It was meant to be the 2500th year celebration of the Persian empire, but it turned out to be the catalyst for the dynasty’s downfall.
In 1971, the Shah of Iran, ‘king of kings’, wanted to celebrated the Persian monarchy and channel the legacy of Cyrus the Great by throwing the most lavish party party in history in the ancient city of Persepolis. Over a decadent five-day period, royals and heads of state from around the globe were treated to a pageant of costing and estimated $100 million ($622 million in today’s money), featuring thousands of soldiers, actors and servants, dressed in ancient Persian costume,with catering flown in from Paris. While a high point for the world’s elites, it marked the beginning of the end of the regime, as the event emboldened the opposition, led by the Ayatollah Khomeini, eventually leading to the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Watch this stunning documentary film:
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Title: Decadence and Downfall: The Shah of Iran’s Ultimate Party
Run time: 1 hour 16 min
Production: BBC Documentary (2016)
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