Susa

Susa was an ancient city in the lower Zagros Mountains about 250 km east of the Tigris, between the Karkheh and Dez Rivers in Iran. Today, it is the site of the modern city of Shush.

Susa was one of the most important cities in the Ancient Near East. It served as the capital of the Elam people and later became the winter capital of the great Achaemenid Empire. The city remained important during the later Parthian and Sasanian periods as well.

This city played a key role in the history of many ancient empires and helped connect different cultures and peoples across a wide area.

Name

The name Susa has roots in the Elamite language and has been used in many different languages throughout history. It appeared as Šušen in Middle Elamite, Šušun in Middle and Neo-Elamite, and Šušan in Neo-Elamite and Achaemenid Elamite. In Hebrew, it was called Šūšān, and in Ancient Greek, it was known as Soûsa. The name evolved into Çūšā in Old Persian and Sūš or Šūs in Middle Persian. Today, it is known as Šuš in New Persian.

Literary references

Susa was a very important city in the Ancient Near East. It appears in very old Sumerian stories, like Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta, where it is described as a place that followed the goddess Inanna, the patron of Uruk.

The city is also mentioned in the Hebrew Bible under the name Shushan, especially in the Book of Esther. It was the home of Nehemiah during a sad time called the Babylonian captivity. In the story, Esther became queen and helped save her people. Susa was also the setting for a play by the writer Aeschylus called The Persians, which tells about what happened after a king named Xerxes tried and failed to take over Greece.

Excavation history

The site was first examined in 1836 by Henry Rawlinson and then by A. H. Layard.

In 1851, William Loftus did some small excavations and found a jar with around 110 coins, the oldest from the year 697-698 AD.

Starting in 1885, Marcel-Auguste Dieulafoy and Jane Dieulafoy began the first French excavations, finding beautiful glazed bricks and parts of columns from old royal buildings. Almost all later excavations at Susa were done by the French government.

Important excavations continued from 1897 to 1911 under Jacques de Morgan, who uncovered many important artifacts including statues, boundary stones, and thousands of inscribed bricks. These discoveries helped show that Susa was a key center of the ancient Elamite civilization.

Work continued through the early 1900s and into the 1940s, and later under Roman Ghirshman and his wife Tania Ghirshman until 1967. They focused on one area called the Ville Royale.

Excavations were led by Jean Perrot from 1969 until 1979.

In 2019, a project began to protect the site from a planned road construction nearby.

History

Susa is one of the oldest-known settlements in its region. It was founded around 4200 BC. Nearby villages were abandoned when Susa was established, possibly to rebuild a destroyed settlement called Chogha Mish.

Early settlement

Susa grew into an important city. It traded with towns and villages around the Zagro frontier. The city had large platforms and impressive pottery, showing the skills of its people.

Susa I period (4200–3800 BC)

In its early days, Susa built a big platform that stood out from the flat land. People placed offerings in graves around it. They made many pots, some painted, showing their artistic abilities.

Susa II and Uruk influence (3800–3100 BC)

Susa was influenced by a nearby culture called Uruk. It adopted some of Uruk’s ways, like writing and special seals, but also kept its own traditions.

Susa III, or "Proto-Elamite", period (3100–2700 BC)

This time is called the Proto-Elamite period. Susa became the center of a culture called Elam. Battles between nearby regions are recorded from this time.

Elamites

Susa was the capital of a place called Susiana. It changed hands between different rulers but remained important.

Achaemenid Period

Susa became part of a big empire called the Achaemenid Empire around 540 BC. It was one of the empire’s capitals. Important buildings were constructed, and the city played a role in famous stories.

Seleucid period

After a leader named Alexander the Great conquered the area, Susa lost some importance. It was renamed Seleucia on the Eulaeus but still traded goods.

Parthian period

Susa broke free from one empire and was ruled by the Parthians. It was a safe place for kings and still traded goods.

Sassanid period

The Sassanid rulers took over Susa. The city was destroyed and rebuilt several times. It remained a trading center, especially for gold.

Islamic period

Muslim forces captured Susa. The city was rebuilt and continued to be important for trading and making fine fabrics.

Today

The ancient city of Susa is now empty. People live in a nearby town called Shush, which is part of Iran.

World Heritage listing

In July 2015, Susa was added to the list of important places protected by UNESCO. This means that people all around the world work together to keep this special place safe for everyone to learn about and visit.