Pasargadae: Capital Of Achaemenid Empire Destroyed By Alexander The Great

A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com  - Today, Pasargadae are ruins of an ancient city in southwestern Iran, in the village of Mashhad-e Murghab, in the Zagros mountains, at an altitude of 1900 m, northeast of the city of Shiraz.

The fourth king of Anshan and the first king of the Achaemenid Empire, Cyrus II (d. 530 BC), also known as  Cyrus the Great ordered the construction of Pasargadae during 559-530 BC, and in this city was  located Cyrus’ tomb.

The city was the first capital of the Achaemenid Empire - one of the largest empires in history that covered approximately 5.5 million square kilometers and extended from the Balkans and Eastern Europe to the Hindus River in India.

In addition, this great empire was considered the first known for its cultural diversity of its people.

However, it lost its importance at the end of the sixth century in favor of Persepolis; 330 BC captured and plundered by Alexander III the Great. Some preserved remains of the once flourishing Pasargadae include the famous stone tomb of Cyrus II the Elder in the form of a four-sided eleven-meter high structure with a gable roof, ruins of the palace complex decorated with reliefs, a stone tower - a temple of fire, and 2 monolithic stone altars of fire.

The tomb of Cyrus the Great was also built in Pasargadae and was the most important monument in the city. Image credit: Bernd81  - CC BY-SA 4.0

In antiquity, the city was green. Eight or more dams regulated the river and stored water for irrigation.

Today, the region of Pasargadae is arid but it remains an important archaeological site. Archaeologists paid much attention to Achaemenid stone monuments, the role and design of the garden, and jewelry items.

Unique Techniques Used To Withstand Earthquakes

Not long ago, archaeologists found that Achaemenid engineers built the city of Pasargadae using unique structural techniques to withstand a strong earthquake that would today be classified as 7.0 on the Richter magnitude scale.

Inscription In Tomb of Cyrus the Great

No doubt, the most prominent monument in the city of Pasargadae, was the mausoleum of Cyrus.

Pasargad audience hall. Image credit: Zereshk  - CC BY-SA 3.0

It has six broad steps leading to the sepulchre, the chamber of which measures 3.17 m long by 2.11 m wide by 2.11 m high and has a low and narrow entrance.

Though there is no firm evidence identifying the tomb as that of Cyrus, Greek historians tell that Alexander III of Macedon believed it really was. So, when Alexander looted and destroyed Persepolis, he visited the tomb of Cyrus and ordered one of his warriors, to enter the monument.

Inside, there was a golden bed, a table set with drinking vessels, a gold coffin, some ornaments studded with precious stones, and an inscription on the tomb.

No trace of any such inscription exists today and only Strabo reports that it read:
“Passer-by, I am Cyrus, who gave the Persians an empire and was king of Asia. Grudge me not, therefore, this monument…”

The Roman geographer Strabo of Amasia confirms in his ‘Geography’ that Pasargadae was built on the site where King Cyrus defeated the leader of the Medes, Astyages, in 550 BC. Building inscriptions found in the palace also confirm that Cyrus was indeed the builder of the town.

Persepolis stairs of the Apadana. Image credit: Taranis-iuppiter - CC BY-SA 3.0

After King Darius I the Great (522-486) built a new capital, Persepolis, Pasargadae remained an important place, and probably was some kind of religious capital of the Achaemenid empire. The tomb of Cyrus probably played a role in ceremonies taking place at Pasargadae.

Citadel And Audience Hall Among Oldest Monument Of Pasargadae

Pasargadae contained palaces and many other monumental structures; especially impressive and the oldest monument was a citadel Tall-i-Takht ('throne hill') that overlooked a garden ('paradise') in the south, and the palace complex as well.  Built during the reign of Cyrus the Great, the citadel was never finished after his death in 530 BC.

Pasargadae represents the first phase of a specific Persian architecture which later found its full expression in the city of Persepolis.

Another historical structure is Apadana - the many columned audience hall that represented the splendid design by Darius I the Great (r. 522-486 BC). Apadana was part of king Cyrus' palace and was approached from the south-east. Apadana structures were influenced by several motifs from Phoenicia and Assyria and sculptures were created by the best stonemasons from Greek Ionia.

The Apadana structure is only mentioned in some building inscriptions; in one of Darius II (424-05 BC) and three of his son, Artaxerxes II (405-359 BC).

Pasargadae represents the first phase of this development into a specifically Persian architecture which later found its full expression in the city of Persepolis.

Written by – A. Sutherland AncientPages.com Senior Staff Writer

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