Persepolis
Ancient Iranian ruins
Persepolis was the ceremonial capital of the ancient Persian Empire, founded by Darius I around 515 BCE in what is now Iran.
Its ruins—massive stone columns, carved reliefs, and grand staircases—remain a major archaeological site and symbol of Persian civilization.
Alexander the Great burned the city in 330 BCE.
The name means "city of the Persians."
Persian royal name
- DariusPersian royal name
- XerxesAchaemenid king of kings
- satrapSubordinate provincial ruler
- dynastySuccessive family rulers
immortals · Zoroastrianism · tribute · royal road · Median · Parthian · satrapy · audience hall
Upright structural shafts
- bas-reliefsShallow sculptural projections
- staircaseIndoor flight of steps
- terracePaved outdoor extension
- excavationAct of unearthing
reliefs · inscriptions · griffin · lotus · capitals · double-headed eagle · UNESCO · conservation
Act of unearthing
- artifactsHuman-made historical objects
- cuneiformStylus-impressed ancient script
- inscriptionText permanently marked
- stratigraphyStudy of rock layers
conservation · restoration · museum · antiquities · dig · survey · documentation · preservation
Written personal recollection
- autobiographySelf-penned life narrative
- IranIslamic republic in Asia
- Islamic Revolution1979 Persian regime change
- childhoodLife's earliest phase
exile · black and white · coming of age · Vienna · Tehran · veil · identity · animated film
Cyrus
Persian royal name
dynasty · immortals · Zoroastrianism · tribute · royal road · Median · Parthian · satrapy · audience hall
columns
Upright structural shafts
- bas-reliefsShallow sculptural projections
- staircaseIndoor flight of steps
- terracePaved outdoor extension
excavation · reliefs · inscriptions · griffin · lotus · capitals · double-headed eagle · UNESCO · conservation · restoration
Shiraz
Iranian cultural center
excavation
Act of unearthing
- artifactsHuman-made historical objects
- cuneiformStylus-impressed ancient script
- inscriptionText permanently marked
stratigraphy · conservation · restoration · museum · antiquities · dig · survey · documentation · preservation · fieldwork
memoir
Written personal recollection
- autobiographySelf-penned life narrative
- IranIslamic republic in Asia
- Islamic Revolution1979 Persian regime change
childhood · exile · black and white · coming of age · Vienna · Tehran · veil · identity · animated film · Catherine Deneuve
- ancient civilizationsAncient Egypt, Sumer, Ancient Greece, Aztecs, Egypt
- Middle EastIraq, Baghdad, Cairo, Iran, Jordan
- ancient sitesPompeii, Stonehenge, pyramids, Colosseum, Giza
- Asian LandmarksAngkor Wat, Taj Mahal, Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terracotta Army
- heritage sitesWorld Heritage Site, historic landmarks, Machu Picchu, monument, cultural landmarks
- Lost CivilizationsAtlantis, Pompeii, Troy, Babylon, Mycenae
PersepolisAthens
Greece's capital city
Rome · Alexandria · Macedon · Greek city-states · Roman Forum
metropolis, necropolis, Persian, acropolis, Persia, Persians