Last week’s look at Ancient Eelam was due to current events in Iran, which used to be called Persia. But the Persian Empire didn't begin until around 550 BC. The oldest culture we know of in Iran was the Eelamites. They flourished from around 6000 years ago; as old as the world's oldest known civilizations in nearby Sumer (or Sumeria) in southern Iraq today. The main cities of Eelam were Anshan in the southwest Zagros mountains, and Susa (Shush) on the plain of what was koo-zuh-STAN, Susiana or Ilam. . .