Susa

City / town

A royal capital of the Persian empire and the setting of the book of Esther, where the events of Purim unfold in the citadel. Nehemiah was serving here as cupbearer when he heard of Jerusalem's broken walls, and Daniel records a vision received at Susa (Esther 1:2; Nehemiah 1:1; Daniel 8:2).

Where in scripture

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,
Nehemiah 1:1 — cited in the description of Susa

in those days, when the King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
Esther 1:2 — cited in the description of Susa

I saw the vision. Now it was so, that when I saw, I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam. I saw in the vision, and I was by the river Ulai.
Daniel 8:2 — cited in the description of Susa

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.

Nehemiah 1:1 Esther 1:2 Daniel 8:2

What we know — and how we know it

Bible — stated in scripture (with verse) · 1 Archaeology — physical evidence · 1

Life, role & deeds

BibleThe Persian royal city of Esther and Nehemiah, and the setting of one of Daniel's visions.

Esther 1:2; Nehemiah 1:1; Daniel 8:2

↳ Esther · Nehemiah · Xerxes

Unknown authorUnknown author — Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons) ArchaeologyThe palace of Darius and Artaxerxes at Susa (Shush), with its glazed-brick friezes of archers and lions, has been excavated.

Susa (Shush): the Apadana palace of Darius I and Artaxerxes II; the glazed-brick Frieze of Archers and Frieze of Lions recovered by the French mission under Marcel Dieulafoy (1884-86), now in the Louvre; M. Dieulafoy, 'L'Acropole de Suse d'apres les fouilles executees en 1884, 1885, 1886' (Paris: Hachette, 1890-92).