Cyrus the great (1st king)

• the 1st king of persia = cyrus the great
• Why did Hapargus want Cyrus to rebel against his grandfather?


  Hapargus wanted revenge on Astyages as he killed his son,asking Cyrus to rebel against Astyages and take Media for himself
• How was Cyrus able to create an army?

  Cyrus assembled his persian army convincing them to rebel as they hated being ruled by Astyages and the Medians
• How did Cyrus overthrow his grandfather?

  At the battle Hapargus alongside others deserted the Median army and fought for Cyrus
• What did Cyrus do with Astyages?

  After he was captured he was treated with respect and kept him in court until his death
• why did Astyages want to kill Cyrus?

  he thought cyrus was going to overthrow him
• why did croesus declare was on cyrus?

  he took astyages land
• why did croesus go to the oracles?

  to see if he should persue going to war against cyrus and if he would win
• what did the oracle of delphi say?


  that an empire will fall but didn’t specify which one
• who was the battle of Pteria against?

  croesus
• what’s a tactic used at the battle of Pteria?

  cyrus used camels to scare the horses
• what’s a mistake made by croesus at Pteria?


  he sent back his troops in winter as he didn’t expect cyrus to march down to him in winter
• how was cyrus able to enter sardis during the seige

  via a weak spot in the wall
• how long was the seige of sardis?

  14 days
• what did cyrus do with croesus he conquered him?


  he did not kill him but instead saved him from being burnt on the pyre, turning him into an advisor
• why would cyrus want to capture the city of babylon?

  the river for trade access
• how is cyrus able to enter the city of babylon?

  1. Diversion of the river by digging 180 channels each side to decrease the depth of water and flow to be slower,allowing him to walk into the city
  2. the babylonians were unprepared/out numbered as they thought that the river was too fast and high
• what does the Nabobidas chronicle tell us?

  1. that the conquest was easy as cryrus was able to walk into the city of babylon
  2. this contrasts herodotus as it leaves out information about the channels
• what does the cyrus cylinder tell us?

  1. cyrus believed in the god marduk
  2. marduk(babylonian god) chose cyrus to be king
  3. informatiof his treatment of those he conquered
• what does cyrus do to those he conquers?

  gives second chances
• how did cyrus respect the babylonian gods and their temples?

  cyrus returned the statues that nabonidas took to their original temples
• what did cyrus do with the assyrians?

  allowed them to return to mesopotamia to create allies
• what did cyrus do with the jews?


  Allowed them to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple
• why may the cyrus cylinder be controversial?

  it’s a form of propaganda
• what the name of cyrus’ building project?

  pasagardae
• Why was Cyrus unsuccessful against the Masagatae tribe?

  He was murdered by the queen Tamyres