Near Eastern IMAGE 30: Audience Hall (Apadana) of Darius and Xerxes

ID’s

IMAGE 30: Audience Hall (Apadana) of Darius and Xerxes. Persepolis, Iran. Persian. c. 520 – 465 B.C.E. Mud brick with limestone facing

An audience hall in a Persian palace

APADANA

Top element of a column

CAPITAL

Sculpture that projects from a background; a very shallow relief sculpture is called a bas-relief

RELIEF SCULPTURE:

Blends architectural elements from across the empire—Egyptian lotus motifs, Greek Ionian fluted column shafts, and Mesopotamian animal capitals.

Eclectic Style:

Darius & Xerxes (rulers of Persian Empire)

Commissioned

Reception hall for king’s receptions; celebrated New Year’s festival

Apadana

 Used for grand royal audiences, diplomatic receptions, and annual festivals where the Persian King received foreign envoys.

Imperial Reception Hall:

The site where representatives from all subject nations paid annual taxes and offered valuable gifts to the king.

Tribute Center:

 Designed to celebrate the vastness, diversity, and peaceful unity of the Achaemenid Persian Empire under one supreme ruler.

Multicultural Propaganda:

Capital of the Persian Empire

Persepolis

Carvings lining the grand staircases show 23 distinct ethnic groups (Babylonians, Egyptians, Ionians, Ethiopians, etc.) marching in a orderly, peaceful procession.

Staircase Processional Reliefs:

Each nation's envoys are uniquely identified by their native clothing, hairstyles, headwear, and the regional gifts they carry (e.g., camels, vessels, textiles, weapons).

Ethnic Distinctions:

Features the "Ten Thousand Immortals"—the elite Persian royal guard—standing at attention to enforce royal power and order.

The Royal Guard:

All that remains of apadana are 14 columns, staircase, some capitals 

Ruins

Alexander the Great of (Macedon) sacked, looted, and burned down Persepolis in 330 B.C.E. 

Destruction

Founded by Cyrus the Great; expanded by Darius I and Xerxes I into the largest empire the world had seen, spanning three continents (Asia, Africa, Europe).

Achaemenid Persian Empire (c. 520–465 BCE):

Built as the ceremonial capital of the Persian Empire, situated on a remote high plateau rather than an administrative hub like Susa or Babylon.

Persepolis (Fars, Iran):

In 330 BCE, Alexander the Great captured and torched Persepolis (legend says as revenge for the Persian burning of the Athenian Acropolis), leaving mostly the stone platforms and column bases standing.

Destruction by Alexander the Great:

Limestone Palace complex built on top high plateau on the city. Apadana (audience hall) was largest building within this larger metropolitan complex.

Form

Large room (300x300ft) with many column and ornate kingly column toppers (capital), Sculptural program depicting subjugated city states bringing offerings to the Persian king. Different artistic style/materials represent all the ruled regions Persia conquered.

Contact

Function: Represents the vast rule and reach of the persian empire and acts the central seat of the King (his big place!). Use of materials (like wood room with Lebanese timber) from across their empire again represents their rule and dominance.

Function

Context: Seat of the Persian king and largest gathering place for subjects, part of a royal complex. 

Context: