A CAMEL DRIVER IN THE ACHAEMENID PERSIAN EMPIRE: SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS OF A NON-ELITE PROFESSIONAL AND THE PERSEPOLIS FORTIFICATION ARCHIVE

Abstract This paper applies social network analysis in a study of the Persepolis Fortification archive to gain a more holistic picture of life in Achaemenid Persepolis. In particular, the paper focuses on translating the data from the archive into a series of network relations and visualizations and then identifying and examining a group of influential non-elites. These data allow for a particularly thorough examination of non-elite social, economic, and cultural choices. One particular non-elite individual, Dakizidda the camel driver, is used as a case study to elucidate the non-elite experience at Persepolis from a social network perspective.