Medo-Persian Architecture. 21 consists of a small temple-like chamber with a gable roof, its form betraying Greek influence, erected on a pyramid of seven steps. It was formerly surrounded by a well-kept park, and encircled by a cloister of marble columns at some little distance from it. It is constructed entirely of white marble, and once gloried in costly carpets, and vessels and ornaments of gold. The famous palaces of Persepolis were erected under Kings Darius and Xerxes, famous for their fruitless ~ fo. J> iW^^'iW'ivA ^-^ Y*Vj DiA^^Miii^ Fig. 12. — Part of the rock-cut facade of the tomh'of Darius. struggles with the Greeks. The ruins of these fine build- ings are to be seen on the plain of Merdusht. It was in one of these that Alexander the Great flung down the burning torch. Massive double flights of steps lead to a platform strewn with ruins, from which still tower some forty colossal marble pillars. These steps, together with the artificial terraces so favourable to their introduction, are a principal feature of all the ancient palaces of this
