Susa

Quick Facts: Who was Susa?

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Susa

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Ancient metropolis in Iran, capital of Elam and strategic center for millennia.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Susa ( SOO-sə) was an ancient city in the lower Zagros Mountains about 250 km (160 mi) east of the Tigris, between the Karkheh and Dez Rivers in Iran. It represents the current city of Shush, located on the site of ancient Susa. One of the most important cities of the Ancient Near East, Susa served as the capital of Elam and the winter capital of the Achaemenid Empire, and remained a strategic centre during the Parthian and Sasanian periods. The name Susa is of Elamite origin and has appeared in many languages: Middle Elamite: 𒀸𒋗𒊺𒂗, romanized: Šušen Middle and Neo-Elamite: 𒋢𒋢𒌦, romanized: Šušun Neo-Elamite and Achaemenid Elamite: 𒀸𒋗𒐼𒀭, romanized: Šušan Achaemenid Elamite: 𒀸𒋗𒐼, romanized: Šuša Hebrew: שׁוּשָׁן Šūšān (Shushan) Ancient Greek: Σοῦσα Soûsa Old Persian: 𐏂𐎢𐏁𐎠 Çūšā Middle Persian: 𐭮𐭥𐭱𐭩 Sūš or 𐭱𐭥𐭮 Šūs New Persian: شوش Šuš [ʃuʃ] Syriac: ܫܘܫ Šuš Susa was one of the most important cities of the Ancient Near East. In historic literature, Susa appears in the very earliest Sumerian records: for example, it is described as one of the places obedient to Inanna, patron deity of Uruk, in Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta.

Career & Major Achievements

Susa is mentioned by the name Shushan in the Hebrew Bible’s Ketuvim (Writings) section, chiefly in the Book of Esther (where the narrative events are set in Susa), and once each in the books of Ezra (4:9), Nehemiah (1:1), and Daniel (8:2). According to these Jewish biblical texts, Nehemiah lived in Susa during the Jews’ Babylonian captivity in the 5th century BC (as Daniel mentions in a prophetic vision), and Esther became queen in Susa when she married King Ahasuerus and subsequently saved the Jewish people of the Persian Empire from genocide. A tomb presumed to be Daniel’s is located in the area of Susa, known as Shush-Daniel. While a large portion of the tomb’s current structure was dated to 1871, the identification of Susa as Daniel’s burial place has been cited by Jews such as Benjamin of Tudela at least as early as 1167 AD. Susa is the setting for the Aeschylus play, The Persians.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The play concerns the repercussions for Xerxes, and Persia, after his failed attempt to conquer Greece at the Battle of Salamis. Susa is further mentioned in the Book of Jubilees (8:21 & 9:2) as one of the places within the inheritance of Shem and his eldest son Elam; and in 8:1, "Susan" is also named as the son (or daughter, in some translations) of Elam. The site was examined in 1836 by Henry Rawlinson and then by A. H. Layard. In 1851, some modest excavation was done by William Loftus, accompanied by Fenwick Williams, who identified it as Susa. Among his finds was a jar containing around 110 coins, the earliest of which was dated to 697-98 AD.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1836: 1836 Milestone — The site was examined in 1836 by Henry Rawlinson and then by A.
2. 1851: 1851 Milestone — In 1851, some modest excavation was done by William Loftus, accompanied by Fenwick Williams, who identified it as Susa.
3. 1871: 1871 Milestone — While a large portion of the tomb’s current structure was dated to 1871, the identification of Susa as Daniel’s burial place has been cited by Jews such as Benjamin of Tudela at least as early as 1167 AD.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Susa

True or False: “The primary archaeological damage to Susa's later historical layers was caused by the systematic removal of materials during excavation, rather than natural decay.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): Jacques de Morgan and Roland de Mecquenem were criticized for methods that destroyed much of the architectural remains through negligence or intentional demolition.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abanindranath Tagore — Historical peer (Born in 1871) (1871): Pioneering figure of the Bengal School, modernizing Indian art against Western influence.
• Alexander Scriabin — Historical peer (Born in 1871) (1871): Russian composer and pianist, known for his highly dissonant, mystical, and color-coded musical language.
• Abraham ibn Ezra — Historical peer (Died in 1167) (1167): Distinguished 12th-century Sephardic rabbi, philosopher, and biblical commentator.
• Empress Matilda — Historical peer (Died in 1167) (1167): Claimant to the English throne and Holy Roman Empress, pivotal figure in medieval succession struggles.
• Aaron Burr — Historical peer (Died in 1836) (1836): American politician, lawyer, and statesman known for his role in the Jeffersonian era.
• André-Marie Ampère — Historical peer (Died in 1836) (1836): Founder of classical electromagnetism; inventor of the solenoid and electrical telegraph.
• Arne Garborg — Historical peer (Born in 1851) (1851): Pioneering Norwegian writer and champion of Landsmål (Nynorsk) literary reform.
• Arthur Evans — Historical peer (Born in 1851) (1851): Pioneering archaeologist who defined Aegean Bronze Age civilization through excavations at Knossos.

Frequently Asked Questions about Susa