Cyrus the Great

Cyrus the Great ( Old Persian : ���������� , , Kūruš , Persian : کوروش بزرگ, Kūrosh-e-Bozorg ) (c. 600 BC or 576 BC – December 530 BC), also known as Cyrus II or Cyrus of Persia , was the first Zoroastrian Persian emperor . He was the founder of the Persian Empire under the Achaemenid dynasty . It was under his own rule that the empire embraced all previous civilized states of the ancient Near East , expanded vastly and eventually conquered most of Southwest Asia and much of Central Asia , from Egypt and the Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, to create the largest empire the world had yet seen. The reign of Cyrus lasted 29 to 31 years. Cyrus built his empire by fighting and conquering first the Median Empire , then the Lydian Empire and the Neo-Babylonian Empire . Either before or after Babylon, he led an expedition into central Asia, which resulted in major campaigns that brought "into subjection every nation without exception." Cyrus did not venture into Egypt, as he himself died in battle, fighting the Massagetae along the Syr Darya in December 530 BC. He was succeeded by his son, Cambyses II , who managed to add to the empire by conquering Egypt, Nubia , and Cyrenaica during his short rule. As a military leader, Cyrus left a legacy on the art of leadership and decision making, and he attributed his success to "Diversity in counsel, unity in command." Cyrus the Great respected the customs and religions of the lands he conquered. It is said that in universal history, the role of the Achaemenid empire founded by Cyrus lies in its very successful model for centralized administration and establishing a government working to the advantage and profit of its subjects. In fact, the administration of the empire through satraps and the vital principle of forming a government at Pasargadae were the work of Cyrus. Aside from his own nation, Iran , Cyrus also left a lasting legacy on Jewish religion (through his Edict of Restoration ), human rights , politics , and military strategy , as well as on both Eastern and Western civilizations . Routledge & Kegan Paul. : |volume= has extra text ( help ) ; "The Religion of Cyrus the Great" in A. Method and Theory , Leiden, 1988. Dandamaev "Cyrus II", in Encyclopaedia Iranica . The clan and dynasty) Kuhrt, Amélie (1995). The quote is from the Greek historian Herodotus Beckwith, Christopher. Empires of the Silk Road: A History of Central Eurasia from the Bronze Age to the Present . Cyrus' date of death can be deduced from the last two references to his own reign (a tablet from Borsippa dated to 12 August and the final from Babylon 12 September 530 BC) and the first reference to the reign of his son Cambyses (a tablet from Babylon dated to 31 August and or 4 September), but a undocumented tablet from the city of Kish dates the last official reign of Cyrus to 4 December 530 BC; see R.A. Cyrus the Great) Cyrus’ religious policies. Litt, The foundation and extension of the Persian empire , Chapter I in The Cambridge Ancient History Vol. Excerpt: The administration of the empire through satrap, and much more belonging to the form or spirit of the government, was the work of Cyrus...

Cyrus II of Persia ( Old Persian : Kūruš ; New Persian : کوروش بُزُرگ Kurosh-e Bozorg ; c. 600 or 576 – 530 BC ), commonly known as Cyrus the Great and also known as Cyrus the Elder , was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire . Under his rule, the empire embraced all the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East , expanded vastly and eventually conquered most of Southwest Asia and much of Central Asia and the Caucasus . From the Mediterranean Sea and Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, Cyrus the Great created the largest empire the world had yet seen. Under his successors, the empire eventually stretched from parts of the Balkans ( Bulgaria - Pannonia ) and Thrace - Macedonia in the west, to the Indus Valley in the east. His regal titles in full were The Great King, King of Persia, King of Anshan, King of Media, King of Babylon, King of Sumer and Akkad, and King of the Four Corners of the World. In the 1970s, the Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi identified his famous proclamation inscribed onto Cyrus Cylinder as the oldest known declaration of human rights , and the Cylinder has since been popularized as such. This view has been criticized by some historians as a misunderstanding of the Cylinder's generic nature as a traditional statement that new monarchs make at the beginning of their reign. The reign of Cyrus the Great lasted between 29 and 31 years. Cyrus built his empire by conquering first the Median Empire , then the Lydian Empire and eventually the Neo-Babylonian Empire . Either before or after Babylon, he led an expedition into central Asia, which resulted in major campaigns that were described as having brought "into subjection every nation without exception". Cyrus did not venture into Egypt, as he himself died in battle, fighting the Massagetae along the Syr Darya in December 530 BC. He was succeeded by his son, Cambyses II , who managed to add to the empire by conquering Egypt , Nubia , and Cyrenaica during his short rule. Cyrus the Great respected the customs and religions of the lands he conquered. It is said that in universal history, the role of the Achaemenid Empire founded by Cyrus lies in its very successful model for centralized administration and establishing a government working to the advantage and profit of its subjects. In fact, the administration of the empire through satraps and the vital principle of forming a government at Pasargadae were the works of Cyrus. What is sometimes referred to as the Edict of Restoration (actually two edicts) described in the Bible as being made by Cyrus the Great left a lasting legacy on the Jewish religion , where, because of his policies in Babylonia, he is referred to by the Jewish Bible as Messiah (Isaiah 44:24, 26–45:3, 13, lit. "the anointed one"), and is the only non-Jew to be called so: So said the Lord to His anointed one, to Cyrus — Isaiah , Isa 45:1–7 Cyrus the Great is also well recognized for his achievements in human rights , politics , and military strategy , as well as his influence on both Eastern and Western civilizations . Having originated from Persis , roughly corresponding to the modern Iranian province of Fars , Cyrus has played a crucial role in defining the national identity of modern Iran . Cyrus and, indeed, the Achaemenid influence in the ancient world also extended as far as Athens , where many Athenians adopted aspects of the Achaemenid Medo-Persian culture as their own, in a reciprocal cultural exchange. Dandamaev "Cyrus II", in Encyclopaedia Iranica . The clan and dynasty) Kuhrt, Amélie (1995). The History of Iran . Biblical Archaeology: Documents from the British Museum . The quote is from the Greek historian Herodotus . Empires of the Silk Road: A History of Central Eurasia from the Bronze Age to the Present . Cyrus's date of death can be deduced from the last two references to his own reign (a tablet from Borsippa dated to 12 August and the final from Babylon 12 September 530 BC) and the first reference to the reign of his son Cambyses (a tablet from Babylon dated to 31 August and or 4 September), but a undocumented tablet from the city of Kish dates the last official reign of Cyrus to 4 December 530 BC; see R. Cyrus the Great) Cyrus's religious policies. Litt, The foundation and extension of the Persian empire , Chapter I in The Cambridge Ancient History Vol. IV , 2nd edition, published by The University Press, 1927. Excerpt: The administration of the empire through satrap, and much more belonging to the form or spirit of the government, was the work of Cyrus ... Birth of the Persian Empire . Defining Iran: Politics of Resistance .

King and founder of the Achaemenid Empire Cyrus II of Persia ( Kūruš ; New Persian : کوروش Kuruš ; Hebrew : , Modern : Kōréš , Tiberian : Kōréš ; c. 600 – 530 BC), commonly known as Cyrus the Great , and also called Cyrus the Elder by the Greeks, was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire , the first Persian Empire . Under his rule, the empire embraced all the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East , expanded vastly and eventually conquered most of Western Asia and much of Central Asia . From the Mediterranean Sea and Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, Cyrus the Great created the largest empire the world had yet seen. Under his successors, the empire eventually stretched at its maximum extent from parts of the Balkans ( Bulgaria - Paeonia and Thrace - Macedonia ) and Eastern Europe proper in the west, to the Indus Valley in the east. His regal titles in full were The Great King, King of Persia, King of Anshan, King of Media, King of Babylon, King of Sumer and Akkad, and King of the Four Corners of the World . The Nabonidus Chronicle notes the change in his title from simply "King of Anshan," a city, to "King of Persia." Assyriologist François Vallat wrote that "When Astyages marched against Cyrus, Cyrus is called 'King of Anshan," but when Cyrus crosses the Tigris on his way to Lydia, he is 'King of Persia.' The coup therefore took place between these two events." The reign of Cyrus the Great lasted c. 30 years. Cyrus built his empire by first conquering the Median Empire , then the Lydian Empire , and eventually the Neo-Babylonian Empire . He led an expedition into Central Asia, which resulted in major campaigns that were described as having brought "into subjection every nation without exception." Cyrus did not venture into Egypt, and was alleged to have died in battle, fighting the Massagetae along the Syr Darya in December 530 BC. He was succeeded by his son, Cambyses II , who managed to conquer Egypt , Nubia , and Cyrenaica during his short rule. Cyrus the Great respected the customs and religions of the lands he conquered. This became a very successful model for centralized administration and establishing a government working to the advantage and profit of its subjects. In fact, the administration of the empire through satraps and the vital principle of forming a government at Pasargadae were the works of Cyrus. What is sometimes referred to as the Edict of Restoration (actually two edicts) described in the Bible as being made by Cyrus the Great left a lasting legacy on the Jewish religion. According to Isaiah 45:1 of the Hebrew Bible , God anointed Cyrus for this task, even referring to him as a messiah (lit. 'anointed one') and he is the only non-Jewish figure in the Bible to be called so. Cyrus the Great is also well recognized for his achievements in human rights , politics , and military strategy , as well as his influence on both Eastern and Western civilizations . Having originated from Persis , roughly corresponding to the modern Iranian province of Fars , Cyrus has played a crucial role in defining the national identity of modern Iran . The Achaemenid influence in the ancient world eventually would extend as far as Athens , where upper-class Athenians adopted aspects of the culture of the ruling class of Achaemenid Persia as their own. Cyrus is a cult figure amongst modern Iranians, with his tomb serving as a spot of reverence for millions of people. In the 1970s, the last Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi identified his famous proclamation inscribed onto the Cyrus Cylinder as the oldest known declaration of human rights , and the Cylinder has since been popularized as such. This view has been criticized by some historians as a misunderstanding of the Cylinder's generic nature as a traditional statement that new monarchs make at the beginning of their reign. Persia and the Persian Question . The Cambridge history of Iran: The Median and Achaemenian periods . Dandamaev "Cyrus II", in Encyclopaedia Iranica . The clan and dynasty) Kuhrt, Amélie (1995). The Ancient Near East: c. 3000–330 BC . The Palace of Darius at Susa: The Great Royal Residence of Achaemenid Persia . The quote is from the Greek historian Herodotus . Empires of the Silk Road: A History of Central Eurasia from the Bronze Age to the Present . Cyrus's date of death can be deduced from the last two references to his own reign (a tablet from Borsippa dated to 12 August and the final from Babylon 12 September 530 BC) and the first reference to the reign of his son Cambyses (a tablet from Babylon dated to 31 August and or 4 September), but an undocumented tablet from the city of Kish dates the last official reign of Cyrus to 4 December 530 BC; see R.A. Cyrus the Great) Cyrus's religious policies. Litt, The foundation and extension of the Persian empire , Chapter I in The Cambridge Ancient History Vol. Excerpt: The administration of the empire through satrap, and much more belonging to the form or spirit of the government, was the work of Cyrus ... The Biblical Archaeology Society (BAS) (24 August 2015). Birth of the Persian Empire . Defining Iran: Politics of Resistance . The History of Iran . Biblical Archaeology: Documents from the British Museum .

Founder of the Achaemenid Empire (c. 600–530 BC) Cyrus II of Persia ( c. 600–530 BC ; Kūruš ), commonly known as Cyrus the Great , was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire , the First Persian Empire . Under his rule the empire embraced all of the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East , expanded vastly and eventually conquered most of Western Asia and much of Central Asia . Spanning from the Mediterranean Sea and Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, the empire created by Cyrus was the largest the world had yet seen. At its maximum extent under his successors, the Achaemenid Empire stretched from parts of the Balkans ( Eastern Bulgaria – Paeonia and Thrace – Macedonia ) and Southeast Europe proper in the west to the Indus Valley in the east. The reign of Cyrus lasted about thirty years. His empire took root with his conquests of the Median Empire , then the Lydian Empire and eventually the Neo-Babylonian Empire . He also led an expedition into Central Asia, which resulted in major campaigns that were described as having brought "into subjection every nation without exception". Cyrus did not venture into Egypt , and was alleged to have died in battle while fighting the Massagetae , an ancient Eastern Iranian nomadic tribal confederation , along the Syr Darya in December 530 BC. However Xenophon claimed that Cyrus did not die in battle and returned to the Achaemenid ceremonial capital of Persepolis again. He was succeeded by his son, Cambyses II , who managed to conquer Egypt, Nubia and Cyrenaica during his short rule. Known as Cyrus the Elder ( ) to the Greeks , he was well known for having respected the customs and religions of the lands he conquered. He was important in developing the system of a central administration at Pasargadae governing satraps in the empire's border regions, which worked very effectively and profitably for both rulers and subjects. The Edict of Restoration , a proclamation in which Cyrus authorized and encouraged the return of the Jews to Judaea following his conquest of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, is described in the Bible and left a lasting legacy on the Jewish religion due to his role in ending the Babylonian captivity and facilitating the Jewish return to Zion . According to Isaiah 45:1 of the Hebrew Bible , God anointed Cyrus for this task, even referring to him as a messiah ( lit. ' anointed one ' ); Cyrus is the only non- Jewish figure in the Bible to be revered in this capacity. Cyrus is also recognized for his achievements in human rights , politics , and military strategy , as well as his influence on both Eastern and Western civilizations . The Achaemenid influence in the ancient world would eventually extend as far as Athens , where upper-class Athenians adopted aspects of the culture of the ruling class of Achaemenid Persia as their own. Having originated from Persis , roughly corresponding to the modern-day Fars Province of Iran , Cyrus has played a crucial role in defining the national identity of modern Iran. He remains a cult figure amongst modern Iranians , with his tomb serving as a spot of reverence for millions of people. In the 1970s, the last Shah of Iran , Mohammad Reza Pahlavi , identified Cyrus's famous proclamation inscribed onto the Cyrus Cylinder as the oldest-known declaration of human rights, and the Cylinder has since been popularized as such. This view has been criticized by some Western historians as a misunderstanding of the Cylinder's generic nature as a traditional statement that new monarchs make at the beginning of their reign. Persia and the Persian Question . The Cambridge History of Iran: The Median and Achaemenian periods . Dandamaev "Cyrus II", in Encyclopaedia Iranica . The quote is from the Greek historian Herodotus . Empires of the Silk Road: A History of Central Eurasia from the Bronze Age to the Present . Cyrus the Great) Cyrus's religious policies. Litt, The foundation and extension of the Persian empire , Chapter I in The Cambridge Ancient History Vol. Excerpt: The administration of the empire through satrap, and much more belonging to the form or spirit of the government, was the work of Cyrus ... The Biblical Archaeology Society (BAS) (24 August 2015). Birth of the Persian Empire . Defining Iran: Politics of Resistance . The History of Iran . Biblical Archaeology: Documents from the British Museum . There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ).

Founder of the Achaemenid Empire (600–530 BC) Cyrus II of Persia ( Old Persian : 𐎤𐎢𐎽𐎢𐏁 Kūruš ; c. 600 – 530 BC), commonly known as Cyrus the Great , was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire . Hailing from Persis , he brought the Achaemenid dynasty to power by defeating the Median Empire and embracing all of the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East , expanding vastly across most of West Asia and much of Central Asia to create what would soon become the largest empire in history at the time . The Achaemenid Empire's greatest territorial extent was achieved under Darius the Great , whose rule stretched from Southeast Europe in the west to the Indus Valley in the east. After absorbing the Median Empire, Cyrus conquered Lydia and eventually the Neo-Babylonian Empire , granting him control of Anatolia and the Fertile Crescent , respectively. He also led a major expedition into Central Asia, where his army brought "into subjection every nation without exception" before he allegedly died in battle with the Massagetae , a nomadic Eastern Iranian people , along the Syr Darya in December 530 BC. However, per Xenophon of Athens , Cyrus did not die fighting and had instead returned to the capital city of Pasargadae . Regardless of the date of his death, he was succeeded by his son Cambyses II , whose campaigns into North Africa led to the conquests of Egypt , Nubia , and Cyrenaica during his short rule. To the Greeks , he was known as Cyrus the Elder ( Κῦρος ὁ Πρεσβύτερος Kŷros ho Presbýteros ) and was particularly renowned among contemporary scholars because of his habitual policy of tolerance for peoples' customs and religions in the lands that he conquered. Similarly, he is exalted in Judaism for his role in freeing the Jewish people from the Babylonian captivity by issuing the Edict of Restoration following the Persian conquest of Babylon . This event is described in the Hebrew Bible as the return to Zion , whereby displaced Jews were repatriated to what had been the Kingdom of Judah , thus enabling the resurgence of Jewish life in the Land of Israel . Cyrus also facilitated Jewish aspirations for a new Temple in Jerusalem in the Achaemenid Empire's Province of Judah , where the original Solomon's Temple had once stood before being destroyed during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem . His efforts resulted in the completion of the Second Temple , which marked the beginning of the Second Temple period and Second Temple Judaism . According to the Book of Isaiah , he was anointed by Yahweh and explicitly designated " messiah " for this task; Cyrus is the only non-Jewish figure to be revered in this capacity. In addition to his influence on traditions in both the East and the West , Cyrus is recognized for his achievements in human rights, politics, and military strategy. He was influential in developing the system of a central administration at his capital city to govern the Achaemenid Empire's satraps , who worked for the profit of both rulers and subjects. His realm's prestige in the ancient world would gradually reach as far west as Athens , where upper-class Greeks adopted aspects of the culture of the ruling Persian class as their own. Likewise, Cyrus' reign played a crucial role in defining the history of Iran for well over a millennium, as future Persian empires often viewed the Achaemenid era with deference and as the ideal example to emulate. His dynasty was also instrumental in allowing Zoroastrianism to develop and spread as far east as China . To this end, he remains a cult figure in modern Iran , with his Pasargadae tomb serving as a spot of reverence for millions of the country's citizens. The Cambridge History of Iran: The Median and Achaemenian periods . Dandamaev "Cyrus II", in Encyclopaedia Iranica . The quote is from the Greek historian Herodotus . Empires of the Silk Road . The Biblical Archaeology Society (BAS) (24 August 2015). Litt, The foundation and extension of the Persian empire , Chapter I in The Cambridge Ancient History Vol. Excerpt: The administration of the empire through satrap, and much more belonging to the form or spirit of the government, was the work of Cyrus ... Birth of the Persian Empire . Defining Iran: Politics of Resistance . There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ).