Cyrus the Great Builds the Persian Empire by Governing With Toleration and Kindness
The greatest leaders in history often leave behind some sort of legacy. Cyrus the Great was the founder of the Persian Empire around 500 B.C., which was the largest empire of its time (Cyrus II, the Great). The empire stretched from ancient Iran, and grew to include an area reaching from Greece to India (Persian Empire). Cyrus’ reign saw some of the first contacts between Persia and Greece, and helped Persia gain the political power that had once been held by the people of Mesopotamia (Cyrus, the Great). Cyrus the Great proved to be an effective leader who developed a strong military that was stationed strategically throughout the empire to stop rebellions and keep trade routes safe, treated captives like the jews kindly, and implemented an organized administration of government that included satraps who governed locally.
Cambyses I, one of the earliest Achaemenid kings, ruled Persia around 600 B.C. Upon his death, his son Cyrus II took over as king in 559 B.C., and later became known as Cyrus the Great. As the ruler of Persia at the age of 41, Cyrus wanted to gain more power to strengthen the Persian Empire. He started by negotiating an alliance with the Babylonians against the Medes, who at this time were being ruled by Cyrus’ grandfather Astyages (Cyrus, the Great). Around 550 BC Astyages was worried that his grandson might be trying to form an alliance with his enemy Nabonidus, King of Babylon. Astyages called for Cyrus to come to him in the capital of Ecbatana to discuss the matter, but Cyrus would not (Pettman). With the support of the Babylonians, Cyrus led a revolt and defeated the Medes (Cyrus II, the Great). The Nabodinus Chro...
... middle of paper ...
...w American Bible. 2000-2001 ed. Wichita: Fireside Bible, 2001. Print. Rev. Vers.
"Persian Empire." The Ancient Near East: An Encyclopedia for Students. Ed. Ronald Wallenfels and Jack M. Sasson. Vol. 3. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2000. 171-76. World
History in Context. Web. 25 Nov. 2013. .
"Persian Empire." The Greenhaven Encyclopedia of Ancient Mesopotamia. Ed. Don Nardo and
Robert B. Kedric. 2007. 220-24. World History in Context. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.
.
Pettman, Andrew. "Cyrus the Great." Encyclopedia of World History. Ed. Marsha E. Ackerman et al. Vol. 1. New York: Facts on File, 2008. Ancient and Medieval History Online. Web.
25 Nov. 2013. .
Stockdale, Nancy. “Cyrus the Great.” World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web. 14 Dec. 2013
T, Hurley et al. HTA Ancient History Study Guide. (2007) [Australia] History Teachers Association of NSW.
1. Tim Cornell, John Matthews, Atlas of the Roman World, Facts On File Inc, 1982. (pg.216)
...ope.” In Crabtree, Pam J. Encyclopedia of Society and Culture in the Medieval World. New York. Facts on File, Inc., 2008. Ancient and Medieval History Online. Facts on File, Inc. Web. 26 Feb. 2014.
Cyrus, the first persian emperor, ruled in a unique fashion, employing tolerance instead of fear, however, he relentlessly expanded his empire until his death. For example, When Cyrus and his massive army conquered Babylon he freed the jews and allowed the to return to the promise land. In addition he assisted in the rebuilding of their temple. Although some argue he did this to create a buffer state between hostile egypt and his empire, i find it more likely he did this to bring more peoples under his administration. The method which he concours societies is interesting; he presents himself not as a conqueror but as a liberator freeing the people of the region from an oppressive despot. Because of theses methods it was much easier to bring people under his rule. Additionally, once he brought states under imperial control he used strategic methods to govern the newly ‘liberated’ territories.
Jarus, Owen. "Alexander the Great: Facts, Biography, and Accomplishments." 27 September 2013. livescience. Document. 27 October 2013.
al., Peter N. Stearns et. Documents in World History, volume I: The Great Traditions: From Ancient Times to 1500, 6th edn . Boston: Pearson, 2012.
Records have indicated that Cyrus conquered Babylon in 539 B.C by the Persian king Cyrus the Great. Cyrus ruled from 559-530 B.C. Cyrus was known as a Nobel leader. From the Cyrus Cylinder, the main ideas of kingship are independence, be generous, have good intentions, having stick to traditions and culture ruled by the land. His ability to being independent is shown when he said that self-effection was the best thing war and without it many other endeavors in control. He stated ''Give them all they need and your troops will follow you to the end of the earth.” Sticking to traditions was an important part of him because he was very respectful when it came down to cultures or traditions. One tradition he remained to used was the language of
Fleming, Sean Michael. "Forgotten Empire: The World of Ancient Persia." Library Journal 15 Feb. 2006
Cyrus of Persia and T’ai-tsung are indefinitely among the great leaders in history. The cause of their success fundamentally lies in their personal qualities. Beginning with Cyrus, his amiable qualities were numerous. As a child “he was regarded the best of them all in every way”, “best-behaved of his contemporaries”, “able to manage…well”, and “most eager to learn” (Xenophon, 41). As a young man he was also courageous, for he had “one occasion when a she-bear charged at him….but he killed the animal in the end” (Xenophon, 41). Cyrus was a man that believed in strong loyalty. One of the very first things he did when he took a position of power “was to make it clear that in any league or agreement or undertaking that he made he attached the utmost importance to keeping his word” (Xenophon, 41). This allowed people to gain trust in him. “The cities which were in his command trusted him and ...
Damrosch, David, and David Pike. The Longman Anthology of World Literature. The Ancient World. Volume A. Second Edition. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2009. Pgs. .656-691. Print.
Howe, Helen, and Robert T. Howe. A World History: Ancient and Medieval Worlds. Volume 1. White Plains, NY: Longman, 1992. 533.
The Acheamenid Empire's first ruler was Cyrus the Great. According to Herodotus, a Greek historian, Cyrus was the son of an Iranian nobleman and a Median princess who was the daughter of the Median king Astyages. In 600 B.C, the Medes ruled the Persians. After the birth of Cyrus the Great, Astyages (the King of the Medes) had a dream that was interpreted as a sign that his grandson would eventually overthrow him. He ordered his steward Harpagus to kill Cyrus but he was morally unable to kill a newborn so he summoned the Mardian Mitradates ( a royal bandit herdsman from the mountainous region bordering the Saspires) and ordered him to leave the baby to die in the mountains. The herdsman and his wife (whom Herodotus calls Cyno in Greek, and Spaca-o in Median) took pity and raised the child as their own. However many historians dispute this and there is very little evidence about King Cyrus's childhood but King Cyrus did mange to ove...
York: Facts on File, Inc., 2005. Ancient and Medieval History Online. Facts on File, Inc.
McKay, J/P/, Hill, B.D., Buckler, J., Ebrey, P.B., Beck, R.B., Crowston, C.H., & Wiesner-Hanks, M.E. (2008). A History of World Societies, Volume A: From Antiquity to 1500. New York, NY: Bedford/St. Martin's
Rice, Eugene E. and Anthony Grafton. The Foundations of Early Modern Europe, 1460-1559. 2nd. ed. New York: W. W. Norton and Co., 1994.