The Capital of the Ancient World: Persepolis
There are countries on earth that cannot be measured by the area of their territory or the number of their population. These are civilization countries, whose cultural heritage is so great that it belongs to all humanity. One of them is Iran, or Persia, as this country was called until 1932.
You can read hundreds of books about the history of Persia, watch films and websites, listen to eyewitnesses and travelers. And still, it will not be enough to truly know Persia. Persia must be seen.
Once, I read "Thais of Athens" by Ivan Efremov, which he dedicated to his wife Thais. The book tells the story of a beautiful Athenian woman and the mighty Alexander, who conquered Persia and destroyed its great capital, Persepolis. The book was popular, although no one really knew whether Thais of Athens was a historical truth or the author's invention.
...Could I have known then that many years later I would stand at the tomb of the great king Darius, stepping on the steps of the fairy-tale city of Persepolis he created—a symbol of the power and glory of the Persian Achaemenid dynasty, which ruled Persia for 318 years (650 - 331 BC)? Here, among the ruined but charming columns and statues, in the shadow of stone niches, you feel the spirit of the time in which the heroes of Efremov's novel lived.
The morning in Tehran is warm and cloudless. From the hotel window, fragments of the capital of modern Iran are clearly visible, a vast metropolis with more than 15 million residents. In my memory, there is only one episode about Tehran from the famous film "Tehran-43": narrow streets, old shabby houses, endless shops.
In general, the capital has neither a historical nor a modern center, nor skyscrapers, and the mosques and palaces of the Middle Ages have been hidden by modern architects in the midst of faceless modern neighborhoods. The former royal residences, transformed after the Islamic Revolution into national museums, are considered the iconic places of Tehran. The most visited site is the Golestan Palace complex, where the coronations of the shahs and wedding ceremonies of members of the ruling Pahlavi family took place. The mirror hall, decorated with the finest mosaics, is particularly impressive. Yes, perhaps Tehran does not impress at first glance.
We traveled to the airport in the evening. Having escaped the city's embrace and gained normal speed, we moved away from the city.
The side windows of the bus refracted the light from the street lamps in an unusual way, bending them into a perfect semicircle. The same was happening on the other side. It felt like we were moving at great speed inside a spacious glowing tunnel.
Shiraz, where we arrived on the evening flight, seemed much more attractive.
We began our immersion into the Iranian-Persian theme in the morning at the Shiraz Archaeological Art Museum. Personally, I was impressed by what I saw, but I especially liked the exhibition of wax figures. Great figures from Persian history from King Cyrus the Great to modern times: Achaemenids, Sassanids, Seleucids, Islamic shahs, modern spiritual leaders... Some with servants, some with wives... The exhibition is very well organized. The quality of the figures is magnificent.
Looking at all this, I unexpectedly thought about something. Wouldn't it be great to create something similar in our city, Bishkek? After all, 2200 years of statehood, 1000 years of the national epic "Manas"! Isn't that rich material? And there is a suitable building in the main square of our capital. It just needs to be organized chronologically, not forgetting leaders, khans, heroes, and notable figures... This gallery could be concluded with the last two presidents—Akaev and Bakiyev. All tourists would surely visit this historical gallery. Especially since there are not many real historical monuments in Kyrgyzstan.
Today our path leads to the capital of the ancient world, Persepolis. To confess, we partly traveled to Iran for this famous monument of ancient world history. Persepolis was discovered by archaeologists as a result of excavations that lasted about four years (from 1931 to 1934).
It is impossible to convey in words what this great assembly of ancient architecture looks like. It must be seen with your own eyes, to climb its stone stairs, to examine the drawings and frescoes, to touch the columns and sculptures.
Only then do you understand the scale of the design and imagine how everything looked "back then."
Our guide, the wonderful Fatima, does not engage in personal conversations and speaks only about the subject matter.
In 558 BC, in the region of Persia, in the eastern Elamite territory, Cyrus the Great became king. He established the capital in the city of Pasargadae, and after a war with Media, where he was initially subordinate, he became the king of both states. Thus began the rise of the Achaemenid Empire's power.
In the battle against the Massagetae in 550 BC, Cyrus was killed, and the throne was inherited by Cambyses. After a series of coups, Darius I, who came from the Achaemenid lineage that ruled Persia before Cyrus, became king of Persia. For a year, he fought against unrest in the country and implemented reforms in governance. Darius divided the country into satrapies, which could include autonomous tribal groups and cities.
Coming to power in 512 BC, Darius decided to build Persepolis—a majestic city, the likes of which had never been seen in the known world before. For this, he chose Mount Kuh-e-Rahmat (Mountain of Mercy), which rises above the plain of Marvdasht, 60 km from the city of Shiraz.
Persepolis, by Darius the Great's design, was to become not only the capital but also the spiritual center of the first empire in world history, a symbol of the most ambitious intentions of Emperor Darius I, who envisioned creating a free multicultural state.
By literally cutting off the plateau, a stone platform was cleared and prepared, which became the foundation of the future city. It took five years just to prepare the platform, which covered an area of 135,000 square kilometers.
But now the site is ready, and Darius I begins to build the city. He invites architect specialists from all corners of the empire, as evidenced by inscriptions found in sources of that time. The main buildings of the planned complex were built by Darius I, but for more than a hundred years, his son Xerxes and grandson Artaxerxes continued to build and decorate Persepolis.
It stood for 270 years, holding the title of the greatest and most beautiful city of the ancient world. It seemed that its life would be eternal. However, by the will of fate, in the Greek city of Pella in 356 BC, Alexander the Great was born. Twenty years later, he inherited the throne of Macedonia, and just two years later, in 334 BC, he led a huge army into Asia. The Macedonian was celebrated in many medieval European ballads and romances, revered by the Jews, and the Coptic Church of Egypt canonized him as a saint. It was he who was destined by the gods, punishing the Persians, to destroy Persepolis.
- Now you see the ruins, but as you know, beautiful buildings leave beautiful ruins, - concludes Fatima.
This could not be disagreed with. Looking at the columns reaching for the sky, the marble stairs, the frescoes, the fallen and broken fragments of statues and walls, I personally could not contain my delight...
The cosmopolitan nature of the Achaemenid state is evident in the reliefs of the central staircase of Persepolis.
Representatives from all the countries within the empire bring gifts in tribute to the great king—fabrics, metal vessels, war elephants, gold, exotic animals...
The central and oldest structure of the complex is the Apadana of Darius I, which rises four meters above the terrace. It is approached by two parallel staircases, so gentle that chariots could ride up them. The main value of these staircases and the entire terrace of the Apadana lies in the reliefs carved on stone slabs. On the outer side of the staircase, they depict the ceremonial procession of the royal guard, while on the inner side—the procession of servants carrying rams, vessels, and wineskins. Buried under a thick layer of sand, dust, and gravel, the reliefs waited for their moment of glory until the beginning of our century when they were finally revealed to the world as a result of the aforementioned archaeological excavations.
- Look here, - invites Fatima, pointing to a relief depicting a lion killing a bull. The lines of the drawing are clear, absolutely correct. And yet, Persian artists lacked the dynamism characteristic of the Greeks: the figures and patterns are very static and devoid of life. But the Persepolitan reliefs have their own undeniable charm. The lion devouring the bull is the essence of everything we see here. March 21 marks the New Year, and the constellation of Leo is at its zenith, while the constellation of Taurus disappears beyond the horizon to reappear in the sky a month later.
On the eastern door of the Apadana, King of Kings Darius I is depicted seated on a throne, with his heir Xerxes standing behind him.
Behind the Apadana, approximately in the center of the terrace, was the Tripylon, probably the main ceremonial hall in Persepolis. Its staircase is adorned with reliefs of dignitaries, and on the eastern gates, we see another relief depicting Darius I on the throne and heir Xerxes.
- Everything you see here, - explains Fatima, - was created for one purpose: to conduct the ceremonial celebration of the New Year, or Nowruz, as we now call it.
Next was a huge room, named by archaeologists the Hall of a Hundred Columns, based on the number of found bases. On the sides stood large stone bulls, and eight marble gates were decorated with scenes from royal hunts and battles of the king against demons. The building was adjoined by labyrinths of treasure houses, storerooms, and living quarters, of which only the foundations remain. The Hall of a Hundred Columns was probably the largest building constructed during the Achaemenid period and was used as the reception hall of Darius I. To the right of the Apadana was the royal palace of Tahara. On its wall, Fatima showed us an inscription made by Darius himself: "I, Darius, the great king, king of kings, king of countries, son of Hystaspes, Achaemenid, built this palace."
Great treasures were kept in the palace, but they were stolen, and those that remain are stored in the National Museum in Tehran.
The tour of Persepolis was coming to an end. In the building of Xerxes' harem, almost completely restored after the discovery of Persepolis by archaeologists, there was a small museum of finds discovered on the territory of the complex.
- The ruins you have seen are just a poor shadow of Persepolis, - continued Fatima, - but you can imagine its former grandeur if you use your imagination.
Past the Hall of a Hundred Columns, we again emerged onto the central square via a gravel embankment. The official tour of Persepolis was over. Now we were free, and we had plenty of time to wander through the ancient city, to peek into its most secret and mysterious places.
It was very pleasant to be in places unspoiled by restoration, to immerse oneself in their world and past.
A little higher on the mountainside are two enormous tombs carved into the rock. These are the graves of the Persian kings Artaxerxes II and Artaxerxes III. Following the beaten path, I climbed to the tomb of Artaxerxes II. From the platform leading into the depths of the tomb, an immense view of the valley opened up. In the foreground, in the rays of the afternoon sun, Persepolis sparkled with golden hues. What a magnificent view! This is not just a panorama; from here opened a panorama of history. Impressed by Fatima's stories, imagined pictures, and events, wishing for more, I descended to the lower terrace of the mountain and settled on a dirty yellow boulder, embedded in the slope between the necropolis and the Hall of a Hundred Columns. From here, all of Persepolis and the valley of the Marvdasht oasis stretching to the horizon were visible. The sun, having risen from behind Mount Rahmat, illuminated the ancient city. Beyond the far edge, the horizon of Persepolis dropped off like a step. It seemed that amidst this real landscape, I was walking along the suspended road of time.
It was early spring in 485 BC. There was very little time left until the great holiday of Nowruz—the day of the vernal equinox, which occurs on March 21 according to the current calendar. The entire adjacent plain was decorated with colorful tents of guests who had already arrived for the holiday. Delegations continued to arrive. On the appointed day, according to a pre-prepared schedule, they would go with gifts to the halls of the palace city, which amazed with its splendor, and all this did not happen spontaneously, but was thought out so as not to offend or humiliate representatives of other peoples within the empire.
The Persians never looked down on anyone, as, for example, the Greeks did. They respected the customs and beliefs of the conquered peoples and in no way belittled them. Here comes a delegation from Egypt, rising to the sounds of ceremonial music, followed by the satraps of Babylon and Assyria, Asia Minor and Iran, Afghanistan and Bactria. Following them are Sogdiana and Khwarezm... All are marching in a long line to the king to implore him to appeal to the god Ahura Mazda (the supreme god of Zoroastrians) and begin a new cycle of life. The king receives the ambassadors in the palace of Tahara. Their gifts are carefully recorded and transferred to the storages located at the foot of the mountain. In the palace, the sacred fire is maintained. And now the main event begins. The king stands on a platform before the fire altar, offering prayers to Ahura Mazda, whose winged symbol soars above. Now one can be calm. Spring will come again, all the constellations will return to their places, and life will roll again in the circle of eternity. May the life of King Darius I, king of kings, king of countries, be eternal!
At this point, the connection with the past was interrupted. But I hope that the images of antiquity will return. Only the location needs to be changed. A banal thought. And yet... Descending from the necropolis to the ruins of Persepolis, I paused again on one of the rocky ledges. Persepolis was once again in the palm of my hand. Taking several pictures, I sat on a warm rock slab. Silence reigned, the ruins of the great city were beautiful. Yes, true beauty cannot be destroyed.
And I saw the Great Persepolis again! On the history calendar, it was February 331 BC. It was morning when the lightning-fast strike from behind Mount Kuh-e-Rahmat crashed down on Persepolis. Part of the population, anticipating a possible attack, managed to leave the city, while those who remained were sentenced to execution.
There was no resistance, and the Macedonians, filling the squares of Persepolis, rejoiced, waving their swords. The victory turned out to be unexpectedly easy. Alexander gave the entire city, except for the royal palaces, to his soldiers for plunder.
In Persepolis, he acquired immense wealth from the royal treasures. According to Plutarch, it took 20,000 mules and 5,000 camels to transport them.
...The hissing sound of a passing monitor lizard once again pulled me from my immersion in history. The sun still illuminated the great ruins with direct rays. A large group of local tourists was gathering in the central square to continue the tour. Most of them were women in black cloaks, resembling a large flock of crows wandering in search of something edible.
...Persepolis fell. Alexander, in the company of his closest associates, continued to celebrate his victory. He sat surrounded by women playing and singing at an endless feast, but then the music fell silent, and Thais of Athens—the beloved hetaera of Alexander—entered through the main gates of Xerxes in a golden chariot. The Greeks greeted the beauty with enthusiastic cries—she was naked, and only priceless jewelry accentuated her delicate skin. Thais was not ashamed and did not hide her beauty from the men. She settled next to Alexander. The feast continued.
- Look at this palace, - suddenly said Thais, pointing to Xerxes' palace. - It would be wonderful if Alexander burned it down along with us.
The drunken company was inspired by this idea. Demands to light torches began to arise. It was decided that Alexander should do it, as it was only fitting for him. Everyone rose from the tables and, to the sounds of songs, flutes, and pipes, moved towards the palace. Immediately after Alexander, Thais threw her lit torch at the palace, and others did the same. Minutes passed, and everything around was engulfed in destructive flames.
Did Alexander think that the greatest monument of human genius, even if defeated, was burning? I think not.
The palaces were empty and unnecessary, just as the Persian capital Persepolis itself was unnecessary.
A few kilometers north of Persepolis lies the archaeological zone of Naqsh-e Rustam. A kind of mountain-necropolis, where four tombs of the kings of the Achaemenid dynasty are located.
They are carved into limestone cliffs at a significant height. One of the tombs belongs to King Darius I, as established by inscriptions (522-486 BC). It is believed that the others are the burial sites of Xerxes I (486-465 BC), Artaxerxes I (465-424 BC), and Darius II (423-404 BC).
The tombs are made in the shape of an Aryan cross and are visible from afar. The technology used to create them is identical to that used in the creation of Petra in Jordan. After the conquest of Persia by Alexander the Great, the tombs were abandoned. Only half a century later did this place become a kind of memorial for the kings of the Sassanid dynasty, who came to power nearly 600 years after the Achaemenids.
On the flat facade of the mountain, there are more than a dozen reliefs. Seven of them are dedicated to the kings of the Sassanid period. On the territory of the Naqsh-e Rustam necropolis, there is a square cross-section building twelve meters high. The name of this structure is the Cube of Zoroaster. Among scientific versions, the most common opinion is that the building served as a Zoroastrian fire sanctuary. According to another, less frequently mentioned version, a grave of Cyrus the Great may lie beneath the structure.
Many years have passed. In 662, the Islamic dynasty of the Abbasids and many others came to replace the Sassanids, becoming a memory of history.
The wind and time buried Persepolis under sand and gravel. Only the attentive gaze of a traveler at the yellow lifeless foothills of the Mountain of Mercy can still see barely noticeable graves of the last Achaemenid kings. One of them, unfinished and destroyed, looked the most forgotten and abandoned. There was no place for the body of the dishonored King Darius III. Its uncarved reliefs are the result of an unexpected turn of fate. They serve as a reminder of the sad end of a mighty empire, the grandeur and fall of Persepolis.