Susa
60413
220032349
2008-06-17T23:33:29Z
Sa.vakilian
1293253
Modern
{{coor title d|32.18922|N|48.257785|E}}
{{otheruses}}
{{redirect|Shushan}}
{{location map of|Iran|label=Susa|lat=32.19|long=48.26|caption=Location of the city of Susa, [[Iran]]|float=right}}
'''Susa''' ([[Biblical Hebrew language|Biblical]] {{lang-he|'''שושן'''}} ('''Shushan'''); also [[Greek language|Greek]]: Σουσα, [[transliterated]] as '''Sousa''' ; [[Latin language|Latin]] '''Susa''') was an ancient city of the [[Elam]]ite, [[Persian Empire|Persian]] and [[Parthia]]n empires of [[Iran]], located about 250 km (150 miles) east of the [[Tigris River]].
The modern town of [[Shush, Iran|Shush]] is located at the site of ancient Susa.
==History==
[[Image:Sphinx Darius Louvre.jpg|thumb|200px|Winged [[sphinx]] from the palace of [[Darius the Great]] at Susa.]]
Susa is one of the oldest-known settlements of the region and indeed the world, possibly founded about 4200 BCE (''See [[List of oldest continuously inhabited cities]]''); although the first traces of an inhabited village have been dated to ca. 7000 BCE. Evidence of a painted-pottery civilization has been dated to ca. 5000 BCE.
In historic times, Susa was the primary capital of the Elamite Empire. Its name in [[Elamite language|Elamite]] was written variously ''Šušan'', ''Šušun'', etc. The city appears in the very earliest Sumerian records, eg. in ''[[Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta]]'' it is described as one of the places obedient to [[Inanna]], patron deity of [[Uruk]].
[[Image:Daniel Barry Kent.JPG|thumb|left|150px|Tomb of Daniel]]
Susa is also mentioned in the [[Ketuvim]] of the [[Hebrew Bible]], mainly in [[Book of Esther|Esther]], but also once each in [[Book of Nehemiah|Nehemiah]] and [[Book of Daniel|Daniel]]. Both Daniel and Nehemiah lived in Susa during the [[Babylonian captivity of Judah]] of the 6th century BCE. [[Esther]] became queen there, and saved the Jews from genocide. A tomb presumed to be that of Daniel is located in the area, known as ''Shush-Daniel''. The tomb is marked by an unusual white, stone cone, which is neither regular nor symmetric. Many scholars believe it was at one point a [[Star of David]].
Susa is further mentioned in the ''[[Book of Jubilees]]'' (8:21 & 9:2) as one of the places within the inheritance of [[Shem]] and his eldest son Elam; and in 8:1, "Susan" is also named as the son (or daughter, in some translations) of Elam.
Šušan was incorporated by [[Sargon the Great]] into his [[Akkadian Empire ]] in approximately 2330 BC. It remained capital of an Akkadian province until ca. 2240 BC, when its Elamite governor, [[Kutik-Inshushinak]], rose up in rebellion and liberated it, making it a literary center. However, following this, the city was again conquered by the neo-Sumerian [[Ur-III]] dynasty, and held until Ur finally collapsed at the hands of the Elamites under [[Kindattu]] in ca. 2004 BC. At this time Susa again became an Elamite capital.
The Elamites under [[Shutruk-Nahhunte]] plundered the original [[stele]] bearing the [[Code of Hammurabi]] in ca. 1175 BC and took it to Susa, where it was found in 1901. However, [[Nebuchadrezzar I]] of the [[Babylonia]]n empire managed to plunder Susa in return, around fifty years later.
===Assyrians===
{{mainarticle|Battle of Susa}}
[[Image:Susa-destruction.jpg|thumb|250px|<small>[[Ashurbanipal]]'s brutal campaign against Susa in 647 BCE is triumphantly recorded in this relief. Here, flames rise from the city as [[Assyria]]n soldiers topple it with pickaxes and crowbars and carry off the spoils.</small>]]
In 647 BCE, the Assyrian king [[Assurbanipal]] leveled the city during a war in which the people of Susa apparently participated on the other side. A tablet unearthed in 1854 by [[Austen Henry Layard]] in [[Nineveh]] reveals Ashurbanipal as an "avenger", seeking retribution for the humiliations the Elamites had inflicted on the Mesopotamians over the centuries:
[[Image:Ninhursag1.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Ninhursag with the spirit of the forests next to the seven spiked cosmic tree of life. Relief from [[Susa]].]]
"''Susa, the great holy city, abode of their gods, seat of their mysteries, I conquered. I entered its palaces, I opened their treasuries where silver and gold, goods and wealth were amassed... I destroyed the [[ziggurat]] of Susa. I smashed its shining copper horns. I reduced the temples of Elam to naught; their gods and goddesses I scattered to the winds. The tombs of their ancient and recent kings I devastated, I exposed to the sun, and I carried away their bones toward the land of Ashur. I devastated the provinces of Elam and on their lands I sowed salt.''"<ref>"Persians: Masters of Empire" ISBN 0-8094-9104-4 p. 7-8</ref>
The city was taken by the [[Achaemenid]] Persians under [[Cyrus the Great]] in 538 BCE. Under Cyrus' son [[Cambyses II]], the capital of the empire moved from [[Pasargadae]] to Susa.
The city lost some of its importance when [[Alexander the Great|Alexander of Macedon]] conquered it in 331 BCE and destroyed the first Persian Empire. After Alexander, Susa fell to the [[Seleucid Empire]] and was renamed '''Seleukeia'''.
===Parthian period===
[[Image:ArtabanIIIGreekLetter.JPG|thumb|Letter in Greek of the Parthian king [[Artabanus III of Parthia|Artabanus III]] to the inhabitants of Susa in the 1st century CE (the city retained Greek institutions since the time of the [[Seleucid empire]]). [[Louvre Museum]].]]
Approximately one century later when [[Parthia]] gained its independence from the [[Seleucid Empire]], Susa was made one of the two capitals (along with [[Ctesiphon]]) of the new state. Susa became a frequent place of refuge for Parthian and later, the Persian [[Sassanid dynasty|Sassanid]] kings, as the [[Roman Empire|Romans]] sacked Ctesiphon five different times between 116 and 297 CE. Typically, the Parthian rulers wintered in Susa, and spent the summer in Ctesiphon.
The Roman emperor [[Trajan]] captured Susa in 116, but was soon forced to withdraw, because of revolts to his rear. This advance marked the easternmost penetration by the Romans.
[[Image:Rose cup Susa Louvre MAOS53.jpg|thumb|200px|Islamic art: Cup with rose petals, 8th–9th centuries]]
Susa was destroyed at least three times in its history. The first was in 647 BCE, by Assurbanipal. The second destruction took place in 638 CE, when the [[Muslim]] armies first conquered [[Persian Empire|Persia]]. Finally, in 1218, the city was completely destroyed by invading [[Mongols]]. The ancient city was gradually abandoned in the years that followed.
==Modern==
[[Shush, Iran|Shush]] at the site of ancient [[Susa]] is the administrative capital of the [[Shush County]] of Iran's [[Khuzestan]] province. It had a population 64,960 in 2005.<ref>[http://www.mongabay.com/igapo/2005_world_city_populations/Iran.html World city populations: Susa]</ref>
<gallery>
Image:Anthropoid sarcophagus Louvre Sb14393.jpg|Anthropoid sarcophagus
Image:Lion Darius Palace Louvre Sb3298.jpg|Lion on a decorative panel from [[Darius I]]'s palace
Image:Palmtree vase Susa Louvre MAOS383.jpg|Islamic art: Vase with palmtrees, 8th–9th centuries
Image:Susa louvre.jpg|Susa section, Louvre museum, Paris
<!-- Deleted image removed: image:danielburial3.jpg|Tomb of [[Daniel]], Susa, is a popular attraction in Iran's [[Persian Jews|Jewish community]] -->
</gallery>
==Sources and notes==
<div class="references-small">
<references/>
</div>
==See also==
* [[History of Iran]]
* [[Code of Hammurabi]]
* [[Elamite Empire|Elam]]
* [[Khuzestan]]
* [[Choqa Zanbil]]
* [[Roman Ghirshman]]
* [[Monsieur Chouchani]]
==External links==
{{Commons|Susa|Susa}}
*[http://www.susacity.com Susa City]
*[http://www.irantour.org/Iran/city/SUSA.html Susa]
*[http://www.livius.org/a/iran/susa/susa1.html Livius.org pictures of Susa]
*[http://oi.uchicago.edu/OI/MUS/PA/IRAN/PAAI/IMAGES/ASF/10G11_72dpi.html Aerial views of Susa]
*[http://www.letsgoiran.com/susa/susa-travel-guide Susa's Photos & Video]
{{Iranian Architecture}}
[[Category:Settlements established in the 5th millennium BC]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Iran]]
[[Category:Babylonia]]
[[Category:Cities, towns and villages in Iran]]
[[Category:Ancient Greek sites in Iran]]
[[Category:Hellenistic colonies]]
[[Category:Hebrew Bible cities]]
[[Category:Elamite cities]]
[[Category:Ancient cities]]
[[am:ሱሳ]]
[[ar:شوشان]]
[[ast:Susa]]
[[ca:Susa]]
[[cs:Susy]]
[[de:Susa (Persien)]]
[[el:Σούσα]]
[[es:Susa]]
[[eo:Suzo]]
[[fa:شوش (شهر باستانی)]]
[[fr:Suse (Élam)]]
[[gl:Susa]]
[[ko:수사 (메소포타미아)]]
[[it:Susa (Elam)]]
[[he:שושן הבירה]]
[[lt:Šušas]]
[[nl:Susa (Iran)]]
[[ja:スーサ]]
[[no:Susa]]
[[pl:Suza]]
[[pt:Susa (Irão)]]
[[ro:Susa]]
[[ru:Сузы]]
[[sk:Súsy]]
[[sh:Susa]]
[[fi:Susa]]
[[sv:Susa]]
[[tg:Шӯш]]
[[tr:Susa]]
[[zh:蘇薩]]