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Persepolis was the capital of the Persian kingdom. Alexander described it to the Macedonians as the most hateful of the cities of Asia,1 and gave it over to his soldiers to plunder, all but the palaces. [2] It was the richest city under the sun and the private houses had been furnished with every sort of wealth over the years. The Macedonians raced into it slaughtering all the men whom they met and plundering the residences; many of the houses belonged to the common people and were abundantly supplied with furniture and wearing apparel of every kind. [3] Here much silver was carried off and no little gold, and many rich dresses gay with sea purple or with gold embroidery became the prize of the victors. The enormous palaces, famed throughout the whole civilized world, fell victim to insult and utter destruction. [4]

The Macedonians gave themselves up to this orgy of plunder for a whole day and still could not satisfy their boundless greed for more. [5] Such was their exceeding lust for loot withal that they fought with each other and killed many of their fellows who had appropriated a greater portion of it. The richest of the finds some cut through with their swords so that each might have his own part. Some cut off the hands of those who were grasping at disputed property, being driven mad by their passions. [6] They dragged off women, clothes and all, converting their captivity into slavery.2

As Persepolis had exceeded all other cities in prosperity, so in the same measure it now exceeded all others in misery.3

1 Curtius 5.6.1 (not in Arrian).

2 Curtius 5.6.1-8. In any captured town, it was customary to kill the men and enslave the women. Here, because of the prevailing level of luxury, the rich stuffs were the object of first attention, and women were abducted because of the clothing which they wore.

3 Diodorus does not say whether Alexander accepted the offer of Tiridates to surrender Persepolis to him (chap. 69.1). The city was treated as if it had been taken by storm. Curtius 5.6.11 reports that Tiridates was rewarded for turning over the royal treasures.

Diodorus Siculus. Diodorus of Sicily in Twelve Volumes with an English Translation by C. H. Oldfather. Vol. 4-8. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. 1989.

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