It stood at the summit of the great platform, a quadrilateral mass of unburnt brick, which from a remote antiquity had supported the residence of the old Susian kings.

It fronted a little west of north, and commanded a magnificent view over the Susianian plains to the mountains of Lauristan.

An inscription, repeated on four of its pillar-bases, showed that it was originally built by Darius Hystaspis, and afterwards repaired by Artaxerxes Longimanus.

As it was so exactly a reproduction of an edifice already minutely described, no further account of it need be here given.
From the palaces of the Persian kings we may now pass to their tombs, remarkable structures which drew the attention of the ancients, and which have been very fully examined and represented in modern times.
These tombs are eight in number, but present only two types, so that it will be sufficient to give in this place a detailed account of two tombs--one of each description.
The most ancient, and, on the whole, the most remarkable of the tombs, is almost universally allowed to be that of the Great Cyrus.

It is unique in design, totally different from all the other royal sepulchres; and, though it has been often described, demands, and must receive, notice in any account that is given of the ancient Persian constructions.