PASARGADiE. 
487 
form a base for any heavy bulwark on its summit; and moreover, 
on no point whatever of its adjacent cliffs, are there any vestiges 
of supporting fortification. The hill unquestionably commands 
the entrance to the valley, or rather plain of Mourg-aub, now re¬ 
ceived to be that of Pasargadas ; but the strong natural barriers 
which the mountains present to the south and to the north, render 
additional walls unnecessary. Nevertheless, Pliny calls this spot 
“ the Castle of Pasargadse, occupied by the Magi, and wherein is 
the tomb of Cyrus:” — “ Inde ad orientem Magi obtinent Pas- 
sagardas castellum, in quo Cyre sepulcrum est.” Plin. vi. 26. 
The city of Pasargadae may, therefore, rather be considered a 
holy city, consecrated to the colleges of the Magi, and the officers 
of religion, than as a stationary royal residence. And nothing can 
be more probable, since it was built by Cyrus to commemorate 
the great victories which made him king, than that he should con¬ 
secrate it to the gods. Cyrus, according to Xenophon, made seven 
visits into Persia Proper, his original kingdom, after his accession 
to the vast empire to which he gave its name ; and although that 
historian does not specify the particular place in his paternal 
land, whither he went to perform his accustomed religious 
duties ; yet, as he was the founder of Pasargadae, avowedly as a 
memorial of his national achievements, what can we more naturally 
suppose, than that Pasargadae would be the scene of such rites ? 
The idea seems to be corroborated by the fact, that it was long 
the custom with his successors, on their accession to the throne, 
not only to receive here the usual insignia of government, but, 
attended by their nobles and priests, to make the most solemn 
sacrifices on the summit of the mountain. Why therefore mav 
we not consider this immense platform (evidently raised to en¬ 
large that of the hill) the spot on which the altar, priests, and 
