The first Persian Empire 559 331 BCE was the biggest land empire the world had seen and seated at the heart of its vast dominions in the south of modern day Iran was the person of the Great King Immortalized in Greek literature as despotic tyrants a new vision of Persian monarchy is emerging from Iranian and other sources literary visual and archaeological which show the Kings in a very different light Inscriptions of Cyrus Darius Xerxes and their heirs present an image of Persian rulers as liberators peace makers valiant warriors righteous god fearing judges and law makers Around them the Kings established lavish and sophisticated courts the centres of political decision making and cultural achievements in which the image of monarchy was endorsed and advanced by an almost theatrical display of grandeur and power This book explores the representation of Persian monarchy and the court of the Achaemenid Great Kings from the point of view of the ancient Iranians themselves and through the sometimes distorted prism of Classical authors