Persepolis Fortification Tablets

The Persepolis Fortification Tablets are ancient clay tablets discovered in Persepolis, the capital of the Achaemenid Empire in present-day Iran. Dating back to the 5th century BCE, they contain inscriptions in Elamite, documenting various administrative records, including taxes, workforce information, and supplies for royal projects. These tablets are significant because they provide valuable insights into the economy, governance, and daily life of one of the earliest empires in history. They reveal the complexities of management and the organization required to sustain the empire’s vast infrastructure and activities.