The Secrets of Engineering and the Splendor of the Achaemenid Empire | How Persepolis Survived 2,500 Years

But perhaps the most compelling features of the Apadana are not its columns but its staircases, lined with reliefs that function like an eternal documentary. Along the northern and eastern sides, processions of soldiers, nobles, and foreign delegations advance in orderly ranks. Unlike the fierce battle scenes of Assyrian art, these reliefs convey calm, respect, and dignity. Soldiers appear in ceremonial dress, nobles exchange flowers, and courtiers place hands on each other’s shoulders.