5/5 Sama S. 5 years ago on Google • 103 reviews
Susa
(also
called
Shushan,
Greek
Susiane),
was
one
of
the
city-states
of
ancient
Elam
which
later
became
the
winter
capital
of
the
Persian
Achaemenian
kings
(c.
675
-
330
BCE).
There
is
evidence
that
Susa
has
been
continuously
inhabited
from
4,200
BCE
placing
it
among
the
oldest
continuously
inhabited
cities
in
the
world.
In
addition,
there
are
traces
at
Susa
of
a
village
inhabited
around
7,000
BCE
and
painted
pottery
dating
from
ca.
5,000
BCE
at
the
site.
The
Susa
historical
site
is
located
in
the
Susiana
Plain
that
is
irrigated
by
the
Karkheh
Kur
(Choaspes),
Ab-i
Dez
and
Karun
rivers,
The
Karkheh
and
Karun
rivers
form
the
western
and
eastern
(together
with
the
Zagros
mountains)
boundaries
of
the
plain.
Today,
the
site
is
surrounded
by
the
modern-day
Shush,
a
town
in
the
south-west
Iranian
province
of
Khuzestan.
The
archaeological
site
includes
the
ruins
of
the
Achaemenian
palace
complex
of
Darius
I,
the
Great,
and
is
located
on
a
fifteen
metre
high
artificial
raised
100-hectare
terrace.
It
has
suffered
greatly
in
the
past
seventy
years.
The
photographs
below
show
the
reckless
spread
of
urbanization
close
to
the
main
citadel
and
over
unexcavated
area
immediately
surrounding
the
mound.
In
addition,
the
site
is
being
greatly
harmed
by
illegal
excavations,
garbage
dumping,
a
planned
bus
depot,
and
a
hotel
on
unexcavated
land.
The
surviving
walls
have
been
greatly
eroded.
To
add
to
this
tragedy,
the
site
was
also
heavily
damaged
by
Iraqi
bombardment
during
the
first
Gulf
War.
Aerial
view
of
Susa
(looking
north)
and
taken
October
23,
1935.
Also
see
University
of
Chicago
archives
Aerial
view
of
Susa
(looking
north)
and
taken
October
23,
1935.
The
Saimarrah
River
is
to
the
left
of
the
mound
and
flows
beside
the
'tomb
of
Daniel'
(with
a
pointed
roof)
Also
see
University
of
Chicago
archives
Modern
day
(2009)
aerial
view
of
Susa<br>Note
the
sprawling
urbanization
around
the
site
Modern
day
(2009)
aerial
view
of
Susa
Note
the
sprawling
urbanization
around
the
site,
the
reckless
building
over
&
close
to
the
site
as
well
as
the
considerable
erosion
of
the
walls.
Courtesy
Google
Earth
Susa
became
part
of
the
Persian
empire
under
Cyrus
II,
the
Great
in
538
or
539
BCE.
During
the
balance
of
Achaemenian
period
(to
330
BCE),
Susa
functioned
as
one
of
the
rotating
capitals
(a
winter
capital)
of
the
Achaemenian
Kings.
Darius
I,
the
Great,
built
an
extensive
palace
complex
(see
image
below)
ca.
510
BCE,
and
Herodotus
mentions
Susa
as
being
the
capital
of
Darius'
empire
(Herodotus
does
not
make
any
mention
Persepolis
being
a
Persian
capital).
The
palace
complex
-
whose
building
continued
under
Darius'
son
Xerxes
-
was
destroyed
by
a
fire
during
the
reign
of
Artaxerxes
I
(465-424
BCE)
and
then
restored
fifty
years
later
by
his
grandson,
Artaxerxes
II
(404-358
BCE).
Alexander
of
Macedonia
captured
Susa
in
December
330
BCE
and
plundered
the
city,
seizing
some
40,000
talents
of
gold
and
silver
from
the
treasury.
Source:
Ridpath's
History
of
the
World
by
John
Ridpath.
1901
Reconstruction
of
the
Apadana
(Audience
Hall)
at
Susa
Reconstruction
of
the
Apadana
(Audience
Hall)
at
Susa
Note
stone
capitals
at
the
top
of
the
wooden
columns
(see
below)
In
Darius'
inscription
(Dsf)
found
in
Susa's
great
hall,
he
notes:
"The
materials,
ornamentation
and
artisans
for
this
palace
which
I
built
at
Susa
have
come
from
afar.
"For
its
foundations,
the
earth
was
dug
until
I
reached
rock.
When
the
excavation
was
complete,
foundation
rock
was
packed
down
some
40
cubits
to
20
cubits
in
depth.
On
that
foundation
the
palace
was
constructed
using
sun-dried
brick.
These
tasks
were
performed
by
Babylonians.
"The
cedar
timber
was
brought
by
the
Assyrians
to
Babylon
from
a
mountain
in
Lebanon.
From
Babylon,
the
Carians
and
Ionians
brought
it
to
Susa.
The
yaka-timber
was
brought
from
Kandahar
(Gandara)
and
Kerman
(Carmania).
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