Persepolis

PERSEPOLIS, the capital City of Persia. The Persians call it Esthekar. It lies in 88° 30’ of Longitude, and 30 Degrees D’Herbelot Bibliot. Orient. p. 327.of Latitude, according to the Arabick Tables. The Author of Lebtariskh writes, that Kischtasb Son of Lobarab, the fifth King of Persia, of the Race of the Caianides, there fix’d his Residence, and there caused several of those Temples to be built, dedicated to Fire, which the Greeks call Pyrea, or Pyrateria, and the Persians, Athesch Khane, and Athesch Gheda. And that very near to this City, in a Mountain adjoining to it, he order’d Sepulchres to be dug into the Rock for himself and his Successors. The Ruins of ‘em are still to be seen at this Day, with some Remains of Figures and Columns; which though much defaced by Length of Time, yet still sufficiently shew, that the antient Kings of Persia had chose this Place for their usual Residence. We may see Descriptions of these in Chardin’s Travels, and ‘tis said that M. le Bruin, a famous Traveller, will soon publish them in a more exact Manner than has been yet done.

These Monuments are to be distinguish’d from a magnificent Palace, which Queen Homai, Daughter of Bahuman, built in the Midst of the City of Esthekar. ‘Tis now call’d in the Persian Tongue, Gihil, or Tchilminar, the forty Pharos’s or Columns. The Mussulmen formerly made a Mosque of it. But the City being entirely ruin’d, they made use of the Materials for building that of Schiraz, which is not above the Distance of twelve Parasangs from it, and which is become the Capital of the Province of Persia, properly so call’d.

The same Author, speaking of antient Persepolis, or Esthekar, makes it twelve Parasangs long, and ten broad, which without doubt is extravagant. But certain it is, that all the Persian Historians speak of it as the most antient and the most magnificent City of all Asia.

They believe Giamschid to have been the first Founder of it; and some advance its Antiquity as high as Houschenk, and even to Caiumarask, the first Founder of the Persian Monarchy. This however is certain, that it derived its chief Splendor from the second Dynasty of Kings, who forsook their Residence at Balkhe in Corassan, to dwell at Esthekar.

The fabulous Tradition of the Persians is, that this City was built by the Peri, that is to say, by the Fairies, at the Time that Gian-ben-gian govern’d the World, a long Time before Adam; which is not said of any other City of Asia, but of Esthekar Idem p. 395.and Baalbek. They say also, that when the Foundations of Esthekar were laying, they found a Vessel of Turquois Stone, which held four Pints, or two Pounds of Liquor. This valuable Vase was for its Excellence call’d Giamschid; which in Persian signifies, the Vase of the Sun. And the Persian Poets allegorize a thousand Ways upon this famous Vessel, and transform it into an hundred different Figures to embellish their Poetry.

2 Maccab. ix. 1,2,&c.It is said in the second Book of the Maccabees, that Antiochus Epiphanes being gone to Persepolis, with an Intent to pillage a rich Temple that was there, all the People run to their Arms, and drove him away with his Followers. In the first 1 Maccab. vi. 1,2,&c.Book of the Maccabees, where the same History is related, ‘tis said that it was at Elymais, where Antiochus Epiphanes met with this Opposition, intending to plunder the Temple of Nannea. See the Article of 2 Maccab. i. 13, 15.NANNEA before. As to the Cities of Elymais and Persepolis, ‘tis certain they were very different and distant from each other. Elymais was upon the Euleus, and Persepolis Strabo l. 15.upon the Aranei. Besides, Persepolis was in Ruins in the Time of Antiochus Epiphanes, Alexander the Great having set it on Fire and entirely destroy’d it¹. We must then admit, that there is a Mistake in the Text of the second Book of the Maccabees, or that the Author has put Persepolis to stand for the capital City of Persia, though its true Name were Elymais. Strab. l. 19.

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