Susa was one of the oldest cities in the world and part of the site is still inhabited as Shush, Khuzestan Province, Iran. Excavations have uncovered evidence of continual habitation dating back to 4395 BCE but that early community grew from an even older one dating back to c. 7000 BCE.
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Definition
Timeline
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c. 4200 BCEFounding of the city of Susa.
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c. 3200 BCE - c. 2700 BCESusa develops from an earlier settlement during the Proto-Elamite Period.
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c. 2700 BCE - c. 1600 BCESusa establishes commerce and trade during the Old Elamite Period; is conquered by Kish, Akkad, Ur, and Babylon.
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c. 1600 BCE - c. 1100 BCESusa flourishes during the Middle Elamite Period; consolidates power.
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c. 1275 BCE - 1240 BCEReign of Untash-Napirisha from Susa; construction of the Great Ziggurat of Dur-Untash.
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c. 1210 BCE - 1100 BCESusa prospers under the Shutrukid Dynasty.
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c. 1185 BCE - c. 1150 BCEReign of Shutruk Nakhunte who founds Elamite Empire from Susa.
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c. 1100 BCE - 540 BCENeo-Elamite Period during which Susa is conquered by a series of foreign powers; Elamite history ends with conquest by Cyrus the Great.
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c. 646 BCEDestruction of the Elamite city of Susa by Ashurbanipal of the Neo-Assyrian Empire
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c. 465 BCE - c. 424 BCESusa is destroyed by fire under the reign of King Artaxerxes I.
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404 BCE - 358 BCEReign of Artaxerxes II Mnemon of the Achaemenid Persian Empire.
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c. Oct 331 BCESusa surrenders without contest to Alexander the Great who sacks it.
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312 BCE - 63 BCESusa is part of the Seleucid Empire.
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247 BCE - 224 CESusa serves as one of two capitals under the Parthian Empire.
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224 CE - 651 CESusa declines under the reign of the Sasanian Empire.
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309 CE - 379 CEReign of Shapur II of the Sasanian Empire; Susa is sacked and population deported.
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638 CESusa is sacked and destroyed by Muslim invaders under Caliph Omar.
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1218 CESusa is completely destroyed by invading Mongols.
