Shushan
    a lily, the Susa of Greek and Roman writers, once the capital of
    Elam. It lay in the uplands of Susiana, on the east of the
    Tigris, about 150 miles to the north of the head of the Persian
    Gulf. It is the modern Shush, on the northwest of Shuster. Once
    a magnificent city, it is now an immense mass of ruins. Here
    Daniel saw one of his visions (Dan. 8); and here also Nehemiah
    (Neh. 1) began his public life. Most of the events recorded in
    the Book of Esther took place here. Modern explorers have
    brought to light numerous relics, and the ground-plan of the
    splendid palace of Shushan, one of the residences of the great
    king, together with numerous specimens of ancient art, which
    illustrate the statements of Scripture regarding it (Dan. 8:2).
    The great hall of this palace (Esther 1) "consisted of several
    magnificent groups of columns, together with a frontage of 343
    feet 9 inches, and a depth of 244 feet. These groups were
    arranged into a central phalanx of thirty-six columns (six rows
    of six each), flanked on the west, north, and east by an equal
    number, disposed in double rows of six each, and distant from
    them 64 feet 2 inches." The inscriptions on the ruins represent
    that the palace was founded by Darius and completed by
    Artaxerxes.



 Shushan, lily; rose; joy