King and Court in Ancient Persia 559 to 331 BCE / / Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter Edinburgh University Press Backlist eBook-Package 2013-2000
• VerfasserIn: Llewellyn-Jones, Lloyd,
• Place / Publishing House: Edinburgh : : Edinburgh University Press, , [2022]; ©2013
• Year of Publication: 2022
• Language: English
• Series: Debates and Documents in Ancient History : DDAH
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (272 p.) :; 23 B/W illustrations 1 B/W tables

The first Persian Empire (559-331 BCE) was the biggest land empire the world had seen, and seated at the heart of its vast dominions, in the south of modern-day Iran, was the person of the Great King. Immortalized in Greek literature as despotic tyrants, a new vision of Persian monarchy is emerging from Iranian, and other, sources (literary, visual, and archaeological), which show the Kings in a very different light. Inscriptions of Cyrus, Darius, Xerxes, and their heirs present an image of Persian rulers as liberators, peace-makers, valiant warriors, righteous god-fearing judges, and law-makers.Around them the Kings established lavish and sophisticated courts, the centres of political decision-making and cultural achievements in which the image of monarchy was endorsed and advanced by an almost theatrical display of grandeur and power.This book explores the representation of Persian monarchy and the court of the Achaemenid Great Kings from the point of view of the ancient Iranians themselves and through the sometimes distorted prism of Classical authors.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Series Editors’ Preface -- Preface -- A Note on Abbreviations -- Timeline -- Map of the Persian Empire -- Map of Iran -- Plan of the Terrace at Persepolis -- Part I Debates -- Part II Documents -- Further Reading -- Internet Resources -- Bibliography -- Index