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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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Sassanian

Taq-e Kasra at Ctesiphon, Iraq (Анастасия Смирнова/Adobe Stock)

Seleucia And Ctesiphon, Opposite Jewels On the Banks Of The Tigris

On the banks of the Tigris river, not far from the confluence of the Tigris and Diyala rivers, about 35 kilometers (21 miles) southeast of Baghdad, lie the ruins of two ancient cities, who once...

Perfectly Preserved Byzantine Business and Gastronomy District Discovered in Turkey

Archaeologists have uncovered a “sensational” find in Ephesus (also spelled Ephesos), an ancient Greek city which was destroyed suddenly in 614-15 AD, located in modern-day Turkey’s Izmir province...
A silver medallion was discovered in the grave of an Aphrodite priestess, showing the goddess and signs of the zodiac, minus Aquarius and Libra. Source: Vitaly Timkiv/Oleg Deripaska's Volnoe Delo

Graves of Elite Warrior and Aphrodite Cult Priestess Uncovered in Russia

Archaeologists have unearthed a 1,900-year-old burial of a priestess from an Aphrodite cult in the ancient necropolis of Phanagoria in Russia, as well as a warrior’s burial, complete with a cache of...
The recently discovered underground corridors near Shahr-e Belqeys appear similar to this photo of the subterranean site of Nushabad.	Source: Fotokon / Adobe Stock

Medieval Underground Corridors Found in Iran During Roadwork

A routine road construction project has led to the accidental discovery of an extensive network of underground corridors in Bam village of Esfarayen county in northeast Iran. Archaeologists have...
Derbent: Contested Ancient City Stronghold on the Silk Road

Derbent: Contested Ancient City Stronghold on the Silk Road

Nestled between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains, the Russian city of Derbent and its famed citadel tells the story of ancient power struggles to control the Silk Road trade route which...
Location of the Gawri Wall in Salmaneh Mount, south-east of Bamu mountain. Source: S. Alibaigi / © Antiquity Publications Ltd, 2019

Great 2,200-year-old Barrier Wall Found in Iran

A survey in Western Iran has revealed a lengthy and substantial barrier wall meandering through a remote area, that dates back over 2200 years. The builders of this wall and its original purpose is...
Faravahar, one of the best-known symbols of ancient Iran (Persia). Relief in Persepolis.

The Plurality of the Persian Empire: Part I – The Achaemenids to the Sassanians

The land of Persia (also known as Iran) has been the center of several important empires throughout history. Between the 6th and 4th centuries BC, this was the land from which the mighty Achaemenids...
Great Wall of Gorgan

The Great Wall of Gorgan: Red Snake of Iran Saw Empires Rise and Civilizations Crumble

The Great Wal l of Gorgan, also known as the ‘Red Snake’, is a defense system located in the northern Iranian province of Golestan. This defensive wall dates to the Sassanian period, and is believed...
Taq-e Bostan, famous rock relief monument of Sassanid Persia

Histories of the Sassanian Kings Rivalry with the Romans Are Set in Stone at the Taq-e Bostan Monument

Taq-e Bostan (known also as Taq va san) is an archaeological site located in Kermanshah, a western province in Iran. This region is best-known for its numerous monuments dating to the Sassanian...
One of Nushabad’s passageways.

The Ancient Subterranean City of Nushabad: Why Were People Living Underground?

When you wander the tunnels of the underground city of Nushabad you are tracing your way back from modern day Iran to ancient history. The walls echo with the memories of the Sassanian period and...
King Shapur of Persia Humiliating Emperor Valerian (Public Domain) Background: court of the emperor Valerian, painting circa 1450. (Public Domain); Deriv.  By Martini Fisher

What Really Happened to Valerian? Was the Roman Emperor Humiliated and Skinned at the Hands of the Enemy?

The death of Valerian is traditionally known as one of the most dramatic and unfortunate of all the deaths of the Roman emperors. The widely accepted story is that Valerian wanted to end the war with...
The Colossal Statue of Shapur, Powerful King of the Sassanian Empire

The Colossal Statue of Shapur, Powerful King of the Sassanian Empire

The Colossal Statue of Shapur is the name given to a carved figure of the 3 rd century AD Sassanian ruler, Shapur I. This giant statue is located in a limestone cave known as the ‘Shapur Cave’, which...