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Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ideas, people and events that have shaped our world.

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Melvyn Bragg

Lloyd Llewellyn Jones

Vesta Sarkhosh Curtis

Lindsay Allen

Simon Tillotson

In Our Time: Persepolis

Persepolis

07/06/2018

BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time, Persepolis

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Achaemenid Empire's great ceremonial capital.

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the 'City of the Persians' that flourished for almost 200 years from the reign of Darius I until its destruction by Alexander III of Macedon.

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the role of the great 'City of the Persians' founded by Darius I as the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire that stretched from the Indus Valley to Egypt and the coast of the Black Sea. It was known as the richest city under the sun and was a centre at which the Empire's subject peoples paid tribute to a succession of Achaemenid leaders, until the arrival of Alexander III of Macedon who destroyed it by fire supposedly in revenge for the burning of the Acropolis in Athens.

The image above is a detail from a relief at the Apadana, the huge audience hall, and shows a lion attacking a bull.

With 

Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones
Professor of Ancient History at Cardiff University

Vesta Sarkhosh Curtis
Curator of Middle Eastern Coins at the British Museum

And

Lindsay Allen
Lecturer in Greek and Near Eastern History at King's College London

Producer: Simon Tillotson.

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