'Gripping!' The Sunday Times 'Lively and highly readable' Literary Review The Great Kings of Persia ruled over the largest Empire of antiquity, stretching from Libya to Ethiopia and Pakistan. At the heart of the Empire was the fabled palace-city of Persepolis where the Achaemenid monarchs held court in unparalleled grandeur. Though known for their cultural diversity and military successes, the Achaemenids, however, were one of the great dysfunctional families of history. Brothers fought brothers for power, wives and concubines plotted to promote their sons to the throne, and eunuchs and courtiers vied for influence and prestige. Professor Llewellyn-Jones calls upon original Achaemenid sources, including inscriptions, art, and recent archaeological