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History Unfortunately, this magnificent palace/temple complex was destroyed by Alexander in 334 BC. Achaemenians had four major residences one for each season. Persepolis was their spring residence and the site for celebrating the New Year. Stone carvings show the king seated on his throne receiving his subjects, governors and ambassadors from various nations under his control. They are presenting him with gifts and paying homage to him. We do not know too much about the details of the rituals. We do know that mornings were spent praying and performing other religious rituals. Later on during the day the guests would be entertained with feasts and celebrations.What we have today as Norouz goes back to the Sassanid period. They were the last great Persian Empire before the advent of Islam 1400 years ago. Their celebrations would start five days prior to the New Year. They believed the guardian angles (Fourohars) would come down to earth within these five days to visit their human counter parts. A major spring-cleaning was carried out to welcome them with feasts and celebrations. Bon fires would be set on rooftops at night to indicate to the guardian angles that humans were ready to receive them. This was called Suri festival. After Islam, there have been major attempts by the Muslim rulers over the centuries to minimize Norouz celebration, ban it or get rid of it once and for all. Their attempts have continued in the contemporary Iran where people still follow and even revive the tradition with great determination. The reasons for the rulers' failure should be sought in the spirit of the celebration. Contrary to the Islamic traditions where death and martyrdom mark all the major rituals, Norouz is a celebration of life.
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