Susa, Iran

SUSA (Iran)

Susa was an ancient city in the lower Zagros Mountains about 160 miles east of the Tigris River in Iran. It was one of the Ancient Near East's most important cities, the capital of Elam and the Achaemenid Empire. Famous as the site of the story of King Ahasuerus and Esther in the Bible, today it consists of three archaeological mounds covering about 4/10 of a square mile.

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(Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons; CTTO)

Persepolis

PERSEPOLIS (southwestern Iran)

Once the seasonally-occupied ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire in modern day Iran, it rested on a walled platform, with grand entrances and five halls of varying size. Its function is unclear. The name means "Persian city" in Greek (from the Old Persian name "Parsa"). It was looted in 330 by Alexander the Great's army, and burned thereafter.

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(Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons; CTTO)