Persian columns or Persepolitan columns are the distinctive form of column developed in the Achaemenid architecture of ancient Persia, probably beginning shortly before 500 BCE. They are mainly known from Persepolis, where the massive main columns have a base, fluted shaft, and a double-animal capital, most with bulls.[1] Achaemenid palaces had enormous hypostyle halls called apadana, which were supported inside by several rows of columns. The Throne Hall or "Hall of a Hundred Columns" at Persepolis, measuring 70 × 70 metres was built by the Achaemenid king Artaxerxes I. The apadana hall is even larger. These often included a throne for the king and were used for grand ceremonial assemblies; the largest at Persepolis and Susa could fit ten thousand people at a time.[2]
The Achaemenids had little experience of stone architecture, but were able to import artists and craftsmen from around their empire to develop a hybrid imperial style drawing on influences from Mesopotamia, Egypt and Lydia in Anatolia, as well as Elam in Persia itself. The style was probably developed in the Palace of Darius in Susa, but the most numerous and complete survivals are at Persepolis, where several columns remain standing.[3] Imperial building in the style stopped abruptly with the invasion by Alexander the Great in 330 BCE, when Persepolis was burned down.
Persiancolumns or Persepolitan columns are the distinctive form of column developed in the Achaemenid architecture of ancient Persia, probably beginning...
(524–486 BC). Many of the ancient Persiancolumns are standing, some being more than 30 metres tall.[citation needed] Tall columns with bull's head capitals were...
fought and defeated the Persian Empire at the Battle of Plataea (479 BC). The serpent heads of the 8-metre (26 ft) high column remained intact until the...
animal-headed Persiancolumn capitals and other sculptures of Persepolis (see below for the few but impressive Achaemenid rock reliefs). Although the Persians took...
following interaction with the Persians and the Greeks. A graphic representation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka from the column there was adopted as the official...
apadana at Susa is similar to that of Persepolis, using the distinctive Persiancolumn, topped by two bulls, which was probably developed here. Sources describing...
Empire or Achaemenian Empire, also known as the First Persian Empire (/əˈkiːmənɪd/; Old Persian: 𐎧𐏁𐏂, Xšāça, lit. 'The Empire' or 'The Kingdom'), was...
to by other authors, as by Aeschylus in The Persians. Archaeological evidence, such as the Serpent Column (now in the Hippodrome of Constantinople), also...
occupying an area of about 109 square meters with 36 Persiancolumns, each more than 19 m tall. Each column is fluted, with a square base (except a few in the...
Office at Vienna. The monument architecture is Persian Achaemenid architecture, with Persiancolumns and other features from Persepolis and other remains...
Persepolis (/pərˈsɛpəlɪs/; Old Persian: 𐎱𐎠𐎼𐎿, romanized: Pārsa; New Persian: تخت جمشید, romanized: Takht-e Jamshīd, lit. 'Throne of Jamshid') was the...
issues follow the "western designs" of the facing bull heads, a stag, or Persiancolumn capitals on the obverse, and incuse punch on the reverse. According...
column in the shape of intertwined snakes (the Serpent column) was created from melted-down Persian weapons, acquired in the plunder of the Persian camp...
Old Persian is one of two directly attested Old Iranian languages (the other being Avestan) and is the ancestor of Middle Persian (the language of the...
The Persian Encyclopedia (Persian: دایرةالمعارف فارسی; Romanized as Dāyerat-ol-ma'āref-e Fārsi) is one of the most comprehensive and authoritative Encyclopedias...
the reliefs, double animal-headed Persiancolumn capitals and other sculptures of Persepolis. Although the Persians took artists, with their styles and...
issues follow the "western designs" of the facing bull heads, a stag, or Persiancolumn capitals on the obverse, and incuse punch on the reverse. According...
The war is also known under other names, such as The Second Gulf War, Persian Gulf War, Kuwait War, First Iraq War, or Iraq War before the term "Iraq...
Old Persian cuneiform is a semi-alphabetic cuneiform script that was the primary script for Old Persian. Texts written in this cuneiform have been found...
Rostock, believed that he had ascertained the characters in the column, now known to be Persian, to be alphabetic. At this point Grotefend took up the matter...
The second Persian invasion of Greece (480–479 BC) occurred during the Greco-Persian Wars, as King Xerxes I of Persia sought to conquer all of Greece...
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