Susa

Susa is an ancient city located in southwestern Iran, near the modern city of Shush in Khuzestan Province. It has a long history dating back to the 4th millennium BCE and was a major urban center of the Elamite civilization.

Over the centuries it was controlled by successive powers, including the Assyrians, Babylonians, and later the Median and Achaemenid empires. Under the Achaemenid Empire it served as a provincial capital and is referenced in cuneiform tablets and classical sources as Shushan.

Archaeological work since the 19th century has uncovered remains from Elamite, Median, Achaemenid, and later periods, including palaces, fortifications, and thousands of cuneiform tablets. The site has yielded significant insights into Elamite administration and daily life, as well as the broader history of the region during the Persian Empire.

The modern city of Shush preserves the name, and the Susa archaeological site remains a major focus of scholarship and tourism for those studying the ancient Near East. The name Susa is also used for other places, notably Susa in Piedmont, Italy, and for the surrounding Susa Valley.