Persepolis, a majestic ancient site, was a palace of the Achaemenid Empire, located 60 kilometers north of Shiraz. The name “Persepolis” is of Greek origin, meaning “Persian City” (the Greek word “polis” is the same as the English “palace” and can also be understood as “Persian palace”). Iranians refer to it as “Takht-e Jamshid,” which means the throne of Jamshid. Jamshid is the name of an ancient king in Iranian mythology, and it is said that he first built a palace in Persepolis, where the palaces of the Achaemenid Empire were later constructed. The initial capital of the Achaemenid Empire was Pasargadae, located 65 kilometers north of Persepolis. As the empire expanded, the capital was relocated to three different cities: Ecbatana in Media (modern-day Hamadan in Iran), Babylon (the winter palace, now in the south of Baghdad, Iraq), and Susa in Elam (modern-day Shush in Iran’s Khuzestan province). However, major ceremonial events were still held in Pasargadae, indicating that the political center remained in the ancient land of the Persians. Construction of Persepolis began around 518 BC. King Darius I of the Achaemenid Empire ordered the construction of the palace to demonstrate the authority of the king of kings and the grandeur of imperial unity. During the reign of Darius I, the Apadana palace for receptions and the Tachara palace for living were completed, while the remaining major parts were finished by his son, Xerxes. The construction of the entire palace complex lasted for 120 years. Every year during the spring festival (coinciding with the Chinese lunar calendar’s spring equinox), Darius and his descendants held grand ceremonies at Persepolis, receiving tribute and homage from envoys of conquered nations. In 330 BC, Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire and ordered the burning of Persepolis, as well as the looting of treasures worth 12 billion gold darics, which were taken back to Greece. Persepolis was built on a stone platform at the foot of the south-western slope of Mount Rahmat in the Zagros Mountains, measuring 450 meters north to south, 300 meters east to west, and covering an area of 135,000 square meters. It faced west, overlooking the vast plain of Fars, with Mount Rahmat behind it in the east. The palace complex included six palaces, a hall, a treasury, and tombs of the king and queen.