Ancient Persian city, northeast of modern Shīrāz , Iran.
It was built in a remote and mountainous area during the reign of Darius I , who made it the capital of Persia, replacing Pasargadae . In 330 BC Alexander the Great plundered the city and burned the palace of Xerxes I . The city's ruins cover an extensive area and comprise a number of colossal buildings, including palaces of early Persian kings, a great staircase, an audience hall, and a treasury.