WorldWide

Vigilant guards stood near the entrance to the palace of the Persian king Darius the Great (522–486 B.C.) at Susa (in modern Iran). With spears in hand, bows unsheathed and quivers slung over their shoulders, the guards are well equipped to defend the king’s residence. Because stone was scarce in the Susiana plain, the palace walls were faced with brick, often decorated with reliefs and glazed with brilliant enamels. The guards were apparently part of a two-tier frieze depicting a military procession: The brick remains of at least 18 of these figures, with slight variations in clothing, were discovered […]