#Xerxes Shah

[chronicsheepdrawing]

Practicing perspective, lighting, and motion with friend's ocs.

[simscatarina]

Xerxes

Beijar Xerxes não gerou culpa em Kavita, afinal, no seu tempo ela gostava de ir para as baladas e ficar com diversos caras diferentes.

Ela nunca os repetia, nem precisava conhecê-los, no máximo sabia seus nomes. Era uma estudante de física muito focada em seu objetivo e não tinha tempo para romance, apenas queria satisfazer suas vontades.

Kavita nunca esteve em um relacionamento sério, muito menos em um casamento. Ela não sabe o que é amar alguém.

"Você está com vergonha, Xerxes?" Daliya perguntou.

"Eu não devia ter beijado a esposa do meu irmão." O rapaz se sentia culpado.

"Pare de ficar tão sério!" disse Daliya fazendo cócegas em Xerxes para que ele parasse de sentir culpa.

"Pare com isso, cunhada, não consigo respirar!" pediu Xerxes em meio aos risos.

"Não vou cessar até você parar de sentir culpa."

Ele a abraçou para que parasse de fazer cócegas, os dois continuaram rindo e olharam diretamente nos olhos um do outro.

Ele não resistiu em beijá-la mais uma vez.

Se Xerxes a amava, ela não sabia, se Xubair a amava, ela não tinha certeza, mas tudo o que ela queria era aproveitar os bons momentos enquanto estivesse naquele tempo.

"Curtir só um pouquinho." dizia a si mesma, convencida de que nada a prenderia a 1890 e que ela voltaria para casa em breve.

Os dois aproveitaram mais o tempo sozinho, decidiram voltar para a mansão antes que Xubair voltasse.

LINK

Xubair ainda está transformado em fera.

Ele correu por toda Lucknow.

Assustando cidadãos.

E ao voltar para casa no final da noite.

Ele não esperava assustar Daliya, achava que ela já dormia em seu quarto. Aquela foi a primeira lua cheia dos dois juntos e ele se sentiu culpado por assustá-la.

Próximo do amanhecer, Xerxes encontrou o seu irmão na cozinha, babando e devorando uma refeição.

"É melhorar parar de babar ou vai assustar ainda mais a cunhada."

Daliya era o ponto fraco do nawab e isso o deixou irritado.

"Ei! Não fale da minha mulher! Eu achei que ela já estava dormindo, como eu podia imaginar que ela estaria acordada de madrugada?"

"Não brigue comigo, irmão. Mas pense que como uma mulher casada ela gostaria de esperar o marido chegar em casa para irem dormir juntos, não concorda?"

Xubair odiava que seu irmão tivesse razão e o mandou embora da cozinha, ficando sozinho com seus pensamentos e culpa.

Alguns dias após o episódio da lua cheia, Daliya conversou com o médico da família, Don, sobre a fera que assustava Lucknow e ela não sabia que essa criatura aparecia uma vez por mês para assustar a cidade.

"É que nem o cadeirudo das novelas." comentou ela.

"Quem é cadeirudo?"

"Ninguém, pensei alto."

Daliya infelizmente precisou usar óculos, devido a constantes dores de cabeça.

"Se precisar de alguma coisa, mandem me chamar." o médico pediu.

Naquela tarde, Xubair estava de folga e foi até o quarto.

"Se arrume, vamos sair para almoçar."

Ele desejava fazer um agrado a sua esposa, que sempre reclamava de ficar presa dentro de casa. Ainda sentia culpa por tê-la assustado naquela noite e foi muita sorte ela não ter tido outro desmaio.

"Não vai fugir no meio da refeição como da última vez?" ela perguntou.

"Não, estou te devendo mil desculpas, eu quero me redimir com você."

Daliya sentiu seu coração pulsar com força, há alguns dias ela não vinha tendo boas interações com o nawab.

Pediram salmosas para o almoço, Xubair se serviu de vinho e Kavita preferiu beber leite.

Ela não era acostumada a pimenta! Tinha se esquecido que as comidas da terra de sua mãe eram apimentadas, mas como morava apenas com o pai em Corppedalle, quase nunca comiam comida apimentada.

Em alguns momentos Xubair rosnou, ela perguntou se ele estava bem e ele respondeu que sim.

"Será que ele tem raiva? Oh meu Deus! Eu o mordi aquela vez! Será que vou pegar raiva? Não, eu não sinto nada, talvez seja outra coisa." pensou consigo mesma.

"Aprovou a refeição de hoje, minha querida?"

Ele perguntou.

"Sim! Sim! Você compensou pelos últimos dias."

Daliya estava realmente muito feliz de sua relação com Xubair ter voltado a ser boa.

Assim que chegaram em casa, se despiram.

"Daliya." Xubair murmurou "Eu gosto tanto de você, vamos ter um filho, eu quero muito um filho."

Ao acordar no meio da madrugada, Daliya recebeu uma mensagem de Xerxes deixada em cima da sua cabeceira, ele pedia para se encontrarem naquela noite.

Daliya observou o marido, tinham feito amor intenso naquela noite. Ele se esforçou para alegrá-la naquela tarde, mesmo que tenha adquirido queimaduras de sol por tanto tempo ao ar livre.

"Pele de rico né... tão sensível!"

Capítulo 6 __//__ Capítulo 1 __//__ Capítulo 4

[max1461]

I knew that all senses of the English word check originate from its use in chess, and of course it's derived from the Persian shah. But it didn't occur to me that this is also the first element in Xerxes (Old Persian Xšayāršā). Let me just xerk that out for you. Xerk that off my list.

[tyrannoninja]

This is my artistic depiction of the biblical David, a Hebrew king of ancient Israel who is famous for slaying the Philistine warrior Goliath with a sling-thrown stone. I based his pose here on the famous sculpture by Michelangelo, but his tunic is inspired by those worn by Palestinian immigrants illustrated on the wall of an ancient Egyptian tomb at the site of Beni Hasan. The garment he’s wearing on his head is a keffiyeh like those worn by modern Palestinian people.

This is my take on the biblical character of Esther (or Hadassah), the namesake protagonist of the Old Testament’s Book of Esther. A woman of Hebrew heritage living in Achaeamenid Persia during the fifth century BC, she married the Persian Shah Ahasuerus (possibly Xerxes I) and then revealed to him his viceroy Haman’s plot to have Persia’s Hebrew population wiped out after her guardian Mordecai refused to bow before him (earlier, she also notified the Shah of a separate plot to assassinate him). Her story forms the basis of the Jewish holiday of Purim.

I will admit that my take on Esther looks almost African here, but given that the Hebrew homeland is situated right next door to Africa, a significant degree of northeastern African genetic and cultural influence would make sense for her.

[aboutanancientenquiry]

Herodotus on Xerxes: the point of view of an Iranian scholar on royal hybris in the Greek and Iranian traditions

“Whipping the Sea and the Earth: Xerxes at the Hellespont and Yima at the Vara 

Touraj Daryaee University of California, Irvine 

Often myth and history are indistinguishable in ancient Iranian history. To this end, a long time ago R.N. Frye commented that in Iranian history patterns repeat themselves, or that the reporter of events seizes upon past accepted patterns to tell us of an event (Frye 1974: 66). I very much agree with his view, in that to understand the deep patterns in Iranian history, one must have studied the religious, epic and mythic traditions of the ancient Iranians. It is in this way that one can understand the recurrent patterns and motifs in the history of that particular civilization. For this purpose I have come to see the primordial Iranian king, Yima (Persian Jamšīd), as the model for describing the rise and fall and the glory and majesty of kings and rulers in the Iranian world. I would like to boldly propose that one may be able to see what may be called a “Yima paradigm,” from the early Achaemenid, through to the Pahlavi period in describing several historical instances. I would like to propose that the Yima paradigm unveils itself in such episodes as the Xerxes whipping of the Hellespont; Darius’s (OP) *Paradaida- activity; and Khosrow Anūšīrwān’s defensive walls around Ērānšahr, to keep it as a paradise. I also believe that the Yima paradigm appears in the same way in the Sasanian times in calling Persepolis the Throne of Yima, i.e., Takht-e Jamšīd, and again in the eleventh century, in the Shi’ite well of Jamkarān (Jam-made), where for both in Medieval Zoroastrian and Shi’ite theology, the savior is to appear. Lastly, one is able to even see the Yima paradigm in the life of the last Pahlavi monarch, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, whose taking of the title Khodāyegān (MP xwadāygān), and sense of hubris, brought him down, as it happened to Yima, when they both neglected the principals of Iranian kingship.

 In this short essay I would like to propose an example from the Avestan tradition of Yima which can explain an episode in Herodotus about the motives and actions of the Achaemenid king of kings, Xerxes (486-465 BCE). Herodotus discusses Xerxes’ invasion of Greece and his dealings with the land and the sea after the storm which upset his plans in the following manner. The passage in question appears in Herodotus Book 7.35: 

ὡς δ᾽ ἐπύθετο Ξέρξης, δεινὰ ποιεύμενος τὸν Ἑλλήσποντον ἐκέλευσε τριηκοσίας ἐπικέσθαι μάστιγι πληγὰς καὶ κατεῖναι ἐς τὸ πέλαγος πεδέων ζεῦγος. ἤδη δὲ ἤκουσα ὡς καὶ στιγέας ἅμα τούτοισι ἀπέπεμψε στίξοντας τὸν Ἑλλήσποντον. [2] ἐνετέλλετο δὲ ὦν ῥαπίζοντας λέγειν βάρβαρά τε καὶ ἀτάσθαλα: ‘ὦ πικρὸν ὕδωρ, δεσπότης τοι δίκην ἐπιτιθεῖ τήνδε, ὅτι μιν ἠδίκησας οὐδὲν πρὸς ἐκείνου ἄδικον παθόν. καὶ βασιλεὺς μὲν Ξέρξης διαβήσεταί σε, ἤν τε σύ γε βούλῃ ἤν τε μή: σοὶ δὲ κατὰ δίκην ἄρα οὐδεὶς ἀνθρώπων θύει ὡς ἐόντι καὶ θολερῷ καὶ ἁλμυρῷ ποταμῷ.’ [3] τήν τε δὴ θάλασσαν ἐνετέλλετο τούτοισι ζημιοῦν καὶ τῶν ἐπεστεώτων τῇ ζεύξι τοῦ Ἑλλησπόντου ἀποταμεῖν τὰς κεφαλάς 

“When Xerxes heard of this, he was very angry and commanded that the Hellespont be whipped with three hundred lashes, and a pair of fetters be thrown into the sea. I have even heard that he sent branders with them to brand the Hellespont. [2] He commanded them while they whipped to utter words outlandish and presumptuous, “Bitter water, our master thus punishes you, because you did him wrong though he had done you none. Xerxes the king will pass over you, whether you want it or not; in accordance with justice no one offers you sacrifice, for you are a turbid and briny river.” [3] He commanded that the sea receive these punishments and that the overseers of the bridge over the Hellespont be beheaded.”1 [ Note 1 :For Herodotus’ text see: www.perseus.tufts.edu; For Herodotus’ translation see: ww.perseus.tufts.edu ]

Reading Herodotus may give us a notion that Xerxes exhibits irrational behavior, and plays in the mold of Oriental despotism which was often associated with the Persian king of kings and the East (Briant 2002: 517). To use a whip (μάστιξ) by Xerxes to punish the sea, as Herodotus mentions is indeed curious, but to subdue the sea and land is not without the realm of possibility and precedence. 

Before the battle of Salamis, Herodotus discusses Xerxes’ hubris (Rollinger 2003; Briant 2002: 517), where the king dreams that his crown is a wreath with an olive bow, where the shoot covers the entire world. The Magi are only too happy to interpret that this is a sign of world domination and mastery over the earth.2 [ Note 2: Herodotus 7.19.1. 6 ]. Not heeding the advice of his father’s brother, Artabanus, he takes on the campaign and sides with the hawkish advisor, Mardonias. The notion of Xerxes’ hubris is further developed in Aeschylus’ Persians, where various reasons are provided from the Greek perspective. Here Darius is invoked in the Greek play to tell his son, Xerxes, that he has committed hubris, by yoking the sea, but also plundering the sacred places (Aeschylus II. 828-29) (Bouchard 1989: 28).3  [Note 3: - Darius states: “Zeus, in truth, is a chastiser of overweening pride and corrects with heavy hand.” For Aeschylus’ Persians see: www.perseus.tufts.edu. ]. More importantly his greed toward world domination is seen as one of the main reasons for his fall, which is identified as the underlying cause of his hubris (Papadimitropoulos 2008: 457). 

On the other hand, among the older Iranian material we can point to the Avesta, namely the Wīdēwdād II which is about the story of Yima, the ruler of the paradise which was created and lost to the ancient Iranians (Kellens 2012: 12-13). In the Iranian tradition Yima acts as the ultimate king and ruler of a world and its creatures. The world of Yima, of which he is the overseer, is filled with humans and animals to the brink of explosion. However, he is able to to do the following three times (the number is significant) as a preventive method (WD. 10): 

āat yimō frašūsat raočā a upa/ rapiϑwam hū paiti aδwanəm hō imam zam/ aiwišuuat suwrya zaranēniia auui/ dim sifat aštraiia uitiiaojanō/ friϑa spənta ārmaite frača šuua uuīča 

"Then Yima went towards the daylight at midday/ along the sun’s path. He drove this earth with a trumpet adorned with/ gold, he passed (lashed) over this earth with his whip saying/: Beloved holy Ārmaiti, move forth and asunder,/ bearer of small cattle, large cattle and men" 

Yima is in fact the first and the archetype of an Iranian ruler, who in the Zoroastrian tradition took on a more subdued position, namely because of Zoroaster’s reforms (Lincoln 1981: 233). What is important for us is the mode in which Yima enforces his will on the sacred earth, namely a whip. By whipping it, he is able to control the earth and save the world from complete overpopulation. Andrea Piras has already figured this out in another and more detailed manner, where he gives a complete discussion of the way to control the sea and the land. For the control of the land (Av. zam-), he discusses the very same passage (Piras 2011: 124-126),4 [Note 4:  Piras’s discussion is much more complex and complete in terms of waters, alluding to the Tištar Yašt ] taking into consideration Kellens’ important contribution to the study of Yima as a magician who intercedes between the gods and men (Kellens 1984: 267-218). 

If we take this passage of the Wīdēwdād into perspective, one can better understand the motives of Xerxes in whipping the land/sea to do what he desired to do, as Yima had done. Xerxes was only performing a cultural trick which his religious tradition had taught him. Yima was the primordial ruler who subdued the earth, and now Xerxes was attempting to do the same at an important juncture in history. Thus, the use of Av. aštraiia / MP. aštar “whip” in the ancient Iranian world-view can better explain Herodotus’ report on Xerxes on the Hellespont. 

We should also note the proximity of the date of the composition of Herodotus’ Histories and that of the Wīdēwdād. While Herodotus of Halicarnassus’s life is clearly dated to the fifth century BCE, the dating of the Wīdēwdād presents to be challenging. However, I believe A. Hintze’s assessment to be more appropriate in that she believes that the time of composition cannot be so very far from that of the Achaemenid period. The notion that linguistically there are close associations between this Avestan text and that of the Achaemenid inscriptions, as well as the content, Hintze rightly points to in terms of the description of the Persian religion as described by Herodotus (Book I 140) and the Wīdēwdād, she believes, makes them close in time (Hintze 2009: 45). 

If this is the case, then Xerxes’ whipping the sea comes close to date with that of the Wīdēwdād’s story of Yima whipping the earth. In this way one may state that we are witnessing in Herodotus a “Yima Reflex,” playing out in the history of the Achaemenid Empire in the fifth century BCE. No doubt, Xerxes, a Mazda-worshipper and one whose devoutness is clearly exhibited by his Daiva inscription, would have been attune to the story of the all-important Yima, whose rule over the Vara- would be emulated.

 In the end, a more interesting parallel is presented in both narratives and that is the downfall of Xerxes due to his hubris at the battle of Salamis. Yima as well lost his Glory (similar story is presented for Xerxes in Herodotus), because of a false speech (Av. draogəm vacim, Yašt XIX.33) (Humbach & Ichaporia 1998: 37). This false speech in the Šāhnāme of Ferdowsī, is given more elaboration, in that Jamšīd/Yima in fact does not see anyone beside himself, and became ungrateful of God (Khaleghi-Motlagh 2008: Vol. 1, 44-45). Jamšīd’s hubris subsequently causes him to loose his glory (farr) and falls from power (Levy & Banani 1985: 11). The moral of the story is that even the greatest of the kings can lose power if they go against the nature of kingship as established by the deity. 

Thus, one can see Yima’s reflection as portrayed in the Avesta in Xerxes’ life career in Herodotus and Aeschylus. We now can understand Xerxes’ motivation for whipping the sea, looking through the prism of Iranian world-view. But what about the loss of Glory and hubris, how can one explain the correspondence there? Herodotus of Halicarnassus was a Persian subject and he traveled throughout the western half, and he must have picked up the stories about Xerxes from the Persians themselves, who had already reformulated the tales of Xerxes through already existing literary motifs (Briant 2002: 525-526).

Bibliography 

Bouchard, Larry D. 1989. Tragic method and tragic theology: evil in contemporary drama and religious thought. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press. 

Briant, Pierre. 2002. From Cyrus to Alexander: A History of the Persian Empire. Winona Lake; Ind: Eisenbrauns.

 Frye, Richard N. 1974. Methodology in Iranian History. In Richard N. Frye (ed.), Neue Methodologie in der Iranistik, 57–69. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag. 

Hintze, Almut. 2009. Avestan Literature. In Ronald Eric Emmerick & Maria Macuch (eds.), The Literature of pre-Islamic Iran, vol. XVII, 1–71. (A History of Persian Literature Companion Volume I). London: I.B. Tauris. 

Humbach, Helmut & Pallan R. Ichaporia. 1998. Zamyād Yasht: Yasht 19 of the Younger Avesta. Text, Translation, Commentary. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. 

Kellens, Jean. 1984. Yima, Magicien entre les dieux et les hommes. Orientalia J. Duchesne-Guillemin Emerito Oblata, 267–281. (Acta Iranica 23). Leiden: Brill. 

Kellens, Jean. 2012. Introduction. In Samra Azarnouche & Céline Redard (eds.), Yama/Yima : variations indo-iraniennes sur la geste mythique = Variations on the Indo-Iranian myth of Yama/Yima, 11–15. (Publications de l’Institut de Civilisation Indienne 81). Paris: Collège de France. 

Khaleghi-Motlagh, Djalal (ed.). 2008. Shāhnāmah (The Book of Kings). . 8 vols. (Bibliotheca Persica. Persian Text Series, New Series (PTSNS) 1-8). New York: Persian Heritage Foundation. 

Levy, Reuben & Amin Banani (eds.). 1985. The Epic of the kings: Shah-Nama , the national epic of Persia. (Persian Heritage Series 2). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. 

Lincoln, Bruce. 1981. The Lord of the Dead. History of Religions 20(3). 224–241. 

Papadimitropoulos, Loukas. 2008. Xerxes’ hubris and Darius in Aeschylus’ Persae. Mnemosyne 61(3). 451–458. 

Piras, Andrea. 2011. Serse e la flagellazione dell’Ellesponto. Ideologia avestica e conquista territoriale achemenide. In Antonio Panaino & Andrea Piras (eds.), Studi iranici ravennati I, 109–136. (1). Milano: Mimesis. 

Rollinger, Robert. 2003. Herodotus. vii. Xerxes according to Herodotus. In Ehsan Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopædia Iranica, vol. XII, Fasc. 3, 270–276. New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul

Online Sources 

Aeschylus, Persians, Herbert Weir Smyth, Perseus Project: www.perseus.tufts.edu 

Herodotus, The Histories. 1920. Godley, A. D. (trans.). Cambridge: Harvard University Press. www.perseus. tufts.edu”

Source: https://cpb-us-e2.wpmucdn.com/sites.uci.edu/dist/4/2521/files/2016/08/2-Touraj-Daryaee.pdf

Touraj Daryaee (Persian: تورج دریایی; born 1967) is an Iranian Iranologist and historian. He currently works as the Maseeh Chair in Persian Studies and Culture and the director of the Dr. Samuel M. Jordan Center for Persian Studies at the University of California, Irvine

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touraj_Daryaee

Very interesting text, which shows that, despite cultural differences, the ancient Greek and the ancient Iranian civilizations shared a notion of hubris as a possible deviation when human beings concentrate too much power in their hands. 

My only objection is that Herodotus was not a “Persian subject” when he collected his material and wrote his work, as Halicarnassus had been liberated from the tyrants established there by the Persians, a change of situation in which (according to ancient sources) Herodotus played an important role. For me this made Herodotus’ position face to the Persian authorities rather delicate.

[brainyrainy]

Lessons from the 'Last Will of Darius the Great'

History is relevant because great wisdom lies in civilisational knowledge.

Wisdom is timeless and transcends geographical boundaries. 

Enveloping all domains of expertise, wisdom born in one field can be applicable in other fields because the fundamental truth remains the same.

Irrespective of whether they are monarchies, democracies, or just another organisation, the last will of the Persian Shahan-Shah (Emperor) Darius the Great, will remain a relevant guide for leaders in perpetuity

Learn how to acquire and retain power, to be effective and achieve success.

#Darius #empire #Iran #Persia #pluralism #secularism #Shahan_Shah #Xerxes #Yazdan

[classicmarblesblog]

CMC & IIID Host Event to Commemorate the Journey of Architectural Maestro – Noshir Talati

The event also showcased Ar. Noshir Talati’s iconic projects and highlighted the profound impact of TPA’s brand ethos. A captivating exchange between Xerxes Talati, Owner of TPA and Amit Shah, MD of CMC unveiled some of the lesser-known facets of the architect’s life, enriching the audiences’ understanding of his creative journey. CMC’s Directors K.M. Swamy and Ramakrishna Swamy were also present at the occasion.

[concupiscience]

The “Persian Princess Mummy”, a Pakistani archaeological hoax and possible murder victim.

The mummy was found on October 19, 2000. During a murder investigation, Pakistani authorities were alerted to a videotape recorded by Ali Aqbar, in which he claimed to have a mummy for sale. When questioned by the police, Aqbar told them where the mummy was located; at the house of tribal leader Wali Mohammed Reeki in Kharan, Baluchistan near the border of Afghanistan. Reeki claimed he had received the mummy from an Iranian named Sharif Shah Bakhi, who had said that he had found it after an earthquake near Quetta. The mummy had been put up for sale in the black antiquities market for 600 million rupees, the equivalent of $11 million. 

News of the Persian Princess prompted American archaeologist Oscar White Muscarella to describe an incident the previous March when he was shown photographs of a similar mummy. Amanollah Riggi, a middleman working on behalf of an unidentified antiquities dealer in Pakistan, had approached him, claiming its owners were a Zoroastrian family who had brought it to the country. The seller had claimed that it was a daughter of Xerxes, based on a translation of the cuneiform of the breastplate.

The cuneiform text on the breastplate contained a passage from the Behistun inscription in western Iran. The Behistun inscription was carved during the reign of Darius, the father of Xerxes. When the dealer's representative had sent a piece of a coffin to be carbon dated, analysis had shown that the coffin was only around 250 years old. Muscarella had suspected a forgery and severed contact. He had informed Interpol through the FBI.

When Asma Ibrahim, the curator of the National Museum of Pakistan, studied the item in police custody, she realised that the corpse was not as old as the coffin. The body had shown signs of decomposition fungus on the face, a sign of a recently deceased body, and the mat below the body was about five years old.

Ibrahim published her report on April 17, 2001. In it, she stated that the "Persian princess" was in fact a woman about 21–25 years of age, who had died around 1996, possibly killed with a blunt instrument to the lower back/pelvic region (e.g., hit by vehicle from behind). A subsequent accelerator mass spectrometry dating also confirmed the mummy's status as a modern fake. Her teeth had been removed after death, and her hip joint, pelvis and backbone damaged, before the body had been filled with powder. Police began to investigate a possible murder and arrested a number of suspects in Baluchistan.

The Edhi Foundation took custody of the body, and on August 5, 2005, announced that it was to be interred with proper burial rites. However, police and other government officials never responded to numerous requests, and it was not until 2008 that the foundation finally carried out the burial.

The Persian Princess is the name of an exhibition presented in August 2016 in Jerusalem, by artist Hili Greenfeld. The exhibition functions as a tribute to the anonymous woman who, in an instant, went from the status of a Princess in a gold-plated coffin displayed in a national museum, to the victim of a vicious murder in whom everyone quickly lost interest. The extreme transformation of the perception of the archeological object – from an honored Princess to a woman who was murdered – is what interested Greenfeld.

[cowboyponobay]

XERXES

In lieu of recent revisionist historical fabrications with an overt xenophobic slant, here are 7 things you probably didn’t know about Xerxes, fourth Shah of the Achaemenid Persian Dynasty.

Xerxes and Ancient Persians were in fact not the uncivilized evil monsters they are portrayed to be.  You see, with a little bit of homework, you can uncover truths and facts that are conveniently left out.   As George Orwell appropriately put it, “He who controls the present, controls the past.”

https://arsiarozegar.wordpress.com/2014/03/05/7-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-xerxes/

[literaturebse]

PERSIAN LITERATURE and its LITERARY WORKS

Hell and Heaven

which the souls of the dead must cross. Traditionally, if a soul’s good deeds outweigh the bad it is met by a beautiful woman (actually an embodiment of the deceased's life on earth), the bridge is broad and it can easily cross on its way to paradise; if not, the bridge becomes narrow, the soul encounters an ugly hag and falls into hell.

The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

Understanding how death and life interact allows the speaker to feel joy as well as regret and sadness. The speaker of Quatrain 99 believes he and his beloved might rebuild the universe to suit their wants. However, in Quatrain 100, his beloved is alone in the garden. The speaker asks Saki, the wine pourer, to "turn down an empty glass" on his grave in Quatrain 101. This final request signifies acceptance of the life-and-death cycle.

The Shah Namah

It's a religious, historical, and cultural tapestry that weaves together many strata of ancient and medieval Iranian civilization. The Shahname is a book that everyone should read, and those who can read it in the original Classical Persian are fortunate.

The Beautiful Queen of Persia

The book claims to explain how the Jewish holiday of Purim began to be observed. Esther, the Persian king Ahasuerus's (Xerxes I) attractive Jewish bride, and her cousin Mordecai persuade the king to reverse an order for the elimination of Jews throughout the empire.

The Prince of Persia

The fundamental teachings of "Prince of Persia" are true: love triumphs over evil; selfish ambition can ruin us all; and trust and mercy are essential for relationships and national security.

ARABIAN LITERATURE and its LITERARY WORKS

Arabian Nights (The Lady and her Five Suitors and Aladdin and the Magic Lamp)

In general, what makes these ladies admirable is their ability to be aggressive when they are upset. Assertiveness entails studying a variety of approaches to dealing with each scenario so that a person can select the approach that appears most appropriate for them on any given occasion. The women in the story then had to make decisions about how to deal with the problem. Both women are encouraged to notice and accept their feelings, which requires emotional intelligence.

The Food of Paradise Lebanese Literature

The conclusion of the fable Food of Paradise is that faith in God's name is insufficient. It is necessary to have trust in everything God has given us and will continue to provide us. Mullah Ibrahim, the primary character, was a devout Muslim who taught kids about Islam

LEBANESE LITERATURE and its LITERARY WORKS

The Sayings of the Brook

Simon who was called Peter

Peter's conversion following Christ's resurrection, on the other hand, is one of the most dramatic and profound. Peter delivered a stirring and uplifting discourse on the Day of Pentecost. The church increased rapidly day by day, thanks to the efforts of the other Apostles and disciples of Christ. Now that we've learned a little about Peter's life, let's go on to the next step. It's time to learn about the several important lessons he's learned during his life.

[chronicsheepdrawing]

Family fun time brought to you in part by:

@egg-on-a-legg, @bloodmothsart, and @michaelsjunkyard

[simscatarina]

Cuidados

Xubair deitou-se ao lado da esposa, esperando que ela icasse boa logo.

"Bom dia, querida." Xubair chamou pela esposa que dormiu durante todo o dia anterior. "Você se sente melhor?"

Daliya acordou meio desorientada.

"O que aconteceu?" ela perguntou.

"Você desmaiou e dormiu o dia inteiro, o médico virá falar com você, mas eu tenho que ir trabalhar, Xerxes tomará conta da casa, chame-o se preciso."

Daliya segurou na mão do marido, não querendo que ele fosse embora enquanto estava tão fragilizada.

"Queria poder ficar, mas preciso ir trabalhar." disse ele "Tudo bem, eu vou descansar."

Daliya ficou sozinha no quarto tentando por a cabeça em ordem. Lembrou-se da noite em que Xubair brigou com ela, de como ela se sentiu tonta e com dor de cabeça até tudo se apagar.

"Será que eu tenho a mesma doença da minha mãe?" se questionou ao relembrar a morte prematura de sua mãe dos tempos modernos.

Daliya se levantou da cama, não queria passar o dia deitada enquanto tinha uma missão a cumprir, mas sua cabeça ainda doía.

"Cunhada?" Xerxes bate na porta. "Pode entrar."

Xerxes se sentiu envergonhado de encontrar sua cunhada ainda na cama e sem véu, ele se mantém olhando apenas para as costas dela.

"Cunhada está se sentindo mal? Quer que eu chame o médico?"

"Não precisa, eu estou bem."

Xerxes ousa se aproximar um pouco mais dela, hipnotizado por sua beleza.

"Meu irmão mandou eu tomar conta de você, se não estiver bem, preciso saber."

"Você é muito gentil, Xerxes." ela virou-se para ele, o que fez o coração do homem quase parar, pois ele a achava muito linda.

Kavita se lembrou da briga que teve com o marido e ter uma voz doce e gentil se preocupando com ela, a acalmava.

"Estou só fazendo o meu trabalho de cunhado." disse ele, com o coração a mil. "Você parece tão triste."

"Não é nada, é só que seu irmão brigou comigo antes de isso tudo acontecer."

"Não fique brava com o meu irmão, ele sempre teve um temperamento difícil, mas tudo o que ele faz é para nos proteger, ele não deseja seu mal." Xerxes pulou para o outro lado da cama, se aproximando de Daliya "Ele gosta de você, cunhada, apenas seja mais paciente."

Daliya prometeu que não iria mais pensar na briga.

Kavita admirou a lealdade de Xerxes com seu irmão. Ele sabia falar tão bem, que sentia que ele podia convencê-la a fazer qualquer coisa, inclusive perdoar Xubair.

O médico veio ver Daliya. Ele contou a ela sua doença do coração. Kavita ainda tinha dúvidas se era realmente uma doença do coração ou ela teria a mesma doença de sua mãe, já que a medicina daqueles tempos não eram avançadas.

"O que preciso fazer para evitar novos desmaios?" ela perguntou.

"Mantenha a calma, não se estresse com o seu marido, peça para os empregados tomarem conta da maioria das atividades domésticas, procure fazer atividades que não exijam esforço como bordados."

Kavita pôs a mão sobre as têmporas só se imaginando como uma mulher do lar de 1890, não era isso que ela planejava, como iria escapar escondida de casa para coletar metais e cristais se ela corria risco de desmaiar novamente?

"Senhora Ali Shah? Está sentindo alguma coisa?" o médico perguntou.

"Estou pensando que será difícil não me estressar com o meu marido como o senhor disse." Daliya riu, fingindo que era isso mesmo sobre o que pensava.

O médico acreditou em suas palavras e também riu. Desejou melhoras e a deixou sozinha no quarto para descansar.

Xubair decidiu preparar um jantar para Daliya após ela melhorar, ele contratou um chef para fazer seus pratos favoritos, porém, o nawab pediu para se retirar antes mesmo do jantar começar, ele pediu desculpas a esposa e disse que iria compensar no futuro.

Daliya foi desabafar com sua mãe, como Xerxes brigou com ela, depois saiu no meio do jantar que ele mesmo preparou. Ela pediu que não se preocupasse, pois homens sempre estavam ocupados ou preocupados com alguma coisa, mas logo ele voltaria para ela.

As duas aproveitaram um momento mãe e filha.

Sem a presença do marido na mansão, Daliya aproveitou para escapulir e buscar seus cristais e metais, ela achou uma rocha, mas infelizmente encontrou apenas uma garrafa velha. Nenhuma sorte.

Por outro lado, Xubair correu do jantar com a esposa, porque ele não conseguia mais se conter. Ele correu para longe e se jogou no chão após sentir uma dor latente.

"Isso de novo não!" resmungou consigo mesmo.

Ele passou o resto da tarde até o anoitecer sentindo uma dor monstruosa até que não conseguiu mais se controlar e se transformou em uma fera amaldiçoada.

Daliya odiava fazer as atividades domésticas. De tanto lavar roupas a henna em seus braços desbotaram.

Vendo-a tão chateada Xerxes a convidou para um passeio.

"Ainda está chateada com meu irmão?" perguntou ele.

"Claro! Depois da briga ele tentou compensar o comportamento com um jantar, mas ele desapareceu!"

"Isso é típico dele." Xerxes riu "Seja mais paciente com ele, ele deve ter esquecido que é lua cheia."

"Ele não pode jantar na lua cheia?" Daliya também riu "Qual o problema dele?"

"Digamos que você não é a única com problemas de saúde, toda lua cheia ele precisa se ausentar porque, digamos que ele fica doente."

"Isso é sério?"

"Vamos nos sentar para conversarmos melhor."

"Quando pequeno nossos pais notaram algo estranho com ele, uma espécie de problema de raiva por conta da lua. Então toda lua cheia ele fica sozinho para se controlar."

Daliya imaginou que talvez ele tivesse um problema para controlar a raiva e naquela época eles associavam tal comportamento a lua.

"Poxa, eu o julguei tanto... achei que ele fosse só um isensível controlador."

"Não fique triste, ele queria estar com você, tenho certeza disso, só deve ter esquecido que é lua cheia."

"E não se preocupe." Xerxes se aproximou mais dela "Eu posso lhe fazer companhia nas lua cheias, é a minha função, cuidar da minha cunhada."

Daliya não sabia dizer o que aconteceu. Talvez o cheiro do perfume das flores, a luz da lua brilhando sobre eles ou a aproximação de Xerxes, lhe deixaram louca o suficiente para que roubasse um beijo.

Os irmãos eram tão diferentes. Xerxes era tão fácil de conversar, amigável e gentil, como resistir?

O rapaz se afastou com o rosto corado, Daliya riu.

"Nós não deviamos ter feito isso." disse ele "Meu irmão vai me matar."

"Tem medo do seu irmão? Porque eu não tenho."

Capítulo 5 __//__ Capítulo 1 __//__ Capítulo 3

[amuseoffyre]

Some random historical facts for y’all:

Romans had ice cream, made using ice and snow and a technique much like gelato making now.

Henry VIII pitched an absolute bitch-fit when his sister asked for his royal assent to get a divorce from her cheating scumbag of a husband, decrying at a damnable sin and writing an Angry Letter at the Pope when the Pope gave her permission. Ah, how times change.

Ulugh Beg, one of the rulers of the Timurid dynasty, was an enthusiastic supporter of education, creating schools across his empire that taught everything from maths and religion to poetry and astronomy. These schools were often funded by taxation, which meant children got a free education instead of having to pay for the privilege.

Bonnie Prince Charlie was ship-wrecked at least twice during his escape to Skye, including one point when he ended up stranded on an island with his one companion. His companion kept him warm, fed and sheltered and Charlie... did not much apart from sit and cry.

When forks were first introduced to Western Europe from China via Venice (the primary western European connection point to the Silk Road), a Bishop threw a tantrum over the “devil’s instrument” and declared that “God gave you fingers!”

Thais, one of the women travelling with Alexander the Great’s army is frequently given blame/credit for the burning of Persepolis, allegedly spurring the drunk Greeks to burn it down as Xerxes has burned Athens.

In the 1600s, a woman called Mary Erskine set up a private bank in Scotland since banking institutions didn’t exist yet. She used it especially to support widows and sponsored the foundation of a girls school in the 1690s. It still exists today.

Several of the wives and mothers of Turkish Sultans kept up regular correspondence with Royal women around the world, including the wives of the Shah of Persia, the Queen of Poland and Elizabeth I.

This is your random history for the day :)

[vangoghs-other-ear]

Iran inspired vocab list

L’Iran (f)- Iran

La Perse- Persia 

Le persan/farsi- farsi

La mer caspienne- Caspian sea

Le Zoroastrisme- Zoroastrianism

L'Empire achéménide-  Achaemenid Empire

Le chah/shah- shah

La r��volution iranienne- the Iranian revolution

Le guide suprême- supreme leader

Un ayatollah-  ayatollah (Shi’ite clergy member)

Un Imam- imam

la Charia- Sharia (meaning ‘the way of respecting god’ in Arabic)

La loi islamique- Islamic law

le Norouz- Nowruz (Iranian new years/beginning of Spring) 

personnes remarquables - notable people

Cyrus le Grand- Cyrus the Great (Achaemenid king)

Xerxès- Xerxes  (Achaemenid king)

Avicenne-  Avicenna/Ibn Sina (father of modern medicine)

Rûmî- Rumi (poet)

Al-Khwârizmî-  al-Khwarizmi (father of Algebra) Pictured below

grand villes - major cites

Téhéran- Tehran (capital) Pictured below

Suse- Susa

Bagdad- Baghdad

Persépolis- Persepolis (capital of the Achaemenid empire, now ruins) 

Mechhed- Mashad

[cincinnatusvirtue]

Alexander III “The Great”, King of Macedon (356-323BC) Part 1: The lay of the land...

His name conjures up all kinds of images and associations and the details of his life which spanned just shy of 33 years are far too expansive to be condensed into one post, so we’ll divide it into a few parts with a summary focus on what brought him to historical attention, his military conquests and some of his lasting impacts on culture and history.  First a bit of personal and geopolitical background are necessary.

Alexander was born in July of 356 BC in what is the city of Pella in the ancient Kingdom of Macedon in modern northern Greece.  His father was the then reigning King of Macedon, Philip II and his mother was one of Philip’s wives Olympias, a princess from another Greek kingdom, Epirus.  Ancient Greece was divided into city-states or polis or various small petty kingdoms without a unified rule in the 4th Century BC.  In centuries prior, Greece was dominated by two cities with two different systems of government and two different military traditions.  One was Athens, a direct democracy with an advanced and powerful navy and the other was the largely land based diarchy (two co-ruling kings) of Sparta, which was famed for its infantry and harsh military indoctrination with a reputation as an almost unbeatable force in the Classical Greek world.  Both played an important role in establishing Greek culture, philosophy, art, religion, military and government, all of which would contribute to modern Western Civilization.

Athens and Sparta were at times friendly but often rivals and most especially in the 5th Century BC with the invasion of Greece by the great superpower of the day in Eurasia, the Achaemenid Empire, better known as the Persian Empire from Iran.  The Persian Empire spanned from the Indus River valley in modern Pakistan and India across Central and Western Asia, the Middle East, Northern Africa and Southern Europe, it was multiethnic, multilingual, multireligious, cosmopolitan and very influential on governance.  It was centered in Iran, by the Persians, an Iranian people of the diverse Indo-Iranian ethnolinguistic group that overtook many others and expanded to become the predominant power of its age, probably in the entire world.  The Greek or Hellenic world was on Persia’s western fringe, it was a tributary portion, subject to the Persians but with a modicum of independence.  Persia’s provinces were divided into satrapies, ruled by royal governors called satraps.  Persia invaded Greece under Xerxes I, its Shah or King of Kings in 480 BC.  This united Greece and was famed for the stand of the Greek force, namely the 300 Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae, which though a Persian victory was costly in lives and time, delaying the Persians.  Eventually the Persians retreated due to rebellion back east and the force that remained was defeated by the Greeks, giving the Greeks breathing space to maintain their independence.  In the wake of this victory though Athens and Sparta and their various other Greek allies turned on each other forming rival camps in the Peloponnesian War which saw Sparta defeat Athens and become the most powerful faction in Greece.

Meanwhile to the north in the highlands, Macedon was remote and rustic for a Greek kingdom, it was viewed as a backwater by its southern neighbors and some did not consider it Greek at all.  Though they are believed to have spoke their own dialect of Greek, worshipped in the same polytheistic religion as Greece and shared certain other cultural traits with the southern Greeks. Nevertheless their proximity to the barbarian tribes of the Balkans, the Thracians, Dacians and Illyrians made them some what of a halfway point between “civilized” Greece and outright barbarians.  However, the ruling dynasty into which Alexander was born, the Argead claimed descent from the legendary hero Heracles or Hercules and from there Zeus, God of Thunder and supreme on the Greek Pantheon of Olympian Gods.  They were famed for their military tradition, including cavalry and their infantry.  It was really Alexander’s father Philip who introduced the innovations to Macedon’s military that Alexander would perfect in later battles.

Their reforms were a result of technology, regimented drilling and a doctrine of combined arms, something most Greek military traditions up to that point ignored.  Typical emphasis was on one branch of the military, in Athens it was naval warfare, in Sparta, a strong infantry and Thessaly a strong cavalry.  Macedon lacked naval power at the time but it sought to emphasize both strong cavalry and infantry tactics in combined usage, one supporting the other throughout the battle.  Philip adopted tactics from his enemies, including the light infantry tactics of the Thracians, the light cavalry of the nomadic horse archer Iranian Scythians including their flying wedge tactic.  Most famously, Philip helped innovate a new technological and tactical formation, the phalanx.

The phalanx was a formation of regiments of heavy infantry using long spears called the sarissa, typically 18-20 feet long in units numbering 256 men each armed with a speared pike that was light in construction but due its length could keep the enemy at bay.  Phalanxes were both defensive and offensive in nature.  Its long spears meant it could defend itself at greater range in melee, deflecting cavalry and infantry charges head on and by going on the offensive and marching in formation, the phalanx could deploy to hold or press open the enemy line by fixing it into place in such a way that a gap could open for the Macedonian cavalry to exploit with its flying wedge formation, typifying the use of combined arms.  

Macedonian troops were drilled constantly, almost as much as Spartans but in a much looser more flexible and adaptable doctrine, making them more well rounded than their Spartan counterparts.  Philip would conquer the famed city of Thebes as well as defeat several barbarian tribes and went onto conquer much of Greece and got Athens to make peace but he never took on Sparta, nor did Alexander.  Nevertheless, with Macedon now the dominant power over Greece, Philip was named Hegemon of the Hellenic League, making him in effect the ruler of a mostly unified Greece.  His goal was to next invade the Persian Empire which was on the decline but he was assassinated by his own bodyguard.

At age 20, Alexander took the throne of Macedon, becoming the king but his rule was in jeopardy,  Alexander, however was a learned young man, thanks to his father hiring the famed Aristotle to be Alexander’s childhood tutor.  This well rounded classical education combined history, geography, mathematics, biology, philosophy and literature, all things which Alexander came to appreciate and support, but his military training was all from his father and his father’s trusted generals, many of whom Alexander now inherited himself.

Alexander would have to prove himself and his kingdom worthy of his father’s legacy while at the same time forging his own name.  He defeated both Thracian tribes to the north in modern Bulgaria and other Greek states, which like his father named him Hegemon and in 334 BC when he crossed the Hellespont from Greece into Asia Minor (modern Turkey), his forces would embark on a ten year campaign that would change the world and one from which he would never return home...

[cnbnews]

泰国的“黄金时代”大城府。（图片：pxhere）

【希望之声2020年9月8日】（编译：李雨微）从藤本植物蔓爬的丛林废墟，至消失的沙漠文明，再到阴森恐怖的幽灵城市……探索地球上被遗弃的地方是激动人心的冒险。为此旅游杂志《旅行癖》（Wanderlust）发表文章介绍了如何探索这些被世界遗忘了的角落。

1.约旦佩特拉(Petra)：地标性的沙漠城市

公元前六世纪纳巴特人（The Nabataeans）放弃了游牧生活，定居在阿拉伯沙漠的北部，他们是古代世界中最巧妙的商人，建立了一个以由砂岩峭壁雕刻而成玫瑰红色的城市为中心的庞大贸易网络。佩特拉一直繁荣昌盛，但到了公元106年被罗马人吞并。后来海上贸易路线的发展，入侵者和地震削弱了它的影响力，目前除了贝都因人（Bedouin）以其为荣，它已经被整个世界遗忘了。

佩特拉是一座充满期待的城市。入口是一条长约1.5公里的狭窄峡谷通道，名为“蛇道”（Siq），像镰刀劈开山脉露出宝藏卡兹尼神殿（Al-Khazneh），走到最后几步，眼前惊现两千多年前从悬崖上凿出的错综复杂的雕刻立面，那种景象令人刻骨铭心。

从那里开始，沿着陡峭的石阶爬上山顶的祭坛，可参观王家陵墓和门口比多数房屋都要高的巨大修道院（Ad Deir）。更有氛围的是夜游，晚上入口处点燃成百上千支蜡烛，烛光把若隐若现的幽灵投影在石面上。

2. 哥伦比亚特尤纳迷失之城（Teyuna Ciudad Perdida）：山中遗失的前哥伦比亚首都

哥伦比亚的最北端是由圣玛尔塔内华达（Sierra Nevada）沿海山脉所保护的一片神秘之地，大部只能步行到达。迷失之城是其内部极深处隐藏着的最大秘密，建于公元700年左右，曾经是横跨整个范围的泰罗纳（Tairona）帝国的中心。但是，就像大部前哥伦布时期的拉丁美洲一样，它在西班牙征服期间被废弃，直到1972年才再次出土，而后由于当地动荡不安，游客到最近才刚能到那里参观。

特尤纳感觉像是一座名副其实的迷失之城。每年大约有8,000人从圣玛尔塔（Santa Marta）到此探险，相当于马丘比丘（Machu Picchu）一天的参观人数。跟着向导步行是唯一的办法，徒步穿越44公里藤本植物覆盖的森林，经过村民戴着白色似淀粉帽子的Kogi村庄。到第三天，才会到达通往废墟的1,200个台阶的脚下，废墟包括大约200个依山而建的露台。爬上最高点的平台组，然后放眼眺望：目所能及的只是该城尚待发现的一小部分。体验被遗忘了的世界的滋味令人陶醉。

3.印度中央邦（Madhya Pradesh）曼杜 (Mandu)：北方的亨比（Hampi）

曼杜的历史可以追溯到公元六世纪，但是黄金时代始于其后800年。那时，穆斯林统治者摩腊婆（Malwa）王占领了这座城市，立其为都，展开了一场惊心动魄的权力角逐。在接下来的几十年中，它几经易手，演绎了战乱，戮君，退位和投毒，但也兴旺发达，直到1561年被莫卧儿（Mughal）帝国攻陷，使其最终衰落。

这伊斯兰“幽灵王国”的遗迹位于中央邦（Madhya Pradesh）温迪亚山脉（Vindhya）的高峰上，包括印度最大的城防之一，可与任何地方的遗迹媲美, 但在印度以外却是默默无闻。广阔的遗址上有典雅的清真寺和大门（Darwazas），还有印度摩腊婆王Hoshang Shah的陵墓，据称泰姬陵是以该墓为模板。

这座城市有许多异想天开的独到之处。例如，欣多拉·玛哈尔（Hindola Mahal）陵墓的砂岩墙设计得让人感觉房间在摇曳，而猴面包树则让人联想到另样世界。最引人注目的是石舫（Jahaz Mahal），建造得仿似漂浮在水面上的船，里面有据说可容纳15,000名妇女的两层后宫。难怪曼杜曾被当地人称为“欢乐之城”。

4.伊朗波斯波利斯(Persepolis)：焚毁的波斯奇迹

波斯波利斯的修建花费了150年的时间，但公元330年为报复薛西斯一世（King Xerxes）公元前480年对雅典的洗劫，传言酒醉的亚历山大大帝（Alexander the Great）一声令下，顷刻毁于一旦。烈火的痕迹在如今的断壁残垣上依然清晰可见。据说连亚历山大酒醒后都感到后悔，但为时已晚。

这座废墟之城在设拉子（Shiraz）东北约一小时的车程，昔日的辉煌隐约可见一斑。站在薛西斯门（Gate of Xerxes）下，畅想它鼎盛时期的气势。宫殿曾因富丽堂皇而名扬古代世界，而今宏伟的阶梯和柱廊是它的仅存见证。

坐落在古老的王家后宫中的博物馆展示了一些被修复的文物，如有翼的公牛的雕像和刻画的栩栩如生的带着羔羊美酒上供的贵族们的浮雕。这证明它不是一个奴隶打造的城市。熟练的工匠来自覆盖了当时世界40％的巨大帝国，精雕细琢了这座雄伟的城市。

5. 津巴布韦大津巴布韦（Great Zimbabwe）：被遗忘的民族摇篮

作为古老的绍纳人（Shona）津巴布韦王国的首都，大津巴布韦是范围直达中国的中世纪黄金交易帝国的中心，持续了400年。但是，没有留下任何记载它兴衰的历史，而且很长一段时间以来殖民者拒绝相信它是非洲人建造的。

从哈拉雷（Harare）驱车南驶四个小时之后，高耸的卫城（The Great Enclosure）触目可见。在绍纳语中，“津巴布韦”的意思是“石头造的大房子”，10米高圆形的不用灰泥粘结的花岗岩墙，炮塔和塔楼令人瞠目结舌。

该遗址位于一个树木繁茂的开放平原上，周围环山，里面发现了约4000个金矿。山丘建筑群（The Hill Complex）是最古老的部分，它是礼仪中心，中心的巨石是国王主持祭祀和仪式的地方。在这里人们可以了望平原并凝思这么巨大的东西怎么可能被忘却。

6. 密克罗尼西亚(Micronesia)南马都尔(Nan Madol): 珊瑚都市

这座漂浮的石头城位于波纳佩（Pohnpei）沿海的一组珊瑚礁上。建成时间据猜测是12世纪左右，是强暴的绍德雷尔王朝（Saudeleur）的首都。在16至17世纪之间，被一个敌对部落占领。但是，由于缺少淡水或土壤来种植食物，很快就被废弃了。后来又有“闹鬼”的传说，使岛民们避之不及。

涨潮时从科洛尼亚（Kolonia）出发的船只可以在该城约100个小岛周围航行，但是乘皮划艇会更有趣，而且更不受时间的限制，可以尽情游览运河上散布的黑色玄武岩宫殿、陵墓和住宅。在退潮时甚至可以涉水前往。

群岛中最壮观的是Nan Dowas战争神庙，也是唯一一个仍被其8米高墙完全包围的寺庙。漫步地下圣堂和防御区，然后探索墓地、击鼓区和礼仪区。最有特色的巨石建筑令人难以置信，斗士们会从上面跳下来证明自己的勇气，也不知这些50,000公斤的石头是如何被固定到位的。

7. 泰国大城府（Ayutthaya）：泰国的“黄金时代”

在历史上一个短暂的时刻，大城府曾是世界上最大的城市，可容纳多达100万人。如今虽已成废墟，但这座昔日同名阿瑜陀耶（大城）王国的首都仍然让人叹为观止。从14世纪到18世纪，它蓬勃发展，然后1767年缅甸军队大举入侵，俘虏了成千上万的奴隶，其余则逃亡或被杀。整个城市都在混乱中焚毁，但剩下的泰国“黄金时代”的盛况可窥一斑。

如今，大城府是一个宁静的地方，有摇摇欲坠的宝塔、菩提树和榕树遮阴。曾作防御用的环城护城河和运河静如止水，点缀着粉红色莲花。大多数人都是从曼谷乘公共汽车或火车来一日游，但是沿着昭拍耶河(Chao Phraya)的慢船更合适放松的心情。

在历史公园里，骑脚踏车是游览古旧寺庙和钟形佛塔的最佳方式。巨大的佛寺Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon高耸天际，提醒人们这是泰国建筑的巅峰。

8. 土耳其洞穴城市: 代林库尤（Derinkuyu）地下城

公元八世纪左右，为逃避阿拉伯掠夺者的抢劫及入侵，卡帕多细亚（Cappadocia）的居民在凝灰岩的山上兴建了不少地下城市。最深的是代林库尤，有18层，可藏匿20,000人。越来越多的洞穴一直在被发现。2013年盖房子的人不小心撞倒了墙壁，发现了最新的（也许是最大的）洞穴。

坐内夫谢希尔（Nevşehir）的巴士到代林库尤遗址，入口是一个小木屋，从那里一直往下走，对外开放的总共有八层楼，一路有电灯照明。城内设施包括学校，食堂，卧室，酒窖、马厩及教堂。通道非常狭窄，尤其是如果遇到旅行团更加拥挤，因此不适于有幽闭恐惧症的人。

约9公里以外的Kaymakli也是值得一游的洞穴城市，但是如果想摆脱阴暗的气氛，乘坐热气球遍览怪石堡风情是最佳的选择。热气球之旅让人漂浮在“精灵的烟囱”（压实的火山灰尖顶）和石切教堂上，感觉似乎置身于一个亦真亦幻的奇妙世界。

文章还介绍了乌克兰切尔诺贝利（Chernobyl）核荒原；美国科罗拉多州梅萨维德国家公园（Mesa Verde National Park）；突尼斯迦太基(Carthage)古城遗址；秘鲁库拉普（Kuelap）堡垒；玻利维亚太阳岛（Isla de Sol）；危地马拉国家公园（El Mirador National Park)；和玛雅遗址伯利兹的卡拉科尔（Caracol）等。

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原文链接：探索那些个被世界遗忘了的角落：幽灵王国、沙漠文明、洞穴城市…

原文链接：探索那些个被世界遗忘了的角落：幽灵王国、沙漠文明、洞穴城市… - 新闻评论

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