Cyrus

• Cyrus early life - Herodotus :

  • Astyages (king of Medes) had a dream that his daughter would birth a son who would overthrow him.
  • He marries her off to Cambyses II
  • When they have a child he told Harpagus (kingsman) to kill the child
  • Harpagus told a shepherd to do it, but instead he swapped Cyrus for his own son that had died
  • When he was 10 he had a boy beaten up and was sent to see Astyages
  • Astyages realised that the boy was his grandson through his actions
• Cyrus early life - Xenephon


  • Mandane went to see her father with Cyrus. 
  • Cyrus recognise his mother's father and being an affectionate boy at once kiss him
  • Then he noticed that his grandfather was adorned with pencils beneath his eyes, with rouge rubbed on his face, with a wig of false hair
  • Observing his grandfather's adornment and staring at him, he said “Oh, How handsome is my grandfather”
• Cyrus early life - Xenophon

  • When his mother said “who do you think is the handsomest your Father or grandfather” Cyrus answered that out of the Persians, my father is the handsomest but of the Meeds my grandfather is by far the handsomest.
• Cyrus' conquest of Media 


  • Cyrus succeeded his father in 559
  • don't know much about his ruling of Persia in 500s
  • he invaded Media in 550 and overthrew King Astyages
• Herodotus - Media:


  • Harpagus wrote to Cyrus telling him to revolt against the Medes
  • During the battle, Harpagus told the Median army to switch sides
  • Harpagus became one of Cyrus' generals and Advisors
• Herodotus - astyages treatment after:


  • Cyrus treated Astyages with great consideration and kept him at his court until he died
• Nabonidus Chronicle - Media's conquest


  • It is the same as Herodotus
  • he took Silver, gold, goods and property
• Lydia


  • Ruled by King Croesus
  • Croesus went to the Oracle at Delphi as he was worried about an attack
  • It said that a great empire will fall
• Conquest of Lydia

  • Croesus need more troops so he went to Sardis thinking that Cyrus wouldn't follow
  • Cyrus secretly followed Croesus and used camels to confuse the Lydian horses
  • He managed to capture Croesus
• Fate of Croesus - Herodotus 


  • Chained Croesus to Pyre
  • Croesus talked about Solon, Cyrus had an interpreter tell him what he said
  • he felt pity and ordered the flame be put put but it was too strong
  • Croesus realised what Cyrus was trying to do and called upon apollo to free him from his misery
  • A storm happened and put out the fire
  • Cyrus invited him to his court as an Advisor
• Consequences of the Capture of Lidiya

  • Greek cities in Asia Minor were now vulnerable
  • Lydians Revolted once Cyrus left - Had Harpagus put down the revolt with punishments
• Babylon:

  • At the time of Cyrus’ invasion in 539, Nabonidus, is represented by the sources as having been very unpopular. 
  • Rather than worshipping Marduk, he worshiped the Sun, Moon and Venus.
• Battle Of Opis - Nabonidus Chronicles 


  • In September, when Cyrus battled at Opis against the army of Akkad
  • On the 14th day he captured Sippar without battle as Nabonidus fled
  • On the 16th day, the army of Cyrus entered Babylon without a battle
  • And Nabonidus was captured in Babylon
• Battly of Opis - Herodotus:


  • The Babylonians had prepared themselves for a siege.
  • However the Persians got into Babylon by diverting the Euphrates  and wading along the dry river bed where it flowed into Babylon
• Cyrus Cylinder - a barrel shaped object inscribed with a cuneiform text in Babylonian. 
• Cyrus Cylinder Key quotes


  • 'search for just a ruler who suited his heart.' - he wanted to be seen as in favour of the gods
  • 'I returned their Gods to their rightful place' - To show that he cares about his subjects and that he will be good ruler
  • 'Marduk made Cyrus enter his city Babylon without fighting or battle' - the gods wanted him to take over
  • 'I did not permit anyone to frighten the people of Sumer and Akkad' - No unnecessary  cruelty. nobody will revolt against him
• Evidence from old Testement

  • After a series of revolts, many educated Jews had been taken from Jerusalem and brought to Babylon.
  • Jewish writers reported that Cyrus had liberated the Descendants of these exiles and allowed them to return to Jerusalem. 
• Cyrus campaign for the Massagetae 


  • led by a Queen named Tomyris
  • Cyrus advanced to the Araxes river
  • Croesus advised him to cross the river and set up a trap for the Massagetae
  • Persians captured Tomyris’ son, Spargapises, who then killed himself in captivity out of shame
  • So they had another battle, Massagetae won and Cyrus was killed. His body was found, Tomyris had his head cut off and dropped in a leather bag full of blood
• Pasargadae (i)


  • was a royal residence and an administrative centre
  • the décor and architecture was designed to promote the kings power and ideology
  • it had influences of the Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians and Phoenicians
• Pasargadae (ii)


  • the site was 400 acers
  • on hill there was a citadel overlooking the complex
  • the rest of the site was in the plain and consisted of a number of monumental buildings, and spacious gardens
  • all the main buildings were built of stone