PERSEPOLIS, formerly the capital of Perſia, ſit-
uated in N. Lat. 30. 30. E. Long. 84. now in ruins,
but remarkable for the moſt magnificent remains of a
palace or temple that are to be found throughout the
world.— This city ſtood in one of the fineſt plains in
Perſia, being 18 or 19 leagues in length, and in ſome
places two, in ſome four, and in others ſix leagues in
breadth. It is watered by the great river Araxes,
now Bendemir, and by a multitude of rivulets beſides.
Within the compaſs of this plain, there are between
1000 and 1500 villages, without reckoning thoſe in
the mountains, all adorned with pleaſant gardens, and
planted with ſhady trees. The entrance of this plain
on the weſt ſide has received as much grandeur from
nature, as the city it covers could do from industry or
art. It conſiſts of a range of mountains ſteep and
high, four leagues in length, and about two miles
broad, forming two flat banks, with a riſing terrace in
the middle, the ſummit of which is perfectly plain and
even, all of native rock. In this there are ſuch open-
ings, and the terraces are ſo fine and ſo even, that one
would be tempted to think the whole the work of art,
if the great extent, and prodigious elevation thereof,
did not convince one that it is a wonder too great for
aught but nature to produce. Undoubtedly theſe banks
were the very place where the advanced guards from
Perſepolis took poſt, and from which Alexander found
it ſo difficult to diſlodge them. One cannot from
hence deſcry the ruins of the city, becauſe the banks
are too high to be overlooked; but one can perceive
on every ſide the ruins of walls and of ediſices, which
heretofore adorned the range of mountains of which
we are ſpeaking. On the weſt and on the north this
city is defended in the like manner : ſo that, conſider-
ing the height and evenneſs of theſe banks, one may
ſafely ſay, that there is not in the world a place ſo for-
tiſied by nature.
The mountain Rehumut, in the form of an amphitheatre, encircles the palace, which is one of the no-
bleſt and moſt beautiful pieces of architecture remain-
ing of all antiquity. Authors and travellers have been
exceedingly minute in their deſcriptions of thoſe ruins;
and yet ſome of them have expreſſed themſelves ſo dif-
ferently from others, that, had they not agreed with
reſpect to the latitude and longitude of the place, one
would be tempted to ſuſpect that they had viſited dif-
ferent ruins. Theſe ruins have been deſcribed by
Garcias de Silva Figueroa, Pietro de la Valle, Char-
din, Le Brun, and Mr Francklin. We ſhall adopt
the lateſt deſcription, as being exceedingly diſtinct,
and given by a traveller intelligent and unafſuming.
The aſcent to the columns is by a grand ſtaircaſe of
blue ſtone containing 104 ſteps.
"The firſt object that ſtrikes the beholder on his
entrance, are two portals of ſtone, about 50 feet in
height each; the ſiles are embelliſhed with two ſphinxes
of an immense ſize, drefſed out with a protuſion of
bead-work, and, contrary to the uſual method, they
are repreſented ſtanding. On the ſides above are in-
ſcriptions in an ancient character, the meaning of which
no one hitherto has been able to decipher.
"At a ſmall diſtance from theſe portals you aſcend
another flight of ſteps, which lead to the grand hall of
columns. The ſides of this ſtaircaſe are ornamented
with a variety of figures in baſſo relievo; moſt of them
have veſſels in their hands: here and there a camel
appears, and at other times a kind of triumphal car,
made after the Roman fashion; beſides theſe are fe-
veral led horſes, oxen, and rams, that at times inter-
vene and diversify the proceſſion. At the head of the
ſtaircaſe is another baſſo relievo, repreſenting a lion
ſeizing a bull; and cloſe to this are other inſcriptions
in ancient characters. On getting to the top of this
ſtaircaſe, you enter what was formerly a moſt magni-
ficent hall: the natives have given this the name of
ebbul minar, or forty pillars; and though this name is
often uſed to expreſs the whole of the building, it is
more particularly appropriated to this part of it. Al-
though a vaſt number of ages have elapſed ſince the
foundation, 15 of the columns yet remain entire; they
are from 70 to 80 feet in height, and are maſterly
pieces of masonry: their pediments are curiouſly work-
ed, and appear little injured by the hand of time. The
shafts are enluſted up to the top, and the capitals are
adorned with a proluſion of fretwork.
"From this hall you proceed along eaſtward, until
you arrive at the remains of a large ſquare building, to
which you enter through a door of granite. Moſt of
the doors and windows of this apartment are ſtill ſtand-
ing; they are of black marble, and poliſhed like a
mirror: on the ſides of the doors, at the entrance,
are baſ-reliefs of two figures at full length; they re-
preſent a man in the attitude of ſtabbing a goat: with
one hand he ſeizes hold of the animal by the horn, and
thrusts a dagger into his belly with the other; one of
the goat's feet reſts upon the breſt of the man, and
the other upon his right arm. This device is common
throughout the palace. Over another door of the ſame
apartment is a repreſentation of two men at full length;
behind them ſtands a domeſtic holding a ſpread um-
brella: they are ſupported by large round ſtaffs, ap-
pear
Peripoli
Persia. 1pear to be in years, have long beards, and a profusion of hair upon their heads.
"At the south-west entrance of this apartment are two large pillars of stone, upon which are carved four figures; they are dressed in long garments, and hold in their hands spears 20 feet in length. At this entrance also the remains of a staircase of blue stone are still visible. Vast numbers of broken pieces of pillars, shafts, and capitals, are scattered over a considerable extent of ground, some of them of such enormous size, that it is wonderful to think how they could have been brought whole, and set up together. Indeed, every remains of these noble ruins indicate their former grandeur and magnificence, truly worthy of being the residence of a great and powerful monarch."
These noble ruins are now the shelter of beasts and birds of prey. Besides the inscription above-mentioned, there are others in Arabic, Persian, and Greek. Dr Hyde observes, that the inscriptions are very rude and unartful; and that some, if not all of them, are in praise of Alexander the Great; and therefore are later than that conqueror. See the article RUINS.