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factbase-ancient-history/rulers/cyrus-the-great.md
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Cyrus the Great

Cyrus the Great

Overview

Cyrus II of Persia (~600530 BCE), known as Cyrus the Great, founded the Achaemenid Persian Empire and is celebrated for his tolerance toward conquered peoples.

Key Facts

  • Born: ~600 BCE, Anshan (modern Iran)
  • Died: ~530 BCE (in battle against the Massagetae)
  • Reign: ~559530 BCE
  • Title: King of Kings, King of Anshan, King of Persia, King of Babylon

Conquests

  • Defeated the Medes under Astyages (~550 BCE)
  • Conquered Lydia and captured Croesus (~547 BCE)
  • Conquered Babylon (539 BCE) — reportedly entered without a battle 1
  • Freed the Jews from Babylonian captivity, allowing return to Jerusalem

Legacy

  • Cyrus Cylinder: Clay cylinder declaring his policies of tolerance and restoration 2
  • Respected by Greeks (Xenophon's Cyropaedia), Jews (called "messiah" in Isaiah 45:1), and Persians
  • Tomb at Pasargadae still stands
  • Founded the largest empire the world had yet seen


Review Queue

  • @q[temporal] Line 10: "Born: ~600 BCE, Anshan (modern Iran)" - when was this true?

  • @q[temporal] Line 11: "Died: ~530 BCE (in battle against the Massagetae)" - when was this true?

  • @q[temporal] Line 12: "Reign: ~559530 BCE" - when was this true?

  • @q[temporal] Line 13: "Title: King of Kings, King of Anshan, King of Persia, King of Babylon" - when was this true?

  • @q[temporal] Line 16: "Defeated the Medes under Astyages (~550 BCE)" - when was this true?

  • @q[temporal] Line 17: "Conquered Lydia and captured Croesus (~547 BCE)" - when was this true?

  • @q[temporal] Line 18: "Conquered Babylon (539 BCE) — reportedly entered without a battle 1 " - when was this true?

  • @q[temporal] Line 19: "Freed the Jews from Babylonian captivity, allowing return to Jerusalem" - when was this true?

  • @q[temporal] Line 22: "Cyrus Cylinder: Clay cylinder declaring his policies of tolerance and restora..." - when was this true?

  • @q[temporal] Line 23: "Respected by Greeks (Xenophon's Cyropaedia), Jews (called "messiah" in Isai..." - when was this true?

  • @q[temporal] Line 24: "Tomb at Pasargadae still stands" - when was this true?

  • @q[temporal] Line 25: "Founded the largest empire the world had yet seen" - when was this true?

  • @q[missing] Line 10: "Born: ~600 BCE, Anshan (modern Iran)" - what is the source?

  • @q[missing] Line 11: "Died: ~530 BCE (in battle against the Massagetae)" - what is the source?

  • @q[missing] Line 12: "Reign: ~559530 BCE" - what is the source?

  • @q[missing] Line 13: "Title: King of Kings, King of Anshan, King of Persia, King of Babylon" - what is the source?

  • @q[missing] Line 16: "Defeated the Medes under Astyages (~550 BCE)" - what is the source?

  • @q[missing] Line 17: "Conquered Lydia and captured Croesus (~547 BCE)" - what is the source?

  • @q[missing] Line 19: "Freed the Jews from Babylonian captivity, allowing return to Jerusalem" - what is the source?

  • @q[missing] Line 23: "Respected by Greeks (Xenophon's Cyropaedia), Jews (called "messiah" in Isai..." - what is the source?

  • @q[missing] Line 24: "Tomb at Pasargadae still stands" - what is the source?

  • @q[missing] Line 25: "Founded the largest empire the world had yet seen" - what is the source?

  • @q[stale] Line 18: "Conquered Babylon (539 BCE) — reportedly entered without a battle 1 " - Kuhrt source from 2007 may be outdated, is this still accurate?


  1. Kuhrt, A. The Persian Empire (Routledge, 2007) ↩︎

  2. British Museum, "The Cyrus Cylinder" (BM 90920) ↩︎