Primary sourceArtifact

Treasury of Persepolis

The ruined treasury building at Persepolis, built by Darius I to store royal wealth and tribute from across his empire.

Darius I commissioned the Treasury of Persepolis to store the tribute and wealth of his empire.

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Aerial view of the ruins of Persepolis in Iran. Low mud-brick and stone foundations form a large rectangular complex with courtyards, and a long colonnaded building with a flat roof stands beside a grove of trees. Dry plains and distant mountains lie under a hazy sky. — Ruins of the Treasury at Persepolis, Iran, built under Darius I.

About this source

What it is

The Treasury is a building within the ruins of Persepolis, the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire in Iran. It was commissioned by Darius I to store tribute and royal wealth collected from across the empire. Today only its foundations and the outlines of courtyards and a colonnaded hall survive among the ruins.

Why it matters

The Treasury, along with tablets and other finds discovered there, documents how Darius I organized the collection, storage and administration of the empire's wealth. It shows the scale and bureaucratic sophistication of Achaemenid rule, and the resources Darius commanded to build and run his empire.

Look closer

What does the size and layout of the Treasury suggest about how much wealth passed through it?
Why might a ruler want a dedicated building just for storing tribute?
What is missing from these ruins that we would need other evidence to understand, such as the people who worked there?

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Primary source

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