BiblePlaces Newsletter

Vol 17, #3 - December 3, 2018

I never thought I’d make a photo collection for Persia. Ever since I was a boy watching the US hostage crisis on TV, followed by footage of the Iran-Iraq War, it seemed hardly possible that I’d be able to travel throughout the heart of the Persian Empire. But I was wrong.

The opportunity came earlier this year, and the trip was everything I could have hoped for and more. I was able to visit every site on my itinerary, following in the footsteps of such figures as Cyrus, Darius, Xerxes, and Artaxerxes. I saw the famous Behistun Inscription, walked around one of the best preserved ziggurats, explored numerous museums, and marveled at the well-preserved tomb of King Cyrus. You can still see the ancient necropolis where Darius, Xerxes, and Artaxerxes carved their tombs into a cliffside, and the famous Persian gardens (from whence we get our word “paradise”) are as beautiful as they say. The people were friendly and the food was fantastic. The highlight for me was walking through the ancient palace where Esther approached Ahasuerus to beg him to stop the evil plot of Haman.

I’m excited now to announce that our new Persia volume is available. It includes more photographs than any other in the Pictorial Library of the Bible Lands series, and everything is included in both jpg and PowerPoint formats. The PowerPoint files include notes that explain what you’re looking at in the photos. Whether this inspires you to plan your own trip or provides a virtual tour in place of your own, we think you’ll find the Persia collection both enjoyable and instructive.

You can order the Persia volume at the introductory price of $25 (download or DVD or both). Keep reading to learn about some of our favorite photos from the trip.

Todd Bolen
Photographer, BiblePlaces.com
Professor of Biblical Studies, The Master’s University

You can order the Persia volume at the introductory price of $25 (download or DVD or both). Keep reading to learn about some of our favorite photos from the trip.

Todd Bolen
Photographer, BiblePlaces.com
Professor of Biblical Studies, The Master’s University

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A Photo Every Day

Every weekday I choose an interesting photo from the biblical world and post it on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Follow us to see our latest photos as well as some classics. As you see images and captions you like, share them with your friends!

Featured BiblePlaces Photos: Persia

For this newsletter, I have chosen to highlight six sites in Persia. For each one, I selected one photo and wrote a brief description. At the end of each, you can follow a link to a page with more annotated photographs. All of this and much more is included in the new Persia volume, available today at the introductory sale price of $25.

Persepolis

I took more photos at Persepolis than at any other ancient site I have visited in my life. That tells you something about the remarkable preservation of the famous “city of the Persians.” Built by Darius the Great on a massive terrace, this architectural wonder boasted several palaces, an enormous treasury, and an audience hall decorated with fascinating reliefs of peoples from all over the Persian Empire. For more photos of Persepolis, see this webpage.

Persepolis

Pasargadae

The Persian king Cyrus is mentioned by name 23 times in the Bible. I had no idea he was so prominent. He is mentioned in 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Isaiah, and Daniel. The prediction in Isaiah 44:28–45:1 is most well-known, for the prophet calls him the Lord’s anointed (messiah) and declares that he will allow the Israelites to return home from Babylon. Cyrus built Pasargadae as his capital, and his famous tomb monument lies on the city’s outskirts. According to the story, Alexander the Great visited the tomb and was so impressed by its humble tone that he ordered that Cyrus’s grave goods be returned. For more photos of Pasargadae, see this webpage.

Naqsh-e Rostam

Naqsh-e Rostam is the modern name of the ancient cemetery of Persepolis. Here most of the Achaemenid kings were buried, including Darius I, Darius II, Xerxes I, and Artaxerxes I. Three of these kings are referenced in the Bible: Darius I is mentioned in both Haggai and Zechariah, and he was the king in Ezra who issued an order that allowed the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple to continue; Xerxes is the biblical Ahasuerus who married Queen Esther; Artaxerxes was the king who granted Nehemiah permission to return and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. So many biblical connections in one place! For more photos of the Persepolis necropolis, see this webpage.

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Naqsh-e Rostam

Zagros Mountains

The most beautiful part of my travels was through the Zagros Mountains. This rugged mountain range forms the ancient border between the Mesopotamian plain to the west and the Persian heartland to the east. It extends north into Turkey and the highest peak reaches 14,465 feet (4,409 m). Several ancient historians mention the travels of Alexander the Great into the Zagros. The famous Behistun Inscription is also located in these mountains. For more photos, see this webpage.

Chogha Zanbil Ziggurat

The Elamites are another people that are mentioned in the Bible perhaps more than you realized. The prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel all mention the province or its people. One of the most impressive ruins of the Elamites is the ziggurat of Chogha Zanbil. Built in 1250 BC, this is the best-preserved of all ancient ziggurats. The site was destroyed by the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal in 640 BC. For more photos and information, see this webpage.

Chogha Zanbil Ziggurat

Susa

Finally, my favorite site of the trip—Susa! Admittedly, Susa, with its rather monotone mudbrick walls, does not look that impressive today. But what the site lacks in visual appeal it more than makes up for in biblical connections! You can walk through the gate where Mordecai overheard the conspiracy to take the king’s life. You can stand in the courtyard where Haman waited before being asked by the king what he should do for the man the king wants to honor. You can see the throne room where Esther approached Ahasuerus in hopes that he would hold out his scepter. You can visit the audience hall where Nehemiah served Artaxerxes as cupbearer. Even the prophet Daniel had a vision at Susa, and his traditional tomb is located here as well. For more on Susa, see this webpage.

All of these photos, and 1,600 others, are available on the new Persia volume in the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands. This volume includes jpg images as well as PowerPoints with many detailed notes like those above. This week only you can purchase the Persia volume for just $25.

Curious to learn more about my trip? See my Q&A here.

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