Cyrus the Great

Extracted Attributes

• Title

  Founder of the Achaemenid Empire

• Father

  Cambyses I

• Mother

  Mandane

• Full Name

  Cyrus II of Persia

• Birth Date

  -0600-01-01

• Death Date

  -0530-12-01

• Birth Place

  Anshan, Persia

• Burial Site

  Pasargadae, Iran

• Death Place

  Syr Darya, Central Asia

• Key Document

  Cyrus Cylinder

• Religious Title

  Messiah (in Judaism)

• Maternal Grandfather

  Astyages

Timeline

• Born in Anshan, Persia to Cambyses I and Mandane. (Source: undefined)

  -0600-01-01

• Succeeded his father, Cambyses I, as the King of Anshan. (Source: undefined)

  -0559-01-01

• Defeated the Median Empire and its king, Astyages, uniting the Medes and Persians. (Source: undefined)

  -0550-01-01

• Conquered the Neo-Babylonian Empire and issued the Edict of Restoration, freeing the Jewish people. (Source: undefined)

  -0539-01-01

• Died during a military campaign against the Massagetae along the Syr Darya. (Source: undefined)

  -0530-12-01

Cyrus the Great

Cyrus II of Persia (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 and Northeast Africa 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, according to 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 led to the conquests of Egypt, Nubia, and Cyrenaica during his short reign. 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 sovereignty 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 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's 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.

Web Search Results

• Cyrus the Great and the Persian Empire | History | Research Starters

  Cyrus the Great, the first Achaemenian emperor, founded Persia by uniting the two original Iranian tribes, the Medes and Persians, in 549 b.c.e. Cyrus’s name in Old Persian was Kurush, which probably meant “old dog” or possibly just “son” in a local dialect. According to the Greek historian Herodotus (c. 484-c. 424 b.c.e.), Cyrus’s father was the Iranian nobleman Cambyses I (c. 530 b.c.e.) and his mother, the Median princess Mandane, was the daughter of Astyages, the last king of the Medes, who ruled the area of Persia at the time of Cyrus’s birth. However, other notable historians, such as Ctesias (fl. c. 400 b.c.e.), claimed that many accounts of Cyrus’s life were merely legends. Although intertribal marriages to solidify power were common, it may also be that the account of Cambyses’ [...] Research Starters Home EBSCO Knowledge Advantage TM # Cyrus the Great and the Persian Empire Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Persian Empire in 549 B.C.E., united the Medes and Persians, establishing one of the largest empires of the ancient world. Born to an Iranian nobleman and a Median princess, he inherited the throne of Anshan and rapidly expanded his rule by conquering the Median kingdom and other regions. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Cyrus adopted a policy of tolerance, allowing conquered peoples to retain their customs and governance structures, which contributed to the stability and cohesion of his empire.

• Cyrus the Great - Heritage History

  to last from 550 B.C. until its overthrow by Alexander the Great in 331 B.C. . [...] # Cyrus the Great ## (Cyrus II of Persia)558–529 BC | | | CYRUS THE GREAT | Cyrus was the founder of the Great Persian Empire. He is a character of great importance in history, and a detailed history of his somewhat extraordinary birth and upbringing are given by both Herodotus and Xenophon. Although later Persian emperors were not known for their magnanimity, Cyrus has a relatively good reputation as a just and merciful monarch. He is credited by the Jews with overthrowing the much harsher Babylonian Empire, and allowing 40,000 Jewish exiles to return to Judea. There are numerous other examples of his leniency in dealing with conquered peoples.

• The Rise of Cyrus the Great - Aspects of History

  The most important royal inscription extant from Cyrus himself is the famous Cyrus Cylinder from Babylon. Therein, Cyrus’ traced his royal lineage through three generations to his great-grandfather Teispes as kings of Anshan. Anshan was the age-old name given by the Elamites, the Persians’ predecessors in Iran, to the region called subsequently Parsa (modern Fars), the core of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. About Teispes we know little beyond the name, though there are glimpses in mid-seventh century Assyrian sources of a Persian kingdom on the rise, probably under his rulership or that of his son, the first Cyrus. (Cyrus the Great was Cyrus II.) Cyrus the Great’s father, Cambyses I is also a bit of a cipher. He is attested as Cyrus’ father in royal inscriptions from Babylonia, but even [...] that Cyrus had his sights upon Egypt as well, but the conquest of much of north-eastern Africa fell to his son and successor, Cambyses II. Cyrus died in August of 530 BC, on campaign somewhere east of the Aral Sea. He left an indelible legacy, and his successors continued his work, which included his new capital, Pasargadae, a foundational tribute to the Persians’ renowned love of gardens as well as a physical manifestation of the first universal empire. [...] BC, which paved the way for Nabonidus’ capture, an orderly transition, and Cyrus’ ceremonial entry into Babylon later that month. The Cyrus Cylinder, alluded to earlier, is a paean to Cyrus and a testament to his observance of proper rites and norms. While it contains many innovations in its composition and style, it also is a traditional Mesopotamian royal inscription. In lyrical terms it vilifies Nabonidus and trumpets Cyrus’ own legitimacy. And the emphasis turns on a key point: Cyrus was chosen by Marduk to put a stop to the outrages: the divinely-selected king who will correct previous wrongs and reinstitute proper forms was an age-old theme in Mesopotamia. “Marduk surveyed and considered all the lands, he searched thoroughly for a just ruler, one favored in his heart. Marduk took

• Cyrus the Great - Wikipedia

  Darius the Great, Shahanshah of Persia, after the deaths of both of Cyrus's sons. Cyrus's conquest of Media was merely the start of his wars. [...] but this account conflicts with some translations of the contemporary Nabonidus Chronicle which interpret that the king of Lydia was slain. [...] In 600 BC, Cyrus I was succeeded by his son, Cambyses I, who reigned until 559 BC. Cyrus II "the Great" was a son of Cambyses I, who had named his son after his father, Cyrus I. There are several inscriptions of Cyrus the Great and later kings that refer to Cambyses I as the "great king" and "king of Anshan". Among these are some passages in the Cyrus cylinder where Cyrus calls himself "son of Cambyses, great king, king of Anshan". Another inscription (from CM's) mentions Cambyses I as a "mighty king" and "an Achaemenian", which according to the bulk of scholarly opinion was engraved under Darius and considered as a later forgery by Darius. However, Cambyses II's maternal grandfather Pharnaspes is named by historian Herodotus as "an Achaemenian". Xenophon's account in his Cyropædia names

• CYRUS THE GREAT - The Story of the Greatest King of Persia

  Cyrus the Great is a legendary figure in ancient history renowned for his conquest and for having established one of the Antiquities greatest Empires the ained Persian Empire his rise to power brought about the end of the mei's control over the Persians and also the fall of the Babylonian Empire Cyrus's bloodline was tightly woven into Persian royalty he was preceded as King by his father kambes I first and his grandfather Cyrus I first a of Persian monarchs who made their mark on History the Persian controlled lands in Mesopotamia were not particularly suitable for agriculture with their well organized Army the mes conquered these lands and controlled the region the Persians who are one of these pees came under the mey's sway they had to pay high taxes to them meaning that part of their [...] 39 comments ### Transcript: [...] had no major problems pacifying the newly conquered regions once he had conquered Babylon Cyrus the Great soon came into control of great wealth and power the Mesopotamian River Valley supplied a stable base for agriculture while the Mediterranean Coast afforded valuable resources for trade and access to important trade routes during his Reign the Persian Empire Flo flourished and became a leading power in the region to depict this great achievement Cyrus commissioned the drawing up of a document that became known as the Cyrus cylinder it was written to be published in Babylon as an attempt to increase Cyrus's reputation and further demean the former king of Babylon nabonidus in it Cyrus is portrayed as a divinely appointed leader ascribing his victory to babylon's own God Marduk who was

• Image

  

• Gender

  male

• Instance Of

  Q5

• Occupation

  monarch

• Citizenship

  Achaemenid Empire

• Date Of Birth

  Invalid Date

• Date Of Death

  Invalid Date

• Place Of Birth

  Anshan Persia

• Place Of Death

  Syr Darya