History Main / AncientPersia

* ''Literature/TheHeroicLegendOfArslan'': A series of fantasy novels loosely based on the Persian epic ''Amir Arsalan''.

The Greeks perceived the [[CourtMage magi]] (priests of the Zoroastrian religion) as [[KeeperOfForbiddenKnowledge carriers of ancient and esoteric knowledge]] such as [[{{Astrologer}} astrology]] and UsefulNotes/{{alchemy}} which gave Persia an image of [[EthnicMagician mysticism]] leading to Greeks and, later, Romans to advertise stuff that had to do with magic or religion as having come from Persia and, in some cases, to have been written by ''Zoroaster''. Magi themselves will interpret [[DreamingOfThingsToCome the dreams]] of the Shah, read the stars, [[SacredFlames worship fire]], carry out sacrifices and [[LibationForTheDead libations]].

-->-- '''Creator/{{Xenophon}}'''

* ''Film/ThreeHundredRiseOfAnEmpire'': A direct prequel/sequel to ''300'', showing the origin story of Xerxes, the rise of his [[TheDragon most competent and highest-ranking minion]] Artemesia, the origins of the conflict between Greece and the Persian Empire, and the follow-up in the wake of Leonidas' death and the Persian victory at Thermopylae.

* Much of the ''Literature/BelisariusSeries'' is set here, with the Sassanids under Khusrau Anushirvan being the initial enemy and eventual ally of the Byzantines under Justinian. The third and fourth books largely involve the Roman and Persian armies allying to break the Malwa siege of Babylon and then retake the port of Charax.

In Persia, you will find beautiful gardens literally called [[GardenOfEden "paradise"]] (*pari-daiza-, means enclosed space as they were walled off) watered by aqueducts called qanat that brought water from aquifers to the surface adorned with trees, canals, pools, and pavilions, as well as [[BigFancyCastle magnificent palaces]] where the [[DecadentCourt court]] live their hedonistic lives with their fans, banquets, and eunuchs (the latter of which are particularly likely to be [[EunuchsAreEvil bad news]]). The people will wear sirwal trousers (seen as barbaric by the Greeks), pointy shoes, Phrygian caps, tiaras with lots of symbols, tunics, shawls, coats, [[RobeAndWizardHat robes]], elaborate and carefully groomed long beards and earrings. Popular drinks are wine, beer, rosewater, and haoma.[[note]]a stimulant pressed from a plant (whose identity has been lost over time) that was used in religious rituals, cognate with ''soma'' in the Indian [[UsefulNotes/{{Hinduism}} Vedas]].[[/note]] TheEmpire was defended by its army of [[KnightInShiningArmor cataphracts]] and [[HorseArcher archers riding horses, camels, and chariots]] into battle, along with foot archers and spearmen from Persia and vassal countries, and the naval galleys of coastal territories like Phoenicia and Egypt. Especially famous are the Immortals, the [[PraetorianGuard imperial guard]] of the Shah.

* Persia is a playable faction in most versions of ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}}''. Notably, in ''VideoGame/CivilizationVI'', they are well-suited for a military or cultural victory, and can choose between two leaders: Cyrus II and Nader Shah (the latter of whom is not ancient and was born in 1688). Persia has access to the Immortal unique unit and can build Pairidaezas as a unique tile improvement.

In Persia, you will find beautiful gardens literally called [[GardenOfEden "paradise"]] (*pari-daiza-, means enclosed space as they were walled off) watered by aqueducts called qanat that brought water from aquifers to the surface adorned with trees, canals, pools, and pavilions, as well as [[BigFancyCastle magnificent palaces]] where the [[DecadentCourt court]] live their hedonistic lives with their fans, banquets, and eunuchs (the latter of which are particularly likely to be [[EunuchsAreEvil bad news]]). The people will wear sirwal trousers (seen as barbaric by the Greeks), pointy shoes, [[NiceHat Phrygian caps, tiaras with lots of symbols]], tunics, shawls, coats, [[RobeAndWizardHat robes]], elaborate and carefully groomed long beards and earrings. Popular drinks are wine, beer, rosewater, and haoma.[[note]]a stimulant pressed from a plant (whose identity has been lost over time) that was used in religious rituals, cognate with ''soma'' in the Indian [[UsefulNotes/{{Hinduism}} Vedas]].[[/note]] TheEmpire was defended by its army of [[KnightInShiningArmor cataphracts]] and [[HorseArcher archers riding horses, camels, and chariots]] into battle, along with foot archers and spearmen from Persia and vassal countries, and the naval galleys of coastal territories like Phoenicia and Egypt. Especially famous are the Immortals, the [[PraetorianGuard imperial guard]] of the Shah.

** ''the Literature/BookOfEsther'': Hebrew woman Esther is chosen by King Ahasueres (i.e. Xerxes) to become queen of Persia and thwarts a genocide of her people planned by viceroy Haman after Esther's cousin Mordecai refuses to bow down to him.

Main rival of UsefulNotes/AncientGreece, [[AncientRome Rome]] and the [[UsefulNotes/ByzantineEmpire Byzantines]]. Also bordered (and often fought) AncientEgypt, Mesopotamia, {{UsefulNotes/India}}, ImperialChina, and nomadic people like the [[BarbarianTribe Scythians]]. It fell in the 7th century to the Rashidun army, after which event it will be portrayed as ArabianNightsDays, which draws many of its elements from Persia (indeed, the FramingDevice of the Literature/ArabianNights itself is set there). See also UsefulNotes/TheAchaemenidEmpire for a more grounded description of this land, at least in the early days -- after the Achaemenid dynasty fell to UsefulNotes/AlexanderTheGreat, the Macedonian-descended Seleucid dynasty followed, then the Parthian and Sassanid dynasties.

Main rival of UsefulNotes/AncientGreece, [[AncientRome Rome]] and the [[UsefulNotes/ByzantineEmpire Byzantines]]. Also bordered (and often fought) AncientEgypt, Mesopotamia, {{UsefulNotes/India}}, ImperialChina, and nomadic people like the [[BarbarianTribe Scythians]]. It fell in the 7th century to the Rashidun army, after which event it will be portrayed as ArabianNightsDays, which draws many of its elements from Persia (indeed, the FramingDevice of the Literature/ArabianNights itself is set there). See also UsefulNotes/TheAchaemenidEmpire for a more grounded description of this land, at least in the early days--after the Achaemenid dynasty fell to UsefulNotes/AlexanderTheGreat, the Macedonian-descended Seleucid dynasty followed, then the Parthian and Sassanid dynasties.

* ''ComicBook/TheCartoonHistoryOfTheUniverse'': Recurringly appears, starting in the Persian invasion of Babylon that freed the Jews.

* ''[[Film/ThreeHundred 300]]'': Highly fantastical portrayal of the Battle of Thermopylae fought in 480 BC during the UsefulNotes/GrecoPersianWars.

** ''Literature/BookOfDaniel'': Set in Babylon during the Captivity, King Belshazzar summons Daniel, a Jewish sage, to interpret some writing that mysteriously appeared on a wall. Daniel reads it warns of the coming of the Persians and that very night Belshazzar is slain and the kingdom is taken by one Darius the Mede. The rest of the book occurs under Persian rule.

** ''Literature/TheFourGospels'': the wise men who visit the infant Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew are described as being 'from the East' and specifically referred to as Magi, suggesting that they are Persian astrologers. Other apochryphal materials develop this idea further, and even in orthodox Catholicism, one of the wise men, Melchior, is specifically mentioned as being from Persia.
* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithraism The Mysteries of Mithra]] was a religion that was popular in AncientRome from the 1st through 4th century CE purported to be a continuation of the oriental cult of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithra Mithra]] in Persia, although scholars now believe the differences between the two are too big and the cult was actually based on Roman ''perceptions'' of Zoroastrianism cult.

* ''The Persians'' (or ''Persae'') is an Ancient Greek tragedy that takes place in Susa, one of the capitals of the Persian Empire, during Xerxes' invasion of Greece, where the Queen Mother Atossa awaits news about the war and then summons his dead husband's (Darius) ghost, who condemns the hubris behind his son's decision of invading.

* Persia are a playable faction in most versions of ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}}''.
** In ''VideoGame/CivilizationVI'', they are well-suited for a military or cultural victory, and can choose between two leaders: Cyrus II and Nader Shah (the latter of whom is not ancient and was born in 1688). Persia has access to the Immortal unique unit and can build Pairidaezas as a unique tile improvement.

* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroaster#In_classical_antiquity Pseudo-Zoroaster]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostanes Ostanes]], in Greece and then Rome, thought to be the father of magic and the one who introduced it to the Greek world, respectively. These were pen-names used by pseudonymous authors that mostly treated topics related to magic, alchemy, necromancy, divination, etc. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishtaspa#Pseudo-Hystaspes Pseudo-Hystaspes]] was another such name in Greco-Roman literature, the patron of Zoroaster being turned into an apocalyptic prophet and ancient sage of sorts.

** In ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpiresII'', they use the Middle Eastern set, shared with the Berbers, Saracens and Turks. Their Unique Unit is the {{War Elephant|}}, their Unique techs are/were "Mahouts"[[note]]''The Forgotten'' onwards, War Elephants are 30% faster[[/note]], "Boiling Oil"[[note]]pre-''Definitive Edition'', Castles gained +9 attack against Rams[[/note]] and "Kamandaran"[[note]]''Definitive Edition'' onwards, turns the Archer/Crossbowman line into a trash unit by removing their gold cost and giving it a slightly higher wood cost[[/note]], their team bonus grants Knights +2 attack against archers, they start the game with +50 food and +50 wood and their Town Centers and Docks have double HP and work gradually faster from Feudal Age onwards[[note]]10% faster on Feudal, 15% faster for the Castle Age, and 20% faster for the Imperial Age[[/note]]. As for their tech tree, they miss the Two-Handed Swordsman and Champion infantry upgrades, the Arbalester archer upgrade, the Siege Onager siege upgrade, the "Shipwright" tech, the Keep, Fortified Wall and Bombard Tower defensive upgrades, the Bracer archer upgrade and the University techs "Siege Engineers", "Treadmill Crane" and "Arrowslits". Unlike ''I'' their Monastery is quite lacking (missing Redemption, Illumination, Atonement, Heresy, and Sanctity). Finally, their unique Wonder is the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taq_Kasra Taq Kasra Palace]].

* Both ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpiresI'' and ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpiresII'' feature the Persians as a playable base race; in the former case using the Babylonian architecture set, while the latter uses the Middle Eastern set. Both incarnations feature an early Food bonus that takes effect immediately as the game starts[[note]]In ''I'', their Hunters work 30% faster and carry +3 food, while in ''II'' they start the game with extra 50 food and 50 wood[[/note]], have access to Camel units and the fully upgradable Heavy Cavalry and prominently feature WarElephants with speed bonuses[[note]]In ''I'' their War Elephants and Elephant Archers move 25% faster, while ''II'' gives them the War Elephant as their unique unit with their Imperial Age tech "Mahouts" increasing their speed by 30%[[/note]] while missing otherwise common heavy infantry options[[note]]The entire Hoplite line in ''I'', the Two-Handed Swordsman and Champion upgrades in ''II''[[/note]] as well as the final upgrade for their archers' range[[note]]Chariot Archers in ''I'', Arbalesters in ''II''[[/note]]. They also have a complete Temple tech roster in ''I'' (which includes techs such as Mysticism, Astrology, and Sacrifice), while their Monastery techs in ''II'' are quite limited (lacking Redemption, Illumination, Atonement, Heresy, and Sanctity). Finally, their Wonder in ''I'' is the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziggurat_of_Ur Ziggurat of Ur]] (shared with the Babylonians and Hittites), while in ''II'' it is instead the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taq_Kasra Taq Kasra Palace]].

[[AC:Comic Books]]

* ''ComicBook/TheCartoonHistoryOfTheUniverse'': Recurringly appears, starting in the Persian invasion of Babylon that freed the Jews.

[[AC:Film -- Live-Action]]

* ''Film/ThreeHundredRiseOfAnEmpire'': A direct prequel/sequel to ''300'', showing the origin story of Xerxes, the rise of his [[TheDragon most competent and highest-ranking minion]] Artemesia, the origins of the conflict between Greece and the Persian Empire, and the follow-up in the wake of Leonidas' death and the Persian victory at Thermopylae.
* ''Film/{{Wishmaster}}'': The prologue takes place in Persia in the year 1127 B.C. and stars Zoroaster at the service of an unnamed Persian emperor. The prophet is first seen in his workshop crafting an amulet with the power to trap powerful supernatural beings. He immediately puts it to the test by trapping the emperor's Jinn, who already turned the latter's court into a freak show to astonish his master and "show him wonders".

[[AC:Literature]]

* ''Literature/TheHeroicLegendOfArslan'': A series of fantasy novels loosely based on the Persian epic ''Amir Arsalan''.
* ''Literature/Creation1981'' by Creator/GoreVidal is about Cyrus Spitama, the fictional grandson of Zoroaster, sent by Darius the Great to visit faraway places like India, China, and, because of the war, Greece, where he meets Buddha and Confucius among others.

[[AC:Myths & Religion]]

* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithraism The Mysteries of Mithra]] was a religion that was popular in AncientRome from the 1st through 4th century CE purported to be a continuation of the oriental cult of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithra Mithra]] in Persia, although scholars now believe the differences between the two are too big and the cult was actually based on Roman ''perceptions'' of Zoroastrianism cult.

[[AC:Tabletop Games]]

[[AC:Theatre]]

[[AC:Video Games]]

* Both ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpiresI'' and ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpiresII'' feature the Persians as a playable base race; in the former case using the Babylonian architecture set, while the latter uses the Middle Eastern set. Both incarnations feature an early Food bonus that takes effect immediately as the game starts[[note]]In ''I'', their Hunters work 30% faster and carry +3 food, while in ''II'' they start the game with extra 50 food and 50 wood[[/note]], have access to Camel units and the fully upgradable Heavy Cavalry and prominently feature WarElephants with speed bonuses[[note]]In ''I'' their War Elephants and Elephant Archers move 25% faster, while ''II'' gives them the War Elephant as their unique unit with their Imperial Age tech "Mahouts" increasing their speed by 30%[[/note]] while missing otherwise common heavy infantry options[[note]]The entire Hoplite line in ''I'', the Two-Handed Swordsman and Champion upgrades in ''II''[[/note]] as well as the final upgrade for their archers' range[[note]]Chariot Archers in ''I'', Arbalesters in ''II''[[/note]]. They also have a complete Temple tech roster in ''I'' (which includes techs such as Mysticism, Astrology, and Sacrifice), while their Monastery techs in ''II'' are quite limited (lacking Redemption, Illumination, Atonement, Heresy, and Sanctity). Finally, their Wonder in ''I'' is the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziggurat_of_Ur Ziggurat of Ur]] (shared with the Babylonians and Hittites), while in ''II'' it is instead the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taq_Kasra Taq Kasra Palace]].

[[AC:Real Life]]

The land of UsefulNotes/{{Cyrus|TheGreat}}, Darius and Xerxes, [[GodEmperor great Shahs]] of TheEmpire that UsefulNotes/{{Alexander|TheGreat}} once conquered. Home also of Zoroaster, founder of {{UsefulNotes/Zoroastrianism}}, which was one of the first monotheistic religions and may have influenced {{UsefulNotes/Judaism}} itself to abandon henotheism (i. e. the belief of many gods but worship of one). At the time the biggest empire the world had seen, it stretched at its peak from Greece in the west to India in the east and from Central Asia in the north to Egypt in the south, although depictions of it will be based on its heartland in {{UsefulNotes/Iran}} and maybe Mesopotamia.

In Persia, you will find beautiful gardens literally called [[GardenOfEden "paradise"]] (*pari-daiza-, means enclosed space as they were walled off) watered by aqueducts called qanat that brought water from aquifers to the surface adorned with trees, canals, pools, and pavilions, as well as [[BigFancyCastle magnificent palaces]] where the [[DecadentCourt court]] live their hedonistic lives with their fans, banquets, and eunuchs (the latter of which are particularly likely to be [[EunuchsAreEvil bad news]]). The people will wear sirwal trousers (seen as barbaric by the Greeks), pointy shoes, [[NiceHat Phrygian caps, tiaras with lots of symbols]], tunics, shawls, coats, [[RobeAndWizardHat robes]], elaborate and carefully groomed long beards and earrings. Popular drinks are wine, rosewater, and haoma. TheEmpire was defended by its army of [[KnightInShiningArmor cataphracts]] and [[HorseArcher archers riding horses, camels, and chariots]] into battle. Especially famous are the Immortals, the [[PraetorianGuard imperial guard]] of the Shah.

[[AC:Film - Live Action]]

* ''Film/{{Wishmaster}}'': the prologue takes place in Persia in the year 1127 B.C. and stars Zoroaster at the service of an unnamed Persian emperor. The prophet is first seen in his workshop crafting an amulet with the power to trap powerful supernatural beings. He immediately puts it to the test by trapping the emperor's Jinn, who already turned the latter's court into a freak show to astonish his master and "show him wonders".

* Chess as we know it today has its origins in the Sassanian Empire, where it was known by the name ''shantranj''. After the Islamic conquests, it spread westwards and made its way into Christian Europe via Al-Andalus. This is where we get words like rook (from Persian ''rokh'', chariot) and ''alfil'' in other languages (bishop; from Persian ''pil'' + Arabic ''al-'', the elephant).

Main rival of UsefulNotes/AncientGreece, [[AncientRome Rome]] and the [[UsefulNotes/ByzantineEmpire Byzantines]]. Also bordered (and often fought) AncientEgypt, Mesopotamia, {{UsefulNotes/India}}, ImperialChina, and nomadic people like the [[BarbarianTribe Scythians]]. It fell in the 7th century to the Rashidun army, after which event it will be portrayed as ArabianNightsDays, which draws many of its elements from Persia (indeed, the FramingDevice of the Literature/ArabianNights itself is set there). See also UsefulNotes/TheAchaemenidEmpire for a more grounded description of this land.

Thanks largely to the Greeks, Persia may be the origin of {{Orientalism}} with all that entails: [[PoseOfSupplication proskynesis]], despotic satraps, barbaric practices like [[CreepyCrawlyTorture scaphism]] or [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice impalement]], {{Royal Harem}}s, [[RecliningReigner eating lavish banquets while laying on sofas]], beautiful carpets, [[SexSlave concubines]], cats, etc.

In Persia, you will find beautiful gardens literally called [[GardenOfEden "paradise"]] (*pari-daiza-, means enclosed space as they were walled off) watered by aqueducts called qanat that brought water from aquifers to the surface adorned with trees, canals, pools, and pavilions, as well as [[BigFancyCastle magnificent palaces]] where the [[DecadentCourt court]] live their hedonistic lives with their fans, banquets and [[EunuchsAreEvil eunuchs]]. The people will wear sirwal trousers (seen as barbaric by the Greeks), pointy shoes, [[NiceHat Phrygian caps, tiaras with lots of symbols]], tunics, shawls, coats, [[RobeAndWizardHat robes]], elaborate and carefully groomed long beards and earrings. Popular drinks are wine, rosewater, and haoma. TheEmpire was defended by its army of [[KnightInShiningArmor cataphracts]] and [[HorseArcher archers riding horses, camels, and chariots]] into battle. Especially famous are the Immortals, the [[PraetorianGuard imperial guard]] of the Shah.

Thanks largely to the Greeks, Persia may be the origin of {{Orientalism}} with all that entails: [[IKissYourFoot proskynesis]], despotic satraps, barbaric practices like [[CreepyCrawlyTorture scaphism]] or [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice impalement]], {{Royal Harem}}s, [[RecliningReigner eating lavish banquets while laying on sofas]], beautiful carpets, [[SexSlave concubines]], cats, etc.

In Persia you will find beautiful gardens literally called [[GardenOfEden "paradise"]] (*pari-daiza-, means enclosed space as they were walled off) watered by aqueducts called qanat that brought water from aquifers to the surface adorned with trees, canals, pools and pavilions, as well as [[BigFancyCastle magnificent palaces]] where the [[DecadentCourt court]] live their hedonistic lives with their fans, banquets and [[EunuchsAreEvil eunuchs]]. The people will wear sirwal trousers (seen as barbaric by the Greeks), pointy shoes, [[NiceHat Phrygian caps, tiaras with lots of symbols]], tunics, shawls, coats, [[RobeAndWizardHat robes]], elaborate and carefully groomed long beards and earrings. Popular drinks are wine, rosewater and haoma. TheEmpire was defended by its army of [[KnightInShiningArmor cataphracts]] and [[HorseArcher archers riding horses, camels and chariots]] into battle. Especially famous are the Immortals, the [[PraetorianGuard imperial guard]] of the Shah.

Main rival of UsefulNotes/AncientGreece, [[AncientRome Rome]] and the [[UsefulNotes/ByzantineEmpire Byzantines]]. Also bordered (and often fought) AncientEgypt, Mesopotamia, {{UsefulNotes/India}}, ImperialChina and nomadic people like the [[BarbarianTribe Scythians]]. It fell in the 7th century to the Rashidun army, after which event it will be portrayed as ArabianNightsDays, which draws many of its elements from Persia (indeed, the FramingDevice of the Literature/ArabianNights itself is set there). See also UsefulNotes/TheAchaemenidEmpire for a more grounded description of this land.

[[AC: Comic Books]]

[[AC: Film - Live Action]]

[[AC: Literature]]

* ''Literature/Creation1981'' by Creator/GoreVidal is about Cyrus Spitama, the fictional grandson of Zoroaster, sent by Darius the Great to visit faraway places like India, China and, because of the war, Greece, where he meets Buddha and Confucius among others.

[[AC: Myths & Religion]]

[[AC: Tabletop Games]]
* Chess as we know it today has its origins in the Sassanian Empire, where it was known by the name ''shantranj''. After the Islamic conquests it spread westwards and made its way into Christian Europe via Al-Andalus. This is where we get words like rook (from Persian ''rokh'', chariot) and ''alfil'' in other languages (bishop; from Persian ''pil'' + Arabic ''al-'', the elehpant).

[[AC: Theatre]]
* ''The Persians'' (or ''Persae'') is an Ancient Greek tragedy that takes place in Susa, one of the capitals of the Persian Empire, during Xerxes' invasion of Greece, where the Queen Mother Atossa awaits for news about the war and then summons his dead husband's (Darius) ghost, who condemns the hubris behind his son's decision of invading.

[[AC: Video Games]]
* ''Cradle of Persia'' is a puzzle game that lets you build the ancient city of Persepolis, capital of the Achaemenid Empire with masterpieces of architecture such as the Palace of Darius, the Ziggurat and... [[UsefulNotes/SevenWondersOfTheWorld the Hanging Gardens]] of [[CulturalBlending Babylon]].
* Both ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpiresI'' and ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpiresII'' feature the Persians as a playable base race; in the former case using the Babylonian architecture set, while the latter uses the Middle Eastern set. Both incarnations feature an early Food bonus that take effect immediately as the game starts[[note]]In ''I'', their Hunters work 30% faster and carry +3 food, while in ''II'' they start the game with extra 50 food and 50 wood[[/note]], have access to Camel units and the fully upgradable Heavy Cavalry and prominently feature WarElephants with speed bonuses[[note]]In ''I'' their War Elephants and Elephant Archers move 25% faster, while ''II'' gives them the War Elephant as their unique unit with their Imperial Age tech "Mahouts" increasing their speed by 30%[[/note]], while missing otherwise common heavy infantry options[[note]]The entire Hoplite line in ''I'', the Two-Handed Swordsman and Champion upgrades in ''II''[[/note]] as well as the final upgrade for their archers' range[[note]]Chariot Archers in ''I'', Arbalesters in ''II''[[/note]]. They also have a complete Temple tech roster in ''I'' (which includes techs such as Mysticism, Astrology and Sacrifice), while their Monastery techs in ''II'' are quite limited (lacking Redemption, Illumination, Atonement, Heresy and Sanctity). Finally, their Wonder in ''I'' is the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziggurat_of_Ur Ziggurat of Ur]] (shared with the Babylonians and Hittites), while in ''II'' it is instead the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taq_Kasra Taq Kasra Palace]].

[[AC: Real Life]]
* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroaster#In_classical_antiquity Pseudo-Zoroaster]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostanes Ostanes]], in Greece and then Rome, thought to be the father of magic and the one who introduced it to the Greek world, respectively. These were pen-names used by pseudonymous authors that mostly treated topics related to magic, alchemy, necromancy, divination, etc. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishtaspa#Pseudo-Hystaspes Pseudo-Hystaspes]] was another such name in Greco-Roman literature, the patron of Zoroaster being turned into an apocalyptic prophet and ancient sage of sorts.