When Darius the Great ruled over the Persian Empire from 522 to 486 B.C., he planned a capital city worthy of Jamshid, one of the hero-kings of Persian mythology. The city, Persepolis, came to be known also as the Throne of Jamshid. Set in a plain that was then green and fertile, the ancient city now stands in a desert in the province of Fars.

The original Persepolis was a complex of palaces occupying an area of approximately 125,000 square metres. It was surrounden by a wall 4-12.5 metre high. Darius the Great made the city Persia's capital, replacing Pasargadae, where Cyrus the Great is buried.

Today Persepolis is a valuable archaeological site that reveals a great deal about the ancient Persians, the peoples they conquared, and their neighbouring kingdoms. In particular, the carved stone friezes on the two massive stairways leading to the Apadana, Darius's reception hall, show delegates from the nations of the ancient world, each bringing choice of gifts and tributes to the Persian king. The carvings depict the fashions and customs of people from as far away as Europa and Ethiopia, as well as crafts and agricultural products for which their countries were famous.

Some carvings from Persepolis have become national symbols of Iran. The homa, a mythical beast that is half horse and half bird, is the symbol of Iran Air. The other fabled creatures include the two-headed bull and the griffin, a beast with an eagle's head, and a lion's body.