ABSTRACT
The Achaemenids were heirs of the millenary traditions of the Ancient Near East and the Iranian highland. Royal Achaemenid art is the result of a complex synthesis of influences, tangible and non-tangible, and transformations derived from deliberate and justified choices, to transmit a clear political message by means of monuments. There is a fundamental difference in the significance of the concept of empire created by the Achaemenid Persians compared to the Assyro-Babylonian civilization. Achaemenid diplomacy consisted of promoting the development of commerce, communication and agriculture, and the king had an advisory council representing various lands. The Achaemenids had great respect for the traditions and works of the past, whether their own or belonging to others. Persepolis is a major monument to Achaemenid art and architecture, where great care was taken in the finishing touches and details, as well as in the infrastructure and the general plan of the site.
