The Role and Function of Money in the Persepolis Royal Economy

The Administrative/Economic Organization of Persepolis is an example of a Large and Complex Economic Organization of the Ancient World that has Different Sections and Parts (including Production, Industrial, Civil, Service, Agriculture, etc.) Included. In terms of Geographical Area, this Organization also covered a large area of Persia and parts of Khuzestan. Its center and management center was in the area of Persepolis/Kur River and specifically in Parseh.The driving force of this organization can be considered a huge manpower (skilled and specialized craftsman, simple worker, secretary/scribe, etc.) who were working in its Various Departments. Another Major feature of Persepolis' economy (documented in Written Sources) is the Large Volume of Goods and Exchanges. One of the important and at the same time ambiguous aspects of the Persepolis Royal Economy is how Money (Coin and Uncoined) plays and functions in its scope. The present article tries to evaluate and analyze this issue by using Archeological findings and Persepolis Tablets. The Research Approach is Historical and the findings have been collected through Library Sources. According to the Persepolis Fortifications and Treasury Tablets, the exchange of surplus product at the end of the year in warehouses and the payment of part or in some cases the entire wage of the labor force has been paid in Cash. The information contained in the above documents shows that the purpose of payments and cash exchanges was to use a kind of uncoined Silver Money in different Weights and Amounts. This trend (the use of money) seems to have begun before the reign of Darius I, and to have spread during his reign (especially during the period of the Treasury Tablets, 492-458 BC). The Social Range of recipients of Cash Payments Mainly includes Artisans, Simple Workers, Warehousemen, and Ranchers. In addition to Uncoined Money, there is evidence of Coinage in Persepolis, but it does not seem to have played a Significant Economic Role.