Cyrus the Great

Yu Yen Chiu–Grade 7

Cyrus the Great was regarded as one of the world’s greatest conquerors and rulers of ancient times. He established the Persian Empire, which covered much of the Middle East during its peak of power. Although Cyrus was a great commander and had overpowering forces, his influential personal qualities were what made him powerful and allowed him to be remembered today. Although most of what we know about Cyrus the Great came from historians who lived after him, there are many reliable stories that reflect his beliefs in freedom and tolerance, and his use of strategy, which enabled him to make the world a better place.

There is a lot of uncertainty about Cyrus, such as when he was born and which religion he practiced. Historians believe that Cyrus was born between 590-580 B.C., but we don’t have the exact date. Cyrus’s father was King Cambyses of Persia, and his mother was Princess Madane of Medes. So Cyrus came from a true royal family.

The Writers’ Ink Issue 4 Herodotus is one of our most reliable sources, being a Greek historian during the times of Xerxes, who ruled not long after Cyrus. He tells us that when Cyrus was born his grandfather Astyages, King of Medes, tried to kill him because he had a dream that Cyrus would rise to rule over him as a supreme ruler. Astyages handed the job of killing his grandson over to one of his generals who then passed it on to a local farmer and his wife. The old couple had always wanted a child, so they raised Cyrus instead. Cyrus started showing signs of leadership as he grew, and all of the kids respected him. At age ten he was brought back to the royal palace of Medes by coincidence. Astyages immediately recognized his grandson and his abilities, so instead of trying to kill him again Astyages sent Cyrus back to Persia where his parents lived. Some people believe that this story is not exactly true, as Herodotus sometimes mixes fantasy with facts. For example, if Astyages really tried to kill Cyrus, he would probably be more careful and Cyrus wouldn’t have lived on. But some of the elements of this story may be true and Herodotus might have just added details of his own. For example, Cyrus likely started showing great leadership qualities as he grew. Cyrus became the king of Persia when his father Cambyses died at 559 B.C. At that time Naonidus became the king of Babylon and Croesus became the king of Lydia, both of whom would encounter Cyrus throughout his life. Although Cyrus gradually built an overpowering army that led to his success, he was also a man of tactics and leadership. Cyrus was good at basing his strategies on common knowledge. This was shown when he fought against the Scythian nomads. Cyrus kept his supply of wines with weak defense, and the nomads took control of them in no time. But just as Cyrus had expected, the nomads started drinking his wine, and when he returned with his main force they were all drunk and defenseless.

Cyrus’s most respectable and powerful personal quality was his tolerance and belief in freedom and human rights. This was shown through many aspects of his life. When Cyrus Conquered Medes, he spared King Astyages

Cyrus not only created one of the biggest empires, he also created the first multi-cultural society.

and made him an honored prisoner for the rest of his life. This meant that Astyages had a lot of freedom and rights in the Persian Empire.

Cyrus not only created one of the biggest empires, he also created the first multi-cultural society. When Cyrus conquered Babylon, he ordered the creation of the Cyrus Cylinder, which was a baked-clay cylinder carved with the Akkadian language. This is one of the only primary sources found that contains Cyrus’s actual spoken words: “I am Cyrus, King of the globe, great king, mighty king, King of Babylon, king of……” (qtd. in Crompton 79). This indicated that Cyrus was already very proud of his own accomplishments. The Cyrus Cylinder focused on promoting racial and religious equality. It also stated that Cyrus freed all of the slaves captured by previous Babylonians: “As to the inhabitants of Babylon who against the will of the gods were enslaved…I freed all slaves” (qtd. in Crompton 80).

However, in the end Cyrus became overconfident because he won almost all of the wars he fought and this eventually led to his downfall. After conquering Babylon, Cyrus returned to Parsagadae (Capital of Persia). Although he was only in his 50s, he was already

The Writers’ Ink Issue 4 worrying about his death. Fifty years was considered a long life to ancient people, and years of campaigning had made him age rapidly. As Cyrus rested in Parsagadae, he heard that the eastern region was under attack by Scythian nomads. Cyrus could have just sent in one of his generals to deal with the problem, but he decided to head there himself instead. Cyrus spent most of his life exploring and conquering kingdoms, so he probably had the desire for more adventure and got restless living in his palace every day. At this point, Cyrus had no fear at all; being the “King of Kings” he believed that he could easily reconquer his land. When the war reached its final stages, Cyrus’s army and the Scythians clashed directly. Herodotus described this war as “the most ferocious and desperate of all the battles of that century” (qtd. in Crompton 85). But in the end, the Scythian nomads were victorious, and the head of Cyrus was served to Tomyris, the queen of the Scythians. This proves that even the most powerful leaders have to be careful not to be overwhelmed by confidence.

A l t h o u g h C y r u s d i e d b e c a u s e o f overconfidence he is still remembered as one of the greatest rulers. Professor Richard N. Frye, American scholar of Iranic and Middle Eastern studies, said, "In short, the figure of Cyrus has survived throughout history as more than a great man who founded an empire.” He became the epitome of the great qualities expected of a ruler in antiquity, and “his personality as seen by the Greeks influenced them and Alexander the Great, and, as the tradition was transmitted by the Romans, may be considered to influence our thinking even now.” Many historians agreed that Xenophon (Greek writer) wrote about Cyrus the Great because he wanted to influence the Greeks. The evidence supports the idea that Cyrus was one of the most influential characters in history. His idea towards human rights and freedom is still appreciated by the modern world and a replica of the Cyrus Cylinder is placed in the headquarters of the UN as well as in multiple museums. In conclusion, although Cyrus started wars and killed people, his powerful personal qualities allowed him to influence the world and make it a better place. 

Bibliography “Cyrus the Great.” Answers. Answers Cooperation, Web. 25th Feb. 2013. <http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Cyrus_the_Great > “Cyrus the Great.” New World Encyclopedia, 3rd April 2013. Web. 25th Feb. 2013. <http:// www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Cyrus_the_Great> Crompton, Samuel W. Cyrus the Great. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 2008. Print. Frye, Richard N. “The legacy of Cyrus.” Iran History. Web. 25th Feb. 2013. <http://azargoshnasp.net/famous/Cyrus/cyrusfryebritannica.htm> Ghasemi, Shapour “The Cyrus the Great Cyliner.” Iran Chamber Society. 2001. Web. 25th Feb. 2013. <http://www.iranchamber.com/history/cyrus/cyrus_charter.ph