Information AboutCyrus |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT CYRUS THE GREAT | |
| 6th century bc births | |
| 529 bc deaths | |
| achaemenid dynasty | |
| history of iran | |
Cyrus/Kourosh II the Great ( or 576 — August 530 BC ), also known as '''Cyrus II of Persia''' and '''Cyrus the Elder''', was the founder of the Persian Empire under the Achaemenid Dynasty . As leader of the Persian People in Anshan , he conquered the Medes and unified the two separate Iranian kingdoms; as the King Of Persia , he reigned over the new empire from 559 BC until 561. The empire expanded under his rule, eventually conquering most of Southwest Asia and much of Central Asia , from Egypt and Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, to create the largest state the world had yet seen.3 During his twenty-nine year reign, Cyrus fought against some of the greatest states of the early Classical period, including the Median Empire , the Lydian Empire , and the Neo-Babylonian Empire . Cyrus did not venture into Egypt , as he himself died in battle, fighting the Massagetae along the Syr Darya in August 530 BC. Cyrus' date of death can be deduced from the last reference to his own reign (a tablet from Borsippa dated to 12 August 530 BC ) and the first reference to the reign of his son Cambyses (a tablet from Babylon dated to 31 August); see R.A. Parker and W.H. Dubberstein, ''Babylonian Chronology 626 B.C. - A.D. 75'', 1971.) He was succeeded by his son, Cambyses II , who managed to conquer Egypt during his short rule. Cyrus is the first Persian king whose name was suffixed with the word "Great", or ''Vazraka'' in Old Persian ('''Bozorg''' in modern Persian), a titulary style adopted by his Achaemenid successors including Darius The Great , Xerxes The Great , '' Et Al ''. Beyond his nation, Cyrus left a lasting legacy on Religion , Politics , and Military Strategy , as well as on both Eastern and Western Civilization . BACKGROUND Etymology The ancient and Rüdiger Schmitt of the Encyclopædia Iranica , have suggested the translation "''humiliator of the enemy in verbal contest''."Schmitt, Rüdiger, ''Encyclopædia Iranica''. Cyrus; The Name, p. 515 – 516 (PDF). In modern Persian, Cyrus is referred to as Kourosh-e Kabir, and, more recently, as Kourosh-e Bozorg — the Persian-derived name for Cyrus the Great. In the Bible , he is known as simply ''Koresh'' ( Hebrew : כורש). Dynastic history found at Pasargadae shows a winged-figure thought to be Cyrus, depicted with four Assyrian wings, and wearing an Egyptian ''hemhem'' crown, and a Persian dress.]] Cyrus the Great was an Achaemenid Persian, son of the local Persian king Cambyses I and the Mede princess Mandane , who was the daughter of Astyages , the last Median emperor.Suren-Pahlav, Sh., ''Cyrus The Great; The Liberator'', ; Retrieved January 12, 2007 Before he united the Persians and Medes under a single empire, he was the ruler of Anshān, then a vassal kingdom of the Median Empire, in what is now part of Fars Province in southern Iran . In this area Cyrus would build Pasargadae , his future capital city. The dynasty had been supposedly founded by and Ariaramnes Of Persia . They were succeeded by their respective sons Cambyses I of Anshan and Arsames Of Persia . However, the authenticity of these inscriptions has been called into question, thus blurring the history of Cyrus' predecessors.Shahbazi, A. Sh., ''Encyclopædia Iranica''. Arsama, p. 546 (PDF). Cambyses is considered by (or of another wife according to Christian Settipani ) and Astyages , king of the Medes. From their union, Māndānā bore only one son, Cyrus II, better known today as Cyrus the Great, whom Cambyses named after the child's grandfather. According to Ctesias, Cyrus the Great married a daughter of Astyages named Amytis, which seems unlikely, as his wife would also be his aunt. A possible explanation is that Astyages married again, and his second wife bore him this daughter."It seems inevitable to assume that Astyages had another wife. According to Ctesias of Cnidus, their son Cyrus married to a daughter of Astyages. That would be his aunt, which is most unusual." [http://www.livius.org/as-at/astyages/astyages.htm Cyrus' first wife, , would marry Darius The Great . The latter is significant, as she gave birth to Xerxes I , Darius' successor.'' Atossa '': Daughter of the Persian king Cyrus the Great. Early life Cyrus was born in either 590 or 576 BC.Most sources give either 576 BC or 590 BC as Cyrus' birth year; a conclusive answer is not fully clear. Little is known of his early years, as the sources detailing that part of his life are few, and have been damaged or lost. Herodotus's story of Cyrus' early life belongs to a genre of legends in which abandoned children of Noble Birth , such as Oedipus and Romulus And Remus , return to claim their royal positions. His overlord was his own grandfather, Astyages , ruler of the powerful Median kingdom. After the birth of Cyrus, Astyages had a dream that his Magi interpreted as a sign that his grandson would eventually overthrow him. He then ordered his steward Harpagus to kill the infant. Harpagus, morally unable to kill a newborn, summoned a herdsman of the king named Mithridates and ordered him to dispose of the child. Luckily for the young boy, the herdsman took him in and raised him as his own.'' Harpagus '': Median general, 'kingmaker' of the Persian king Cyrus the Great.''Stories of the East From Herodotus'', Chapter V: ''The Birth and Bringing Up of Cyrus'' , p. 66–72. When Cyrus was ten years old, Herodotus claims that it was obvious that Cyrus was not a herdsman's son, stating that his behavior was too noble. Astyages interviewed the boy and noticed that they resembled each other. Astyages ordered Harpagus to explain what he had done with the baby, and after confessing that he had not killed the boy, the king tricked him into eating his own son.''Stories of the East From Herodotus'', p. 79–80 Astyages was more lenient with Cyrus, and allowed him to return to his biological parents, Cambyses and Mandane.''Stories of the East From Herodotus'', Chapter VI: ''Cyrus Overthroweth Astyages and Taketh the Kingdom to Himself'' , p. 84. While Herodotus' description may be a legend, it does give insight into the figures surrounding Cyrus the Great's early life. RISE AND MILITARY CAMPAIGNS Median Empire , Lydian Empire and Neo-Babylonian Empire prior to Cyrus the Great's conquests.]] After his father's death in 559 BC, Cyrus became king of Anshan. However, Cyrus was not yet an independent ruler. Like his predecessors, Cyrus had to recognize Mede overlordship. During Astyages' reign, the Median Empire may have ruled over the majority of the Ancient Near East , from the Lydia n frontier in the west to the Parthia ns and Persians in the east. In Herodotus' version, Harpagus, seeking vengeance, convinced Cyrus to rally the Persian people to revolt against their feudal lords, the Medes. However, it is likely that both Harpagus and Cyrus rebelled due to their dissatisfaction with Astyages' policies.'' Harpagus '': Mede general, 'kingmaker' of the Persian king Cyrus the Great. From the start of the revolt in 554 BC, with the help of Harpagus, Cyrus led his armies against the Medes until the capture of Ecbatana in 549 BC, effectively conquering the Median Empire. While Cyrus seems to have accepted the crown of Media, by 546 BC, he officially assumed the title of ''King of Persia'' instead. Arsames, who had been the ruler of Persia under the Medes, therefore had to give up his throne. His son, Hystaspes , who was also Cyrus' second cousin, was then made Satrap of Parthia and Phrygia . Arsames would live to see his grandson become Darius the Great, Shahanshah of Persia, after the deaths of both of Cyrus' sons. Cyrus' conquest of Media was merely the start of his wars. Astyages had been Allied with his brother-in-law Croesus of Lydia (son of Alyattes II ), Nabonidus of Babylon , and Amasis II of Egypt, who reportedly intended to join forces against Cyrus and Empire. Lydian Empire and Asia Minor was the first ally of Astyages to attack Persia, but was ultimately defeated by Cyrus.]] The exact dates of the Lydian conquest are unknown, but it must have taken place between Cyrus' overthrow of the Mede kingdom ( in Cappadocia . Croesus laid siege to the city, and captured its inhabitants as slaves. Meanwhile, The Persians invited the citizens of Ionia , who were part of the Lydian kingdom, to revolt against their ruler. The offer was rebuffed, and thus Cyrus levied an army and marched against the Lydians, increasing his numbers while passing through nations in his way. The Battle Of Pteria was effectively a stalemate, with both sides suffering heavy casualties by nightfall. Croesus retreated to Sardis the following morning.Herodotus, ''The Histories, Book I '', 440 BC. Translated by George Rawlinson. While in Sardis, Croesus sent out requests for his allies to send aid to Lydia. However, near the end of winter, before the allies could unite, Cyrus pushed the war into Lydian territory and besieged Croesus in his capital, Sardis . Shortly before the final Battle Of Thymbra between the two rulers, Harpagus advised Cyrus to place his Dromedaries in front of his warriors; the Lydian horses, not used to the dromedaries' smell, would be very afraid. The strategy worked; the Lydian cavalry was routed. Cyrus defeated and captured Croesus. Cyrus occupied the capital at Sardis, conquering the Lydian kingdom in 546 BC.Herodotus, ''The Histories, Book I '', 440 BC. Translated by George Rawlinson. According to Herodotus, Cyrus spared Croesus' life and kept him as an advisor, but this account conflicts with some translations of the contemporary Nabonidus Chronicle, which interpret that the king of Lydia was slain.'' Croesus '': Fifth and last king of the Mermnad dynasty. Before returning to the capital, a Lydian named Pactyes was entrusted by Cyrus to send Croesus' treasury to Persia. However, soon after Cyrus' departure, Pactyes hired mercenaries and caused an uprising in Sardis, revolting against the Persian Satrap of Lydia, Tabalus. With recommendations from Croesus that he should turn the minds of the Lydian people to luxury, Cyrus sent Mazares , one of his commanders, to subdue the insurrection, but demanded that Pactyas be returned alive. Upon Mazares' arrival, Pactyas fled to Ionia , where he had hired mercenaries. Mazares marched his troops into the Greek country and captured the cities of Magnesia and Priene , where Pactyas was captured and sent back to Persia for punishment. Mazares continued the conquest of Asia Minor, but died of unknown causes during his campaign in Ionia. Cyrus sent Harpagus to complete Mazares' conquest of Asia Minor. Harpagus captured Lycia , Cilicia and Phoenicia , using the technique of building Earthworks to breach the walls of besieged cities, a method unknown to the Greeks. He ended his conquest of the area in 542 BC, and returned to Persia.'' Harpagus '': Median general, 'kingmaker' of the Persian king Cyrus the Great. Neo-Babylonian Empire , Israel , and Armenia in the west to Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , and to the Indus River in the east. Persia became the largest empire the world had ever seen.]] In 539 BC, towards the end of September, Cyrus' armies, under the command of Gubaru , the governor of Guti um, attacked Opis on the Tigris river and defeated the Babylonians after a minor uprising. With Opis subjugated, the Persians took control of the vast Canal system of Babylonia. On October 10 , the city of Sippar was seized without a battle, with little to no resistance from the populace. It is probable that Cyrus engaged in negotiations with the Babylonian generals to obtain a compromise on their part and therefore avoid an armed confrontation.Tolini, Gauthier, ''Quelques éléments concernant la prise de Babylone par Cyrus'', Paris. "Il est probable que des négociations s’engagèrent alors entre Cyrus et les chefs de l’armée babylonienne pour obtenir une reddition sans recourir à l’affrontement armé." p. 10 (PDF) Nabonidus was staying in the city at the time, and soon fled to the capital, Babylon, which he had not visited in years. Two days later, on , Cyrus himself entered the city of Babylon and arrested Nabonidus. He then assumed the titles of "king of Babylon, king of Sumer and Akkad , king of the four sides of the world." Prior to Cyrus' invasion of Babylon, the Neo-Babylonian Empire had conquered many kingdoms. In addition to Babylonia itself, Cyrus incorporated its subnational entities into his Empire, including Syria and Palestine . Before leaving Babylon, Cyrus also freed the Israelite s by allowing them to return to their native land, effectively ending the Babylonian Captivity . The return of the exiles reinforced the Jewish population in their homeland, which had been waning since the start of the Babylonian rule.Ancient History Sourcebook: Cyrus the Great: ''The Decree of Return for the Jews'' , ''The Cyrus Cylinder''. According to the Behistun Inscription of Darius the Great, Cyrus' dominions must have comprised the largest empire the world had ever seen. At the end of Cyrus' rule, the Achaemenid Empire stretched from Asia Minor and Judah in the west to the Indus River in the east. DEATH lies in the ruins of Pasargadae , now a UNESCO World Heritage Site (2006).]] Cyrus's death is not clearly known. Although, Ctesias reports only that Cyrus met his death while warring against tribes north-east of the headwaters of the Tigris. In Herodotus' account, Cyrus met his fate in a fierce battle with the and/or Uzbekistan . Cyrus follwed the advice of the former king of Lydia, Croesus, and Cyrus' army advances into Massagetian territory. The Massagetian queen Tomyris defeats and kills Cyrus." The Massagetae were related to the Scythian s in their dress and mode of living; they fought on horseback and on foot. The queen of the Massagetae, Tomyris , who had assumed control after Cyrus had defeated Tomyris' son Spargapises, led the attack. The Persian forces suffered heavy casualties, including Cyrus himself. After the battle, Tomyris ordered the body of Cyrus to be found, and then dipped his head in blood (or ordered his head to put into a wine-skin filled with human blood) to avenge the death of her son at his hands. Reinforcements from the Persian army later arrived and won a renewed battle, in which they were able to recover Cyrus' body. Tomyris, Queen of the Massagetae, Defeats Cyrus the Great in Battle Herodotus, ''The Histories'' An alternative account from Xenophon conveys that Cyrus died peaceably at an unknown location within the Achaemenid Empire. Inferring evidence from the reign of Cambyses II , son of Cyrus, it can be noted that another expedition, with the proclivity of vengeance, against the Massagetian tribe was not recommenced. Instead, the campaigning of Cambyses focused on the Egyptian Dynasty . Cyrus was buried in the city of Pasargadae , where his tomb remains today. Both Strabo and Arrian give descriptions of his tomb, based on eyewitness reports from the time of Alexander the Great's invasion. Though the city itself is now in ruins, the burial place of Cyrus the Great has remained largely intact; and the tomb has been partially restored to counter its natural deterioration over the years. According to Plutarch , his epitaph said, Cuneiform evidence from Babylon (letters dated to regnal years) prove that Cyrus died in August 530 BC, and that his son Cambyses II had become king. His younger son, Smerdis, died before Cambyses left to invade the eastern front. From Herodotus' account, Cambyses killed his brother to avoid a rebellion in his absence. Cambyses continued his father's policy of expansion, and managed to capture Egypt for the Empire, but soon died after only seven years of rule. An imposter named Gaumata , claiming to be Smerdis, became the sole ruler of Persia for seven months, until he was killed by Darius The Great , the grandson of Arsames, who ruled Persia before Cyrus' rise. LEGACY Exiles to resettle and rebuild Jerusalem , earning him an honored place in Judaism.]] Cyrus was distinguished equally as a Statesman and as a soldier. By pursuing a policy of generosity instead of repression, and by favoring local religions, he was able to make his newly conquered subjects into enthusiastic supporters. Schaff, Philip , The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia Of Religious Knowledge , Vol. III, Cyrus the Great Due in part to the political infrastructure he created, the Achaemenid empire endured long after his demise. The rise of Persia under Cyrus's rule had a profound impact on the course of world history. Persian Philosophy , Literature and Religion all played dominant roles in world events for the next millennia. Despite the Islamic Conquest Of Persia in the 7th century CE by the Islamic Caliphate ( Arab Empire ), Persia continued to exercise enormous influence in the Middle East during the Islamic Golden Age , and was particularly instrumental in the growth and expansion of Islam . Many of the dynasties that followed the Achaemenids ( Seleucid , Sassanid , Pahlavi ) have claimed to continue the line begun by Cyrus. Mohammad Reza Shah celebrated the 2500th Anniversary Of The Iranian Monarchy in 1971, though it would be Toppled a mere eight years later. Religion See Also: Cyrus in the Judeo-Christian tradition Cyrus the Great in the Qur'an The only known example of his religious policy is his treatment of the , who wanted to halt the building of the Second Temple . They accused the Jews of conspiring to rebel, so Cyrus in turn stopped the construction of the temple, which would not be completed until 516 BC , during the reign of Darius the Great.4 Some contemporary Muslim scholars have suggested that the and Archaeologist Alireza Shapour Shahbazi .A. Shapur Shahbazi, 'Iranians and Alexander', in: ''American Journal of Ancient History'' n.s. 2 (2003), 5-38, final section Politics and philosophy in 1994. Today, it remains in the Sydney Olympic Park .]] During his reign, Cyrus maintained control over a vast region of conquered kingdoms, achieved partly through retaining and expanding Median Satrap ies. Further organization of newly conquered territories into provinces ruled by Vassal kings called ''satraps'', was continued by Cyrus' successor Darius The Great . Cyrus' empire demanded only Tribute and Conscripts from many parts of the realm. Cyrus' conquests began a new era in the age of empire building, where a vast Superstate , comprising many dozens of countries, races, religions, and languages, were ruled under a single administration headed by a central government. This system lasted for centuries, and was retained both by the invading Seleucid Dynasty during their control of Persia, and later Iranian dynasties including the Persian Parthians and Sassanids .5 In 1992, he was ranked #87 on Michael H. Hart 's List Of The Most Influential Figures In History . On December 10 , 2003 , in her acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize , Shirin Ebadi evoked Cyrus, saying: Cyrus' legacy has been felt even as far away as . Many of the forefathers of the United States of America sought inspiration from Cyrus the Great through works such as Cyropaedia . Thomas Jefferson , for example, had two personal copies of the book, "which was a mandatory read for statesmen alongside Machiavelli 's ''The Prince''."Interview with Cliff Rogers , United States Military Academy Link: {Link without Title} Cyrus the Great is genuinely one of history's towering figures. America's own founders such as Thomas Jefferson were influenced by Cyrus the Great in the field of Human Rights . Ted Koppel , ABC 's Nightline See last 3 minutes of the videoclip to view Ted Koppel 's statement: Link: {Link without Title} Cyrus Cylinder at Cyrus' command after his conquest of Babylon.]] See Also: Cyrus Cylinder The cylinder has been considered as the world's first known charter of published a translation of the document in all the official U.N. languages. A replica of the Cyrus Cylinder has reportedly been on display at United Nations Headquarters in New York City as a tribute to Cyrus' display of respect and tolerance.United Nations Press Release 14 October 1971 ( SG/SM/1553/HQ263 ). Nevertheless, some scholars have rejected this view, arguing that the concept of human rights is alien to the historical contextA. Kuhrt "The Cyrus Cylinder and Achaemenid imperial policy" in ''Journal of Studies of the Old Testament'' 25 pp. 83-97; B. van der Spek, "Did Cyrus the Great introduce a new policy towards subdued nations? Cyrus in Assyrian perspective" in ''Persica'' 10 pp. 273-285; M. Dandamaev ''A Political History of the Achaemenid Empire'', pp. 52-53; J. Wisehöfer, ''Ancient Persia from 550 BC to 650 AD'', 2006 1996 , p. 82.. Family tree
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