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

The Hadish, built for Xerxes, rose even higher on the terrace, commanding the plain below. Twice the size of the Tachara, it reflected the personal ambitions of a monarch who inherited but also expanded his father’s vision. Though ravaged by Alexander’s fire, fragments reveal depictions of Xerxes with his distinctive cylindrical crown. The architecture spoke both of continuity and individuality within the Achaemenid dynasty.