Cyrus the Great
Cyrus II was also known as Cyrus the Great for all of the good things he did. Cyrus means "sun-like" and he lived up to his name. He conquered so many places, but in the end he was not known as 'Cyrus the Conqueror' he was 'Cyrus the Liberator'. Cyrus let the people he conquered live in peace and keep their religion. He founded the first world empire. He unified so many cities and empires. In the end he was known as "king of Babylon, king of Sumer and Akkad, king of the four corners of the world" and "King of the Iranian Nation".
Media When Cyrus II was a little baby, Media was in control of Persia. Cyrus' corrupt grandfather, Astaeges of Media, dreamt his grandson would overthrow him, so he ordered baby Cyrus to be killed, but Cyrus II was sent to live with a shepherd instead. When Cyrus II was 10 years old he was allowed to live in exile with his mother Mandane. When he was 46 years old, Cyrus II lead a revolt against his grandfather and Media. He won. He claimed the Median Empire, but he incorporated Medians and Persian in his noble officials.
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Cyrus created the first postal communication system. From there, his empire building was carried out by his successors. Not much isknown about his death, but after his death queen Tomyris of Massagetae went out to search for the body of Cyrus to seek out revenge because he killed her son, but quickly Cambyses II reclaimed his body.
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Religious Beliefs It is unclear whether or not Cyrus was a Zoroastrian, but we do know that he had a great tolerance for other religions. It was common for the conquered cities to change there religion for the conqueror, but Cyrus did not do that. He let the people keep their religion to keep the peace. The conquered people could live normally under a Persian king. He was known as a liberator, not as a conqueror.
Liberator Cyrus was a triumphant conqueror, skilled warrior, a liberator, not a conqueror. He had the support of thousands of Jews, and he helped them rebuild their temple. He was generous and merciful, compassionate, and great. He had done the unthinkable. He had not enslaved anyone. he had not thought of hiself as a conqueror, but as a liberator. His empire continued to thrive for 200 years after his reign.
Expansionist |
Cyrus the Great was an expansionist. He made it his life goal as king to have the strongest and largest empire all ruled under religion and economic peace. He wanted to gain control all throughout the Mediterranean. Croesus of Lydia, Nabonidus of Babylonia, Amasis II of Egypt, and Sparta allied to take down Cyrus the Great but failed. He moved east to the very border of the kingdom of Jaxeartes and fortified their walls Iranian nomads. Then he moved to the west and fortified it as well. Then he invaded Babylon 539 BCE arrested Nabonidus (King of Babylonia) and assumed title of King of Babylonia. By 539 (61 years old) he was king of Babylon, Sumer, Akkad and King of the four corners of the world. By then Egypt was too big and strong to conquer.