Takht-e Jamshid
Persepolis, also known as Takht-e Jamshid, is a magnificent and splendid remnant of the Achaemenid rule in Iran. Located in the Marvdasht County in the northern part of Fars Province, this city contains a collection of palaces built during the reigns of Darius the Great, Xerxes I, and Artaxerxes I. What attracts global attention to Persepolis is not only its historical significance but also the insights it provides into the advancement of ancient Iranian civilization, as evidenced by meticulous studies of inscriptions and artifacts found in the area.
Persepolis is known as “The City of Persians” in the world, a name derived from the Greek language. In 518 BCE, during the peak of his power, Darius the Great, the third Achaemenid king, ordered the construction of a city in the heart of his empire, which he named Parsa according to its ethnic group. This name later evolved into Pars, and after the Arab invasion, it became Fars. Parsa was the wealthiest city in the ancient world, described by Greek narratives as a city shining under the sun’s rays.
Adjacent to Mount Rahmat, or Mehr, a palace was built over a period of about 190 years, known by various names throughout history such as “Hundred Columns” and “Forty Pillars.” Eventually, due to the fact that kings occasionally sat on a throne at the building’s gates, ancient people associated it with Jamshid and Orangosh, as described in the Shahnameh, and it became famous as Takht-e Jamshid or Persepolis.
The best architects from across the empire were employed in the construction of Persepolis, including designers from Egypt, sculptors from Greece, tile makers from Babylon, and painters from Media. On the first day of the new year, delegations from various countries representing satrapies or provinces gathered at Persepolis with diverse tributes, presenting their gifts to the king. According to the inscriptions of Persepolis, approximately 20,000 workers labored daily, receiving wages, with women and men enjoying equal rights. Women worked in Persepolis as treasurers, wine pourers, cupbearers, and shepherds, and they, too, enjoyed rights and privileges.
