SUSA

SUSA, the ancient royal residence of the kings of Persia, built by Darius the son of Hystaspes, according to Pliny, though he perhaps only restored it, being a very ancient city, founded by Tithonus, father of Memnon. Its compass was said by ancient authors to be 120 stadia; but the ruins give us the idea of a still greater extent. They are situated on the east side of the river Kerah, in the latitude of $32^\backslash circ$, stretching not less than twelve miles from one extremity to the other. These ruins consist of hillocks of earth and rubbish, covered with broken pieces of brick and coloured tile. One of these hillocks is a mile in circumference, and 100 feet high. Another, though not quite so high, has double the circuit. Large blocks of marble covered with hieroglyphics are frequently discovered by the Arabs. There is a building, apparently modern, called the tomb of Daniel.