The Definitive Visual History; Ancient Persia

The narrative begins with the geological foundations of Iran and the movement of tectonic plates, continuing through the formation of the Iranian plateau, the Paleolithic period and the appearance of early humans, the beginnings of village settlement and the Agricultural Revolution, the emergence of the first political entities, and the achievements of the peoples of Iran during the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze, and Iron Ages. It then follows the rise of major states such as Elam, the migration of the Aryans and the formation of the Median tribal confederation, the rise of Cyrus the Great and the establishment of the Persian Empire, Achaemenid imperial rule and the invasion of Alexander the Great, the Greek presence in Iran, Iranian resistance and the emergence of the Parthian Empire, six centuries of conflict with Rome, the rise of Ardashir I, the reforms of Khosrow I Anushirvan, and finally the civil wars and collapse of the Sasanian Empire.

Together, the four volumes comprise 1,208 pages, approximately 920,680 words of text, 3,844 images, and 152 maps. Throughout the series, history, archaeology, and art are presented side by side. The books also feature reconstructions of 105 historical figures, 57 ancient monuments, and four complete sets of clothing from different historical periods.

This collection is intended for readers who are eager to explore and better understand their historical and cultural identity.

Volume 1

Chapter 1: From Earth to Humankind

Edited by: Dr. Fereidoun Biglari

Authors:

Dr. Fereidoun Biglari (Lower Paleolithic and Middle Paleolithic)

Fatemeh Shafiee Sarvestani (Geology)

Dr. Sonia Shidrang (Upper Paleolithic and Epipaleolithic)

Academic Editors:

Dr. Erfan Khosravi

Kaveh Faizollahi

Dr. Majid Mirzaei-Ataabadi

Dr. Majid Naderi

Chapter 2: From Village to City

Edited by: Dr. Jebrael Nokandeh

Authors:

Fatemeh Shafiee Sarvestani

Dr. Leila Makvandi (Pre-Writing Counting Devices and Cylinder Seals)

Academic Editors:

Dr. Fereidoun Biglari

Dr. Javad Hoseinzadeh Sadati

Dr. Hossein Davoudi

Dr. Mohammad Hossein Azizi Kharanaghi

Dr. Marjan Mashkour

Dr. Abbas Moghaddam

Dr. Ramin Yashmi

Chapter 4: Elam: From Susa to Anshan

Author:

Dr. Kamyar Abdi

With contributions by:

Dr. Hamidreza Peyghambari (Music in Elam)

Dr. Leila Makvandi (Music in Elam and Elamite Rock Reliefs)

Ehsan Nazem Bekai (design of the Chogha Zanbil special feature)

Chapter 5: The Aryans and the Medes: From Dispersion to Empire

Author:

Dr. Mehrdad Malekzadeh

With contributions by:

Ehsan Rezaei

Dr. Yousef Hassanzadeh (Ziwiye)

Dr. Leila Makvandi (Archaeogenetic Studies)

Volume 2

Achaemenid Iran

Edited by:

Yazdan Safaee

Author of the Foreword and “Cyrus in Ancient Inscriptions” section:

Dr. Shahrokh Razmjou

Designer of the Special Features:

Ehsan Nazem Bekai

Achaemenid Susa Special Feature:

Loghman Ahmadzadeh Shouhani

Volume 3

Seleucid and Parthian Iran

Author:

Fatemeh Shafiee Sarvestani

Academic Advisor:

Dr. Reza Ordu

Foreword:

Dr. Mostafa Dehpahlavan

Academic Advisors for the Religion Section:

Dr. Shervin Farridnejad

Dr. Nina Mazhjoo

Volume 4

Sasanian Iran

Author:

Ehsan Rezaei

Academic Advisor:

Dr. Esmaeil Matloubkari

Foreword:

Dr. Touraj Daryaee

With special thanks to:

Dr. Shervin Farridnejad

Dr. Khodadad Rezakhani

Academic Board

Reza Ordu

PhD in Ancient Iranian History, University of Tehran

Fereidoun Biglari

PhD in Archaeology, University of Bordeaux; Head of the Paleolithic Department, National Museum of Iran

Hamidreza Peyghambari

PhD in Ancient Iranian History, University of Tehran; Faculty Member, Persian Gulf University

Yousef Hassanzadeh

PhD in Archaeology, University of Tehran; Head of the Research Center, National Museum of Iran

Javad Hoseinzadeh Sadati

Faculty Member, Department of Archaeology, University of Kashan

Touraj Daryaee

PhD in History, University of California, Los Angeles; Director of the Dr. Samuel M. Jordan Center for Persian Studies and Culture, University of California, Irvine

Mostafa Dehpahlavan

PhD in Archaeology, University of Tehran; President of the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism

Shahrokh Razmjou

PhD in Archaeology, University of London; Faculty Member, University of Tehran

Khodadad Rezakhani

PhD in Late Antique History, University of California, Los Angeles; Faculty Member, Leiden University

Yazdan Safaee

PhD Candidate in Iranian Studies, École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), Paris

Kamyar Abdi

PhD in Anthropology, with a specialization in Archaeology, University of Michigan; Faculty Member, Shahid Beheshti University

Shervin Farridnejad

PhD in Ancient and Middle Iranian Philology and Zoroastrian Studies, University of Göttingen; Professor, University of Hamburg

Nina Mazhjoo

Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Wrocław, Poland

Esmaeil Matloubkari

PhD in Ancient Iranian History, University of Tehran

Leila Makvandi

PhD in Archaeology, University of Tehran; Faculty Member, Department of Archaeology, University of Kashan

Mehrdad Malekzadeh

PhD in Archaeology, Tarbiat Modares University; Faculty Member, Iranian Center for Archaeological Research

Majid Mirzaei-Ataabadi

PhD in Vertebrate Paleontology, University of Helsinki, Finland; Faculty Member, University of Zanjan

Jebrael Nokandeh

PhD in Archaeology, Freie Universität Berlin; Director General, National Museum of Iran