Darreh Shahr Ancient City Darreh Shahr Ancient City Darreh Shahr Ancient City is the name of a ruined area next to the existing city of Darreh Shahr in southwest Iran, in Ilam Province. The ruins belong to an ancient city of the late Sassanid era (224 – 651 AD) and is believed to be built on remnants of the Elamite capital, Madakto. Historic texts and also recent findings reveal the fact that the city included about 5,000 houses with some modern aspects like an ego system. The city was destroyed and deserted after a huge earthquake around 950 AD. In ancient times, Elamites governed
Dvin (ancient city) facades. All that remains of the cathedral today are the stone foundations uncovered during archaeological excavations in the 20th century. Dvin (ancient city) Dvin (, ; , or , ; ; also Duin or Dwin in ancient sources) was a large commercial city and the capital of early medieval Armenia. It was situated north of the previous ancient capital of Armenia, the city of Artaxata, along the banks of the Metsamor River, 35 km to the south of modern Yerevan. The site of the ancient city is currently not much more than a large hill located between modern Hnaberd (just