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Susa
★ UNESCO
World Heritage ◈ hidden gem
Susa

📷 Saeedhamedian · Wikimedia Commons

Where in the world

Iran

The site

Susa is one of the great cities of the Ancient Near East, set in the lower Zagros foothills of Iran and occupied from around 4400 BCE deep into the medieval era. It served as the capital of Elam and later the winter capital of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, its palace anchoring imperial power. The site remained a strategic center through the Parthian and Sasanian periods, and survives today beneath the town of Shush.

Field notes

civilizations
Persian (Achaemenid)
types
City
built
4,000 BCE
occupied
4,400 BCE — 1,218 CE
country
Iran

See it in 3D

3D capture An Achaemenid lancer from Susa danielpett ↗
3D capture Lion frieze from Darius I’s palace at Susa Morty ↗
3D capture Persian Archer at Darius' Palace of Susa Ashkan Pakzad ↗

Notable finds

Renowned pieces unearthed at Susa — and where they are today

Stele of Naram-Simstele
Stele of Naram-Simsandstone · 2,350 BCE▸Louvre Museum
Manishtushu Obeliskstele
Manishtushu Obeliskdiorite · 2,270 BCE▸Louvre Museum
Petit chien à bélièrearchaeological artefact
Petit chien à bélièregold · 3,000 BCE▸Louvre Museum
Royal headstatue
Royal headdiorite · 2,000 BCE▸Louvre Museum
Nazimaruttaš kudurru stonearchaeological artefact
Nazimaruttaš kudurru stonelimestone · 1,300 BCE▸Louvre Museum
Kudurru of Gula-Sb 27kudurru
Kudurru of Gula-Sb 27limestone · 1,165 BCE▸Louvre Museum
Land grant to Ḫunnubat-Nanaya kudurruarchaeological artefact
Land grant to Ḫunnubat-Nanaya kudurrulimestone · 1,179 BCE▸Louvre Museum
Land grant to Munnabittu kudurrukudurru
Land grant to Munnabittu kudurrulimestone · 1,165 BCE▸Louvre Museum
Stele of Meli-Šipakkudurru
Stele of Meli-Šipakalabaster · 1,179 BCE▸Louvre Museum

Figures of this place

Laid to rest, born or died at Susa

Artaxerxes I†
Artaxerxes Idied heresixth Achaemenid emperor (475–424 BC)
Antiochus III the Great✶
Antiochus III the Greatborn heresixth Seleucid emperor (223–187 BC)
Sisygambis†
Sisygambisdied herePersian princess and queen consort
Pharnabazus II†
Pharnabazus IIdied herePersian satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia from 413 to 374 BC
Drypetis†
Drypetisdied hereAchaemenid dynasty princess (died 323 BCE)
Calanus†
Calanusdied hereIndian sage
Inaros II†
Inaros IIdied here5th century BC Egyptian ruler
Pisutnes†
Pisutnesdied hereAchaemenid satrap of Lydia from c. 440 to 415 BCE

Pictured through the ages

Artworks that portray Susa

Ahasuerus Chooses Esther
Ahasuerus Chooses EstherFilippino Lippi · 1,480 CE
The Triumph of Mordecai
The Triumph of MordecaiJean-François de Troy · 1,736 CE

Chronicle

What happened at Susa

  1. 646 BCEBattle of Susa
  2. 386 BCEPeace of Antalcidas
  3. 323 BCESusa weddings

Nearby sites

Chogha Zanbil ~32 km
Chogha Zanbil Iran
Ur ~245 km
Ur Iraq
Behistun inscription ~256 km
Behistun inscription Iran
Eridu ~263 km
Eridu Iraq