Cyrus The Great Series

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.