Persian Architecture (cont'd.)

Remains at Susa

Now it so happens that at Susa there was another great palace, similar, or nearly so, in size and plan to that at Persepolis, and with an inscription showing it to have been built by Artaxerxes Mnemon, son of Xerxes. The height of the columns is unknown, but the capitals and bases correspond closely with those at Persepolis. The capitals have singular volutes under the double bull’s heads, the whole being 28 feet high, the capitals alone being thus as high as the columns and bases together of St. Martin’s London. Mr. Loftus examined this structure carefully, and satisfied himself that no walls had ever existed. In addition to this an ancient drain has been found at Persepolis, in the very line which one of the main walls must have occupied. Mr. Loftus therefore agrees with Sir R.K. Porter and the others in their restoration. The description in Esther i. 6, has been supposed to refer to this palace. Two other structures at Persepolis were really enclosed -- viz., the palaces of Darius and Xerxes. Each has the four divisions of columns, as at the Chehil Minar and Susa; but the jambs to the doors and other portions of the enclosure still remain. These were clearly places for habitation. A still larger enclosed building, the hall of 100 columns, has also left gigantic fragments. The size and arrangement are unknown; but it must have been about 225 feet square, and enclosed by walls, some of the doorways and blank windows of which remain. The excavated tombs of the kings, high up in the face of the mountain, just as described by Diodorus, are the only other important remains of ancient Persia.






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