three subject peoples — Medes, Egyptians, Indians, Lydians — bearing tribute at the spring festival of Nowruz.

Historical Context

The Achaemenid Empire under Darius I and Xerxes was the largest the world had yet seen, stretching from the Indus to the Aegean. Persepolis was sacked and burned by Alexander the Great in 330 BC.

What to Notice

• The grand stairway with reliefs of tribute-bearers.
• Towering bull-capital columns of the Apadana.
• Persian guards in long robes alongside Median ones.