The 2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire , [1] officially known as the 2,500-year celebration of the Empire of Iran ( Persian : جشنهای ۲۵۰۰ ساله شاهنشاهی ایران, romanized : Jašn-hây-e 2500 sale' šâhanšâhi Irân ), was hosted by the Pahlavi dynasty in the Imperial State of Iran in October 1971. Concentrated at Persepolis , it consisted of an elaborate set of grand festivities that sought to honour the legacy of the Achaemenid Empire , which was founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC. [2] [3] The event was aimed at highlighting ancient Iranian history and also showcasing the country's contemporary advances under Mohammad Reza Pahlavi , who had been reigning as the Shah of Iran since 1941. [4] [5] The site brought sixty members of royalty and heads of state from abroad. [6]
