Geopolitical Elements of Political Legitimacy in the Bisitun Inscription

The present paper is an attempt to discuss the impact of geopolitics on the elements of political legitimacy in ancient Iran as manifested in the Iranian ancient inscription of Bisitun. The main document used for the present research is the translation of the Bisitun inscription in the city of Hamedan (ancient Hegmataneh), western Iran, which was carved in 517 BC on the rocks of the mountains of Hegmataneh, the seat of power of the Achaemenids. The translation of the inscription has been analyzed through descriptive-analytical method to find out the element of political legitimacy in ancient Iran and then to analyze the impact of geopolitics on these elements