Susa

Susa, the same as the Shushan of Daniel, Esther, &c., a town of Persia, identified with the modern Sus, anciently the capital of Susiana (the Elam of Scripture, mod. Khusistan), and one of the most important cities of the old world. Its foundation is ascribed by some ancient writers to Darius Hystaspes, by others to Memnon, the son of Tithonus; and its name, together with its ground-plan, is traced on Assyrian monuments of the reign of Assur-bani-pal (about 660 B.C.). At the time of Daniel's vision 'at Shushan in the palace' it was under Babylonian dominion, but it was brought by Cyrus under Persian rule; and the Achaemenian kings raised it to the dignity of a metropolis of the whole Persian empire, having there a strong citadel and one of their treasure-houses. At the Macedonian conquest Alexander is reported to have found in it vast treasures, together with the regalia. On Babylon becoming the principal city of Alexander and his successors, Susa gradually declined, but seems still to have contained enormous wealth when it fell into the hands of Antigonus (315 B.C.). It was attacked by Molon in his rebellion against Antiochus the Great, and held out bravely for a long time against the Arab invaders at a later date. They, however, destroyed the fortifications. The ruins of the ancient city, the palace described in Esther among them, cover a space of about three square miles. The principal existing remains consist of four spacious artificial platforms above 100 feet high. Traces of a gigantic colonnade were laid bare by Mr Loftus, with a frontage of 343 feet and a depth of 244. Cuneiform inscriptions exist, together with many relics similar to those found at Persepolis. The 'tomb of Daniel' shown near Susa was a place of pilgrimage previous to the Arab conquest. See books by Williams, Loftus, Churchill, and Dieulafoy, all of whom have explored the site.