Persepolis: Gate of All Nations

A lamassu; eastern entrance of the Gate of All Nations

Persepolis (Old Persian Pârsa, modern Takht-e Jamshid): Greek name of one of the capitals of the ancient Achaemenid empire, founded by the great king Darius (522-486 BCE). There were several satellite sites, like Naqš-i Rustam and Takht-e Rostam.

History

Photos

The construction of the Stairs of All Nations and the Gate of All Nations was ordered by the Achaemenid king Xerxes (486-465), the successor of the founder of Persepolis, Darius I the Great. Originally, the main access was in the south; now, one had to ascend to the terrace from the west.

Like Gate R in Pasargadae, the entrance of the Gate of All Nations was protected by bulls (front) and these mythological creatures, called lamassu's, bulls with the head of a bearded man. These bull-men originated in Babylonia and Assyria, but the Persians adopted them. The general idea behind them is that they warded off evil.

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Gate of all Nations, eastern entrance

The entire monument was a giant construction with two large doors in the west and east and a hall between them. The columns of the central halls were 16½ meters high. The capitals had the form of a double bull. A third entrance was to the south. From here, one could walk to the Apadana.

In the mid-fourth century, the main exit was no longer to the Apadana but to the Hall of hundred columns; when the palaces were sacked by Alexander the Great, Persian artisans were building the Army road that was to connect these two buildings.

Inscription XPa

The ancient inscription in the gate, which is known as XPa. To the left and right of the Old Persian text are Babylonian and Elamite translations.

A great god is Ahuramazda, who created this earth, who created heaven, who created man, who created happiness for man, who made Xerxes king, one king of many kings, commander of many commanders.
I am Xerxes, the great king, the king of kings, the king of all countries and many men, the king in this great earth far and wide, the the son of Darius, an Achaemenid.
King Xerxes says: by the favor of Ahuramazda this Gate of All Nations I built. Much else that is beautiful was built in this Persepolis (Pârsâ), which I built and my father built. Whatever has been built and seems beautiful - all that we built by the favor of Ahuramazda.
King Xerxes says: may Ahuramazda preserve me, my kingdom, what has been built by me, and what has been built by my father. That, indeed, may Ahuramazda preserve.


Maurits van Wagenvoort's fake signature	Cornelis de Bruijn's signature	Signature of Malcolm Meade

Signature of Henry Stanley	Signature of Arthur de Gobineau	Various signatures

The first westerner to visit Persepolis and make scientific drawings was Cornelis de Bruijn in the winter of 1704. He inscribed his name in the Gate. Later travelers did the same, but not all of them had the energy to work a day or two. At the beginning of the twentieth century, another Dutchman, Maurits Wagenvoort, left a careless graffito and made a photo to prove that he had traveled in the footsteps of De Bruijn. His name is hardly recognizable, so he "improved" the photo when he published his account.

Many others left their signatures on the walls of the gate, like the American journalist Henry M. Stanley, the British consul Malcolm Meade, and the notorious French racist Arthur de Gobineau.

A satellite photo of the Gate of All Nations can be seen here.


The Gate of All Nations, western entrance	The Gate of All Nations, from the Apadana	Columns of the Gate of All Nations

A capital on the lintel	Part of the lintel	The lintel