Livius.Org Anatolia Carthage Egypt Germ. Inf. Greece Judaea Mesopotamia Persia Rome Other

Naqš-i Rustam
Tombs III and IV at Naqš-i Rustam. Photo Jona Lendering.
Tombs I and II		 Naqš-i Rustam: archaeological site in Fars (Iran), best known for its Achaemenid tombs and Sasanian rock reliefs.
   
History Photos

Tomb I (Darius II Nothus?)

Although Tomb I (left) and II (right) have no inscriptions that may help us identify its owners, they probably belonged to Darius II Nothus (423-404) and to Artaxerxes I Makrocheir (465-424). Like Tomb IV, which is generally attributed to Xerxes (486-465), they are almost exact copies of the final resting place of Darius the Great.
Ancient-Warfare.com, the online home of Ancient Warfare magazine
Tomb IV. Photo Jona Lendering.
The upper register is identical to the relief of Darius' tomb: the king is standing in front of an altar, praying to the supreme Ahuramazda and sacrificing to the holy fire. In his right hand, the king has his bow, the royal attribute par excellence. Again, the plaform is carried by people that represent the subject nations. The symbol in the upper right corner represents the moon.

Literature

Louis Vanden Berghe, Reliefs rupestres de l' Iran ancien (1983 Brussels), #23.
History Photos
© Jona Lendering for
Livius.Org, 2004
Revision: 15 Nov. 2009
Livius.Org Anatolia Carthage Egypt Germ. Inf. Greece Judaea Mesopotamia Persia Rome Other