Born: Unknown, Iran (assumed)
Died: Unknown
Country most active: Iran
Also known as: NA
This biography was originally published in the World History Encyclopedia and was written by Joshua J. Mark. It is shared in line with the Encyclopedia’s policies under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The best-known and wealthiest businesswoman attested to in the records of the Achaemenid Empire at Persepolis. Irdabama dealt primarily in wine and grain and oversaw business holdings, production centers, and estates in Iran, Syria, Egypt, Media, and Babylonia. She commanded a workforce of 480 laborers and personally oversaw production, sales, and distribution. Traveling extensively with a large entourage, Irdabama would have been an impressive figure as she arrived at her various estates to conduct her business. She had her own seal in authenticating written documents – further attesting to her high social status – and employed male and female subordinates to oversee business matters, collect revenue, and relay messages.