In world history, Cyrus the Great (600 - 529 BCE) is a lofty character. He is the "father of the Iranian nation". He was the first world leader to be referred to as "The Great". Though he was a conqueror, he was successful as a ruler not through might but through kindness and the Cylinder of Cyrus provides archaeological proof of that.
Compare on a map the earlier Egyptian and Mesopotamian empires to the Persian Empire. You will notice the vast amount of land for the Persian Empire and how it includes and dwarfs the other two. This gives you an indication as to why Cyrus is considered the founder of the first world empire. He accomplished this after defeating the Medes and uniting them with the other major Iranian tribe, the Persians.
Cyrus became king of the Persian tribes in 559 BCE after his father died. In 550 BCE Cyrus entered Ecbatana conquering the Median Empire. He then created a government for his new …show more content…
Cyrus utilized the same tactics to govern the conquered territories that he first used on the Medes. Some political independence was granted to those that were conquered. Local governors were responsible for the cultural, administrative and legislative undertakings for their area. By utilizing the local talent he made peaceful governing an easier task. By giving people a stake in their rule he liberated them to succeed and thus he would succeed.
Physical evidence depicting the rule of Cyrus comes from three major sources, the Old Testament, Greek author Xenophon, and the Cyrus Cylinder. He is praised in the Old Testament twenty-two times. In 539 BCE he liberated the Jews from Babylon and supported more than 40,000 Jews when they chose to return to their homeland. He funded the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. Xenophon believed him to be the ideal ruler, and sang his praises in the Cyropedia. However, the best evidence may come from the Cyrus
Compare on a map the earlier Egyptian and Mesopotamian empires to the Persian Empire. You will notice the vast amount of land for the Persian Empire and how it includes and dwarfs the other two. This gives you an indication as to why Cyrus is considered the founder of the first world empire. He accomplished this after defeating the Medes and uniting them with the other major Iranian tribe, the Persians.
Cyrus became king of the Persian tribes in 559 BCE after his father died. In 550 BCE Cyrus entered Ecbatana conquering the Median Empire. He then created a government for his new …show more content…
Cyrus utilized the same tactics to govern the conquered territories that he first used on the Medes. Some political independence was granted to those that were conquered. Local governors were responsible for the cultural, administrative and legislative undertakings for their area. By utilizing the local talent he made peaceful governing an easier task. By giving people a stake in their rule he liberated them to succeed and thus he would succeed.
Physical evidence depicting the rule of Cyrus comes from three major sources, the Old Testament, Greek author Xenophon, and the Cyrus Cylinder. He is praised in the Old Testament twenty-two times. In 539 BCE he liberated the Jews from Babylon and supported more than 40,000 Jews when they chose to return to their homeland. He funded the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. Xenophon believed him to be the ideal ruler, and sang his praises in the Cyropedia. However, the best evidence may come from the Cyrus