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The most spectacular reliefs of all are those decorating the staircase that leads to the Great Hall of Darius. Once a year, Darius would invite ambassadors from every nation within his empire to join him here. And as they arrived, all the ambassadors passed up this staircase for their audience with the king. So this was their approach to one of the most imposing monuments in the ancient world.
The ambassadors' eyes would have been drawn to these figures, the conquered peoples of the empire. All are shown in their national costumes, bringing tributes to the king. No scenes of war and retribution, they are happy to honor Darius. So Darius had found an inspired solution to his problem, a way of communicating his political vision through art--the international language of images. The ambassadors would have left here and traveled home with one message clearly etched in their mind that King Darius valued and respected them. A new benevolent political era had dawned.
The ambassadors would have grasped Darius's message, but of course there were still millions of ordinary subjects across his empire who would never glimpse the vision of peace and prosperity inside the palace. So how could he communicate this message to them? Once again, Darius found his solution in art. Towering above the desert, just off the main highway to Persepolis, is a huge political billboard and carved on it for all the passers-by to see is Darius's vision of his new leadership style.
It looks very impressive, but it's rather weathered now not easy to make out the details. Let's get closer. All right. I got it. Yeah. Ok? Ok, good.
words to remember:
1. benevolent: (adj.) Characterized by or suggestive of doing good. 善意的
2. weathered: (adj.) Worn, stained, or warped by or as if by exposure to weather; seasoned 受风雨侵蚀的，饱经风霜的因或好似因风雨而变得破烂、肮脏或扭曲的；饱经风霜的
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