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Satrapal Sardis: Achaemenid Bowls in an Achaemenid Capital

1999; Archaeological Institute of America; Volume: 103; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.2307/506578

1939-828X

Elspeth R. M. Dusinberre,

Archaeology and Historical Studies

Sardis, capital of Lydia and seat of the Mermnad dynasty, was made a regional capital of the Achaemenid Persian empire after Lydia was conquered by the expanding empire. Guided by Herodotos, most people have thought that the Lydian era was the period of greatest interest in the history of Sardis. New finds now make it possible to reassess the city's history during the two centuries when it served as a satrapal capital for the Achaemenid empire. This study examines the local ceramic assemblage of Achaemenid-period Sardis, focusing on a particular type of drinking cup called the "Achaemenid bowl." This vessel exemplifies certain key changes in the material culture of Sardis after the Persian conquest. It offers insights into some of the ways local culture was affected by the political transformation, allowing us to fill out the picture not just of ceramic chronologies at Sardis but also of the impact of Achaemenid Persian presence in the western empire.