Persepolis is derived from the Greek Περσέπολις, Persepolis, a compound of Pérsēs (Πέρσης) and pólis (πόλις, together meaning "the Persian city" or "the city of the Persians"). To the ancient Persians, the city was known as Pārsa (Old Persian: 𐎱𐎠𐎼𐎿), which is also the word for the region of Persia. [7][8]
Persepolis, an ancient capital of the kings of the Achaemenian dynasty of Iran (Persia), located about 30 miles (50 km) northeast of Shīrāz in the Fars region of southwestern Iran.
Persepolis was the capital of the Persian Achaemenid Empire from the reign of Darius I (the Great, r. 522-486 BCE) until its destruction in 330 BCE. Its name comes from the Greek Perses- polis (Persian City), but the Persians knew it as Parsa (City of the Persians).
Built by Darius I in the late 6th century BCE and expanded by his successors, Persepolis stood as a symbol of Persian grandeur, showcasing remarkable art and architecture that reflected the empire’s power and cultural diversity.
Once the heart of the ancient Persian Empire, and modern-day Iran’s most prized archaeological site, Persepolis is an absolute sight to behold. It was built as a ceremonial capital by Darius the Great to showcase the kingdom’s might, wealth, technological advancements, and artistry.
High on the plains of ancient Persia, near what is now Shiraz, stands the memory of a city once called Parsa, known to the Greeks as Persepolis, the “City of the Persians.” Its foundations were laid in the late sixth century BC by Darius I, the visionary ruler of the Achaemenid Empire.
Persepolis: The Legendary Persian City of Kings and the Memory of Fire ...