Histories

And having obtained power, he forced the Medes to build him one city and to fortify and care for this more strongly than all the rest. The Medes did this for him, too. So he built the big and strong walls, one standing inside the next in circles, which are now called Hamadan [48.583,34.766] (inhabited place), Hamadan, Iran, AsiaEcbatana.[*](Modern Hamadan [48.583,34.766] (inhabited place), Hamadan, Iran, Asia Hamadan, probably; but see Rawlinson's note.)

This fortress is so designed that each circle of walls is higher than the next outer circle by no more than the height of its battlements; to which plan the site itself, on a hill in the plain, contributes somewhat, but chiefly it was accomplished by skill.