Median and Achæmenid Empire
(Medes and Persians)

Achæmenid architecture

1. Tomb of Cyrus the Great (c. 550-529), near his palace at Pasargadæ. Cyrus, founder of the Persian Empire, won independence from the Media and expanded his control to Mesopotamia. He drew from Mesopotamia some ideological elements for a reconstructed monarchy. Tombs are above ground to prevent the corpse's being defiled.

Achæmenid stone carving

	1. Stone relief from doorway of Cyrus' palace at Pasargadæ. A winged figure, probably a protective spirit of the royal household. The crown resembles a Near Eastern figure that wards off evil spirits.
	2. Relief of winged creatures at the gate of Persopolis. Probably derived from Babylonian supernatural beings who guard the entrances to sacred places, and perhaps Babylonia is also the source for reconstituting the Achæmenid dynasty in terms of sacral kingship.
	3. Stone relief from palace of Persopolis. This typical Persian motif draws it wings and central ring from Egyptian and Mesopotamian prototypes. Traditional view is that the figure represents Ahura Mazda
	4. Bull's head carving from column capital at Persopolis.
	5. Griffin's head from column at Persopolis. May reflect a borrowing a Mesopotamian political symbolism.
	6. Lion's head from top of a column at Persopolis.
	7. Relief of soldiers from Persopolis with wicker shields. 6th c. B.C. (East Berlin: Pergamum Museum).
	8. Head from a statue of an archer from the walls of the palace at Persopolis. Typical Achæmenid aesthetic interest in repeated patterns.

Achæmenid glazed tile relief

	1. Glazed tile relief showing soldiers from the Ten Thousand Immortals. This imperial guard was an élite force made up of trustworthy ethnic Persians. From the Achæmenid winter palace at Susa, Elam. 520-500 B.C. (Paris: Louvre)
	2. Glazed tile relief originally from the Persian winter palace at Susa, capital of Elam. 520-500 B.C. (Paris: Louvre). Another imperial guard. The light military dress was designed for offensive combat, to rush out to address crises within the far-flung Persian Empire.
	3. Frieze of glazed tiles showing Immortal infantry. A lancer and archer.

Achæmenid metal working and coinage

	1. A Persian helmet lost during the Olympia campaign in Greece, 490 B.C. (Olympia Museum). The inscription added by the Greeks indicates that it ended as booty dedicated to the gods. The helmet style is Assyrian.
	2. Gold coin. Achæmenid daric showing a warrior, perhaps based on Elam model.
	3. Achæmenid gold plaque from the Oxus Treasure. A Persian magus carries the barsom - the sacred twigs associated with priesthood.
	4. A torque pair with lion-head terminals. Some of the cloisonne inlays survive. Achaemenid grave at Susa, 4th c. B.C. (Paris: Louvre). 20 cm.