| On this mountain in North Cyprus, overlooking | | | | case before the court. |
| the village of Vouni below, stands a palace. | | | | |
| As you look at the fragmentary walls, let | | | | "Come, come, don't be shy. The people you see |
| your guide be a figure from 483 B.C., when | | | | in this third room are the wealthy and the |
| Persia and Greece fought to dominate the | | | | noble. You can tell by the lavish embroidery |
| island. Cyprus is divided into several small | | | | on their robes. The rich have threads of gold |
| kingdoms. Your guide is Himilcar, elder | | | | and silver; the noble can wear Tyrian purple, |
| statesman and advisor to Doxandros, King of | | | | most precious of dyes. |
| Marion. Marion is a city not far away, and | | | | |
| the Persians built this palace for Doxandros, | | | | "My own office is on the right side of this |
| who has sworn loyalty to them. | | | | last waiting room. Just take a peek and see |
| | | | the jumble of scrolls on my desk. Every day I |
| Come to the old entryway on the southwest | | | | fall farther behind. Now we go straight ahead |
| side of the building. Can you hear Himilcar | | | | into the throne room. |
| mumbling to himself as he approaches the | | | | |
| palace? | | | | "Come up these seven steps. The steps are |
| | | | broad to announce that the king will receive |
| "It's been fifteen years since the Greeks of | | | | all his people. Of course he sees mainly the |
| Ionia began the Great Revolt. Did they learn | | | | important ones. See the brightly painted |
| nothing from defeat? | | | | columns and the thrones. There the king and |
| | | | queen receive petitioners and well-wishers. |
| "Oh, greetings, stranger. I did not see you | | | | The rich and the noble stroll about here, |
| there. Come here, under the porch. Our hot | | | | seeking favor, always plotting for favor. |
| Cypriot sun will bake your brains otherwise. | | | | |
| What is the Great Revolt, you ask? In what | | | | "The queen's apartments are on the left. The |
| cave have you been living? The Greek cities | | | | king and his son have rooms on the right. |
| of Ionia in Asia Minor rebelled against our | | | | Magnificent as these rooms are, with their |
| Persian King of Kings. The Cypriot kings who | | | | painted walls and the pots of lilies and |
| favored Greece, in cities like Soli, also | | | | roses, I will show you the real wonder of the |
| rose in revolt. | | | | palace. |
| | | | |
| "But the revolt was doomed from the start. | | | | "See here behind the King's chamber? Two |
| The domains of the King of Kings stretch from | | | | bathrooms with toilets and beyond them, a hot |
| Egypt to India and his army is beyond | | | | bath. The water comes from our own cisterns |
| counting. He crushed the revolt on Cyprus in | | | | and is heated and piped in. You'll find |
| a matter of days. | | | | nothing like it between Crete and Persia. |
| | | | |
| "But come in, come in. I am Himilcar, chief | | | | "We can go through here to the large |
| adviser to King Doxandros of Marion. Have you | | | | courtyard. The rooms all around are |
| ever been in a Persian palace? Yes, it really | | | | storerooms and garrison rooms for the troops. |
| is Persian, Persian designed and Persian | | | | Armor and weapons are stored here, along with |
| built. | | | | food supplies. See the well? It goes into a |
| | | | cavern we have cut into the very mountain. It |
| "How did that happen, you ask? During the | | | | serves as one of many cisterns that hold |
| Great Revolt King Doxandros remained loyal to | | | | winter rain for us to use all year long. |
| the Persians. As a reward, the King of Kings | | | | |
| built this palace for him. | | | | "Excuse me, please. I must speak to that |
| | | | fellow over there. You may look through the |
| A pair of guards, their round shields slung | | | | storerooms and staff quarters that surround |
| across their back and their long swords | | | | this central court." |
| sheathed, stands in front of the doorway. | | | | |
| | | | The courtyard is filled with activity. |
| In a corner of the room a scribe sits | | | | Muscular men in kilts are polishing armor in |
| cross-legged on a cushion, his writing board | | | | the shade. In one corner a smith is putting a |
| across his knees. At his side are sheets of | | | | new cutting edge on a pile of swords. The |
| papyrus paper, sharpened reeds he will use as | | | | cook and her assistants are plucking chickens |
| pens, and a clay jug of ink. | | | | across the way, singing softly as they work. |
| | | | But here is Hamilcar returning. |
| "Come down the stairs here on the right. | | | | |
| These are living quarters for the senior | | | | "Who is he? The man I spoke with? No harm in |
| officials, and for me. | | | | telling you, I suppose. He is one of my |
| | | | spies. |
| "Across the hallway from our living quarters | | | | |
| are the palace storerooms. Here the king | | | | "King Xerxes is preparing to march on Greece. |
| keeps stores of food, of cloth, of precious | | | | He needs to know which cities will support |
| herbs and dyestuffs. See how the large vases, | | | | him, and which might try to stab him in the |
| the amphorae, are sunk into the ground. Back | | | | back. Soli rose against Persia once, and |
| toward the front of the palace are the guard | | | | might do so again. So, I have spies in Soli. |
| rooms. You can hear the guards laughing over | | | | |
| a dice game. No, they don't live there. They | | | | "I must return to my work. But you feel free |
| are on duty, passing time until they are | | | | to wander about. May Anat bless you in your |
| needed. | | | | comings and goings." |
| | | | |
| "Come through into the reception rooms. The | | | | So farewell to the old ghost, from a time |
| ordinary people wait here. On the right is | | | | long ago when Asia and Europe held Cyprus in |
| the king's official recorder. On the left is | | | | a tug-of-war and bitterness divided city from |
| the queen's. People come here to have land | | | | city. |
| transfers recorded, to pay taxes, to bring a | | | | |