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2. Sources on Ancient Persia.pdfThe Range of Sources
The Range of Sources
Archaeological finds, architectural features and wall reliefs at the site, eg the Apadana, the terrace, the palaces, gatehouse, Hall of the Hundred Columns (Throne Hall), Tripylon staircase, Harem and treasury buildings, stone carving, glazed brick panels, Bisitun (Behistan) inscription of Darius I
Watch the Grand tour of Persepolis (25mins) and then study a range of 360° views of Persepolis:
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The Behistun Inscription and deciphering cuneiform
Read the article: The recovery of cuneiform, the world's oldest known writing.
What is cuneiform?
When was it used?
What languages were written in cuneiform?
How was it deciphered?
Why is the Behistun Inscription compared to the Rosetta Stone?
Why was deciphering cuneiform controversial in the 19th Century?
Another article on Cuneiform:
Deciphering Cuneiform: Helping Scholars to Get a Handle on Life in Ancient Mesopotamia.
Why Do We Use the Greek Name "Persepolis"?
Why Do We Use the Greek Name "Persepolis"?
🔹 1. Greek Sources Preserved the Name
🔹 1. Greek Sources Preserved the Name
The name "Persepolis" is Greek, meaning "City of the Persians" (from Persēs + polis). This is the name that appears in the writings of Herodotus, Diodorus Siculus, and other classical historians. Since much of early Western knowledge of the ancient Near East came through Greek and Roman texts, the Greek name stuck.
📜 Example: Herodotus never called it Parsa (its original Persian name); he referred to it as Persepolis when describing Persian power.
🔹 2. The Original Persian Name Was Lost for Centuries
🔹 2. The Original Persian Name Was Lost for Centuries
In the Achaemenid period, the Persians called the city 𐎱𐎠𐎼𐎿 (Parsa), the same name as the surrounding region and the ethnic group (the Persians).
However, after Alexander the Great’s conquest and the city's destruction in 330 BCE, Parsa was gradually abandoned and forgotten in popular usage.
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