period, is seen to
have stamped itself, as such changes usually do, upon the national
architecture.

A small building, at the distance of about twenty or twenty-five yards
from the eastern wall of the palace of Xerxes, possesses a peculiar
interest, in consequence of its having some claims to be considered
the most ancient structure upon the platform. It consists of a hall and
portico, in size, proportions, and decoration almost exactly resembling
the corresponding parts of Darius's palace, but unaccompanied by any
trace of circumjacent chambers, and totally devoid of inscriptions. The
building is low, on the level of the northern, rather than on that of
the central terrace, and is indeed half buried in the rubbish which has
accumulated at its base. Its fragments are peculiarly grand and massive,
while its sculptures are in strong and bold relief. There can be little
doubt but that it was originally, like the hall and portico of Darius,
surrounded on three sides by chambers. These, however, have entirely
disappeared, having probably been pulled down to furnish materials for
more recent edifices. Like the palaces of Xerxes and Artaxerxes Ochus,
and unlike the palace of Darius, the building faces to the north, which
is the direction naturally preferred in such a climate. We may suppose
it to have been the royal residence of the earlier times, the erection
of Cyrus or Cambyses, and to have been intended especially for summer
use, for which its position well fitted it. Darius, wishing for a winter
palace at Persepolis, as well as a summer one, took probably this early
palace for his model, and built one as nearly as possible resembling it,
except that, for the sake of greater warmth, he made his new erection
face southwards. Xerxes, dissatisfied with the size of the old summer
palace, built a new one at its side of considerably larger dimensions,
using perhaps some of the materials of the old palace in his new
building. Finally, Artaxerxes Ochus made certain additions to the palace
of Xerxes on its western side, and at the same time added a staircase
and a doorway to the winter residence of Darius. Thus the Persepolitan
palace, using the word in its proper sense of royal residence, attained
its full dimensions, occupying the southern half of the great central
platform, and covering with its various courts and buildings a space
500 feet long by 375 feet wide, or nearly the space covered by the less
ambitious of the palaces