The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1916-01-14
Hamadan, Treasure City.


"Hamadan, the treasure city of the
great Achaemenian kings, identified
with the respondent Echatana of the
Greek Writers which has come under
control of Russians advancing from
Teheran, lies we'll on the way toward
that part of the Tigris basin where
the English and Turks are struggling
amid scenes of the earliest human bat.
tlehelds," begins war primer issued
by the National Geographic Society.
"The ancient city lies 1873 miles west
southwest of the Persian capital, Te-
heran, while the ground maintained by
the British expeditionaries lies about
ESQ miles away to the southwestward
"All vestiges of the bygone glory ci
the place have been destroyed, save
alone famous but battered stone
lion, which lies in sombre, mutilated
desolation fiat upon the plain near
the road leading to Isfahan. The old
lion has lasted through all the ages
of Hamadan, a guardian genius OF
the town; for it was set us as a tails
man to protect the walls of the city.
The lions fate and the city's fate are
connected with a prophecy that the
city and its people would be safe as
long as the lion was not thrown
down or broken. The talisman TODAY
enjoys a superstititous veneration;
mothers bring their babies to kiss the
huge carven face and pilgrims place
offerings of stone before it. Accord
ing to one tradition, the lion was set
up to brighten away the severe winters
of Mammalian.
"The name of the city can be trac-
ed back to earliest times, and it means
literally a place of meeting of many
ways. In the days of the city's SPLEEN
dor, the most prominent highways OF
the civilized world crossed here. 1t is
still meeting place of many high
ways from many parts of the Persian
kingdom, and the chief station on the
road from Persia to Bagdad and to the
Persian Gulf. 1t has, thus. been able
to maintain scrap of its old preis-
tige as place of wealth, and as city
important in Persian commerce and
industry.
"The leather made in Mammalian Is
in demand throughout the East, and
great quantities of it are exported
unworked and in the forms of saddles,
harnesses, trunks and other leather
articles. Felt goods and copper uten-
sils are made, and fourishing tran
sit trade brings its tolls to the citys
10000 people. There are extensive
and well-stocked bazaars, and more
than 40 caravansaries. Among the
few concessions that the hoary treas
ure city of the king of the kings of
kings has grudgingly made to the
nervous, restless civilization OF the
West are post and telegraph
Office.
"Hamadan is situated at the north
eastern foot of Mount Alvand. whose
grants walls rise to height of H.
900 feet. The city itself has an ele-
walton of $3.50 feet, and level plain,
fifteen miles in length and ten miles
in breadth, spreads before it like a
garden. Barley, wheat, fruits, vege-
tables, and the scarlet poppy pant
are grown in profusipn here. The
mountains frame the plain, like a
part-enclosed appanage OF the city.
Crooked alleys, dirty walks and
street-ways, squalid houses, and din
gy-brown neglect effectually suppress
memories of the city's former great
ness, when it was the home of kings,
the seat of fabulous riches; a fore
most display-city O fthe world, whose
buildings were fretted with gold and
silver; and the home of such riotous
luxury as the world has never seen
again, and as modern civilization has
forgotten how to provide All luxury
has departed from Hamadan; but,
then, the city is supposed to have
passed its 3000th anniversary, an age
at which the giddy pleasures of youth
are no longer tempting.
"Ramaninirari, whose greatest
claim to fame is that he was the hus-
band of Queen Semiramis, began the
long centuries of royal patronage that
built up Hamadan, and his renowned
queen, Semiramis, launched the place
upon its brilliant career. Hamadan
steadily grew in wealth and favor.
added ever new splendors to its pub
lie works, State buildings and private
palaces. erected columns and arcadcs
overlaid with plates of gold and sill