Cyrus the Great
Cyrus II of Persia, commonly known as Cyrus the Great and called Cyrus the Elder by the Greeks, was the founder of the *Achaemenid Empire, the first Persian empire.
Born: *Anshan, Iran, 600 BC
Died: December 4, 530 BC, (aged 70) the *Syr Darya
Full name: Cyrus II of Persia
Spouse: Cassandane, Amitis
Children: Cambyses II, Atossa, Bardiya, Artystone, Roxane
Place of burial: Tomb of Cyrus the Great, Iran, Pasargadae World Heritage Site, Iran
Parents: Mandane of Media (Mother), Cambyses I (Father)
House: *Teispids (descendants of Teispes) (mid-7th century BC-522 BC) were an Iron Age branch of the *Achaemenid dynasty initially ruling southern *Zagros in ancient *Anshan. The dynasty's realm was later expanded under Cyrus II, who conquered a vast area in southwestern Asia, later known as the *Achaemenid Empire under Darius I. The *titulary of the *Teispids is recorded on the *Cyrus Cylinder, in which Cyrus II identifies himself and his ancestors with the title King of Anshan, as an *Elamite tradition. *Teispes being the ancestor and founder, the dynasty furthermore included Cyrus I, Cambyses I, Cyrus II, Cambyses II, and Bardiya.
Meanings
*Achaemenid dynasty - The Achaemenid Empire, also called the First Persian Empire, was an ancient Iranian empire based in Western Asia and founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC. It reached its greatest extent under Xerxes I, who conquered most northern and central ancient Greece.
*Anshan, Iran (Persia) was an ancient Persian city. It was located in the Zagros Mountains in southwestern Iran.
*Elemite
1. A native or inhabitant of ancient Elam.
2. The language of ancient Elam is of unknown affinity and was spoken from the third millennium to the 4th century BC.
3. Relating to the ancient Elamites or their language.
* The Cyrus Cylinder or Cyrus Charter is an ancient clay cylinder, now broken into several pieces, on which is written a declaration in Akkadian cuneiform script in the name of Persia's Achaemenid King Cyrus the Great. It was created and used as a foundation deposit following the Persian conquest of Babylon in 539 BC when the Neo-Babylonian Empire was invaded by Cyrus and incorporated into his Persian Empire. The Cylinder provided written instructions for the eventual return of conquered people to their homeland.
*The Syr Darya River flows for 2,212 kilometers through the Central Asian countries of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan. It arises at the confluence (meeting) of the Naryn and Kara Darya (Qoradaryo) rivers in the Fergana Valley in Uzbekistan. It drains into the northern parts of the endorheic basin of the Aral Sea in Kazakhstan. Most of the Syr Darya's tributaries dry up before they reach the river; hence, though the river flows through a long course, its annual flow volume is only 37 cubic kilometers, only half as much as its sister river, the Amu Darya. The Syr Darya basin is estimated to occupy an area of 782,617?square kilometers.
*titulary archaic: one (person) holding a title.
*Teispids - (descendants of Teispids (mid-7th century BC-522 BC) were an Iron Age branch of the Achaemenid dynasty initially ruling southern Zagros in ancient Anshan. The dynasty's realm was later expanded under Cyrus II, who conquered a vast area in southwestern Asia, later known as the Achaemenid Empire under Darius I. The titulary of the Teispids is recorded on the *Cyrus Cylinder, in which Cyrus II identifies himself and his ancestors with the title King of Anshan, as an Elamite tradition. Teispids being the ancestor and founder, the dynasty furthermore included Cyrus I, Cambyses I, Cyrus II, Cambyses II, and Bardiya.
*Zagros - A mountain range in Iran.
Reconstruction of Jerusalem by Cyrus, Darius, and Xerxes, Picture from the Bible, Book of Ezra, 1921.
Cyrus the Great was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire and King of Persia from 559-530 BC. He is venerated in the Hebrew Bible for conquering Babylon and liberating the Jews from captivity. He is mentioned 23 times by name and alluded to several more times.
According to the Bible, Cyrus the Great, King of the Achaemenid Empire, was the monarch who ended the Babylonian captivity. In the first year of his reign, he was prompted by God to decree that the Temple in Je
rusalem should be rebuilt and that such Jews as cared to might return to their land for this purpose. Moreover, he showed his interest in the project by sending the sacred vessels taken from the First Temple and a considerable sum of money to buy building materials. The existence of the decree has been challenged.
Cyrus the Great is unconditionally praised in the Jewish sources. It is likely that, after the Persian conquest of Babylon, Cyrus had commenced his relationship with the Jewish leaders in exile, and the Book of Isaiah says that God anointed him.
The Hebrew Bible states that Cyrus issued the decree of liberation to the Jews. Cyrus's edict for the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem marked a great epoch in the history of the Jewish people. According to Ezra 4:1–6, "the enemies of Judah and Benjamin" asked to help build the temple, and when this was denied hired counselors to frustrate the people of Judah from completing the rebuilding throughout the reign of Cyrus, Xerxes ('Ahasuerus'), and Artaxerxes, until the reign of Darius II. The work was recommenced under the prophets' exhortations, and when the authorities asked the Jews what right they had to build a temple, they referred to the decree of Cyrus. Darius II, who was then reigning, caused a search for this alleged decree to be made. It was found in the archives at Ecbatana, after which Darius reaffirmed the decree, and the work proceeded to its triumphant close.
A chronicle drawn up just after the conquest of Babylonia by Cyrus gives the history of the reign of Nabonidus ('Nabuna'id'), the last King of Babylon, and the fall of the Babylonian empire. In 538 BC, there was a revolt in Southern Babylonia, while the army of Cyrus entered the country from the north. In June, the Babylonian army was utterly defeated at Opis, and immediately afterward, Sippara opened its gates to the conqueror. Gobryas (Ugbaru), the governor of Medina, was then sent to Babylon, which surrendered "without fighting," The daily services in the temples continued without a break. In October, Cyrus himself arrived and proclaimed a general amnesty, which Gobryas communicated to "all the province of Babylon," of which he had been made governor.
Meanwhile, Nabonidus, who had concealed himself, was captured but treated honorably; and when his wife died, Cambyses II, the son of Cyrus, conducted the funeral. Cyrus now assumed the title of "king of Babylon," claimed to be the descendant of the ancient kings and made rich offerings to the temples. At the same time, he allowed the foreign populations deported to Babylonia to return to their old homes, carrying the images of their gods. Among these populations were the Jews, who took the sacred vessels of the temple as they had no images.
Speculation abounds as to the reasoning for Cyrus' release of the Jews from Babylon. One argument is that Cyrus was a follower of Zoroaster, the monotheistic prophet: Zoroastrianism played a dominant religious role in Persia throughout its history until the Islamic conquest. As such, he would have felt a kindred spirit with the monotheistic Jews. Another possibility is the magnanimous respect ascribed to him for the diverse beliefs and customs of the peoples within his vast kingdom. As one example, upon the conquest of Babylon itself, it is recorded that he paid homage at the temple of the Babylonian God Marduk – thereby gaining the support of the Babylonian people and minimizing further bloodshed. While Jewish tradition, as described previously in Ezra 1:1–8, indicates "the Lord inspired King Cyrus of Persia to issue this proclamation." This Babylonian document has been interpreted as referring to the return to their homelands of several displaced cultural groups, one of which could have been the Jews.
The Cylinder is attributed to Cyrus in the British Museum.
From [Babylon] to Aššur and (from) Susa, Agade, Ešnunna, Zambian, Me-Turnu, Der, as far as the region of Gutium, the sacred centers on the other side of the Tigris, whose sanctuaries had been abandoned for a long time, I returned the images of the gods, who had resided there, to their places. I let them dwell in eternal abodes. I gathered all their inhabitants and returned them their dwellings. In addition, at the command of Marduk, the great lord, I settled in their habitations, in pleasing abodes, the gods of Sumer and Akkad, whom Nabonidus, to the anger of the Lord of the gods, had brought into Babylon.
However, it has been argued that it refers to people associated with the image's cult instead of deportees. Diana Edelman has pointed at the serious chronological difficulties that arise when we accept that the Jews returned during the reign of Cyrus.
The terms used by the author of Deutero-Isaiah are reminiscent of specific passages in the Cyrus Cylinder: Traditionally, these passages in Isaiah were believed to predate the rule of Cyrus by about 100 years. However, most modern scholars date Isaiah 40–55 (often referred to as Deutero-Isaiah), toward the end of the Babylonian exile (c. 536 BC). Whereas Isaiah 1–39 (referred to as Proto-Isaiah) saw the destruction of Israel as imminent and the restoration in the future, Deutero-Isaiah speaks of the destruction in the past (Isaiah 42:24–25) and the restoration as imminent (Isaiah 42:1–9). Notice, for example, the change in temporal perspective from (Isaiah 39:6–7), where the Babylonian captivity is cast far in the future, to (Isaiah 43:14), where the Israelites are spoken of as already in Babylon. According to scholar R. N. Whybray, the author of Deutero-Isaiah (chapters 40–55) was mistaken for he thought Cyrus would destroy Babylon, but he did not. Cyrus made it more splendid than ever. However, he did allow the Jewish exiles to return home, though not in the triumphant manner that Deutero-Isaiah expected.
Who roused from the east him that victory hails at every step? Who presents him with nations, subdues kings to him? His sword makes dust of them, and his bow scatters them like straw. He pursues them and advances unhindered, his feet scarcely touching the road. Who is the author of this deed if not who calls the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord, am the first and shall be with the last.
—?Isaiah 41:2–4
Then the alliance between Cyrus and God is made explicit:
Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whom he has taken by his right hand to subdue nations before him and strip the loins of kings, to force gateways before him that their gates be closed no more: I will go before you leveling the heights. I will shatter the bronze gateways, smash the iron bars. I will give you the hidden treasures, the secret hoards, that you may know that I am the Lord.
—?Isaiah 45:1–3
Among the classical Jewish sources, besides the Bible, Josephus (1st century AD) mentions that Cyrus freed the Jews from captivity and helped rebuild the temple. He also wrote to the rulers and governors that they should contribute to rebuilding the temple and assist them in rebuilding it. Josephus describes a letter from Cyrus to the Jews:
I have given leave to as many of the Jews that dwell in my country as they please to return to their own country, rebuild their city, and build the temple of God at Jerusalem in the same place where it was before. I have also sent my treasurer Mithridates and Zorobabel, the governor of the Jews, to lay the foundations of the temple. I may build it sixty cubits high and of the same latitude, making three edifices of polished stones, one of the country's wood, and the same order extends to the altar whereon they offer sacrifices to God. I also require that the expenses for these things be given out of my revenues. Moreover, I have also sent the vessels that king Nebuchadnezzar pillaged out of the temple. I have given them to Mithridates the treasurer and Zorobabel the governor of the Jews, that they may have them carried to Jerusalem and may restore them to the temple of God. Now their number is as follows: Fifty chargers of gold, and five hundred of silver; forty Thericlean cups of gold, and five hundred of silver; fifty basons of gold, and five hundred of silver; thirty vessels for pouring [the drink-offerings], and three hundred of silver; thirty vials of gold, and two thousand four hundred of silver; with a thousand other large vessels. (3) Permit them to have the same honor which they used to have from their ancestors, as also for their small cattle, and wine and oil, two hundred and five thousand and five hundred drachmas; and for wheat flour, twenty thousand and five hundred portable; and I give order that these expenses shall be given them out of the tributes due from Samaria. The priests shall also offer these sacrifices according to the laws of Moses in Jerusalem. When they offer them, they shall pray to God to preserve the King and of his family, that the kingdom of Persia may continue. However, my will is that those who disobey these injunctions and make them void shall be hung upon a cross, and their substance brought into the King's treasury.".
The authenticity of the decree
Further information: Cyrus's edict
The historical nature of this decree has been challenged. Professor Lester L. Grabbe has argued that there was no decree but a policy that allowed exiles to return to their homelands and rebuild their temples. He also argues that the archaeology suggests that the return was a "trickle" taking place over perhaps decades, resulting in a maximum population of perhaps 30,000.
Cyrus the Great
The Persians were part of a larger migratory group called the Iranians, who moved into modern Iran from southern Russia and central Europe around 1000 B.C.E. The Persians and other Iranian groups eventually formed tribal societies and expanded their rule over local nomadic tribes.
In 550 B.C.E. Cyrus the Great, the leader of the Persians, conquered the Medes and united the Iranian people under one ruler for the first time. Cyrus became the first king of the Persian Empire and went on to establish one of the largest empires in the world.
