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<TR><TD COLSPAN="2">[[image:Cyrus portrait.jpg | thumb | center]]</TD>

<TR><TD COLSPAN="2">[[image:Cyrus portrait.jpg | thumb | center]]</TD>

<TR><TD COLSPAN="2" ALIGN="CENTER"><B><FONT SIZE="3">[[Cyrus II the Great]]</FONT></B></TD>

<TR><TD COLSPAN="2" ALIGN="CENTER"><B><FONT SIZE="3">[[Cyrus II the Great]]</FONT></B></TD>

<TR><TD VALIGN="top"><B>predecessor (Persia)</B></TD><TD VALIGN="top">[[Cambyses I]]</TD>

<TR><TD VALIGN="top"><B>Traditional Predecessor (Persia)</B></TD><TD VALIGN="top">[[Cambyses I]]</TD>

<TR><TD VALIGN="top"><B>predecessor (Medo-Persia)</B></TD><TD VALIGN="top">[[Cyaxares II]]<br><br></TD>

<TR><TD VALIGN="top"><B>Alternative Predecessor (Medo-Persia)</B></TD><TD VALIGN="top">[[Cyaxares II]]<br><br></TD>

<TR><TD VALIGN="top"><B>Traditional Reign</B></TD><TD VALIGN="top">? years]<br><br></TD>

<TR><TD><B>successor</B></TD><TD VALIGN="top">[[Cambyses II]]</TD></TR>

<TR><TD><B>successor</B></TD><TD VALIGN="top">[[Cambyses II]]</TD></TR>

<TR><TD><B>birth</B></TD><TD VALIGN="top">ca. 600 <br/> [[Iran]]</TD></TR>

<TR><TD><B>birth</B></TD><TD VALIGN="top">ca. 600 <br/> [[Iran]]</TD></TR>

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'''Cyrus II''' (also called '''Cyrus the Great''') (576–530 BC) was the Emperor of the [[Persian Empire]]. He is famous for conquering [[Babylon]] and letting the [[Jew]]s go back to [[Israel]].<br>

'''Cyrus II''' (also called '''Cyrus the Great'''), '''Kyros'''<ref>https://www.livius.org/articles/concept/ptolemys-canon/</ref> (576–530 BC) was the Emperor of the [[Persian Empire]]. He is famous for conquering [[Babylon]] and letting the [[Jew]]s go back to [[Israel]].<br>

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At its greatest extent, the Achaemenid Persian Empire was the largest ancient empire, spanning three continents: [[Europe]], [[Asia]], and [[Africa]]. The empire included modern-day [[Iran]], [[Iraq]], [[Jordan]], [[Israel]], [[Syria]], [[Lebanon]], [[Turkey]], [[Egypt]] [[Afghanistan]], [[Pakistan]], [[Libya]], and northern [[Saudi Arabia]].

At its greatest extent, the Achaemenid Persian Empire was the largest ancient empire, spanning three continents: [[Europe]], [[Asia]], and [[Africa]]. The empire included modern-day [[Iran]], [[Iraq]], [[Jordan]], [[Israel]], [[Syria]], [[Lebanon]], [[Turkey]], [[Egypt]] [[Afghanistan]], [[Pakistan]], [[Libya]], and northern [[Saudi Arabia]].

===Herodotus===

===Herodotus===

Herodotus’s relates that Cyrus’s grandfather Astyages, king of Media, was warned in dreams that his daughter Mandane would give birth to a child who would eventually usurp his throne. In order to prevent this, Astyages had Mandane marry a Persian commoner named Cambyses so the child would not be part of his royal house. Then, when his daughter was about to bear her son, Astyages commissioned one of his servants to go to Mandane in Persia and slay the child. The servant was unwilling to kill the child himself, and so committed the task to a certain herdsman. The herdsman’s wife was about to give birth, and when she did so the child was stillborn. The couple buried the stillborn child and pretended they had carried out their commission, thereafter raising Cyrus themselves.<ref>''Histories'' 1.107.1 –1.113.3.</ref> When Cyrus reached manhood and his true identity was revealed, Cyrus and the Persians became inveterate enemies of Astyages, eventually defeating him in battle (559 BC)<ref>''Histories'' 1.214.3.</ref> and confining him to his palace. (This is unlikely in itself and casts doubt on Herodotus’s whole scenario about Astyages; would a conqueror leave a conquered king in his capital while the conqueror was involved in foreign campaigns?) After that the domination of the Persians over the Medes continued for several years before, and then after, the capture of Babylon. According to Herodotus, when Cyrus conquered Astyages he made the Medes “slaves instead of masters and the Persians, who were the slaves, are now the masters of the Medes.” <ref>''Histories'' 1.129.4.</ref>

Herodotus’s relates without confirmation from a single other source a story of how Cyrus’s grandfather [[Astyages]], king of Media, was warned in dreams that his daughter [[Mandane]] would give birth to a child who would eventually usurp his throne. In order to prevent this, [[Astyages]] had [[Mandane]] marry a [[Persian]] 'commoner' named [[Cambyses I|Cambyses]] so the child would not be part of his royal house. Then, when his daughter was about to bear her son, [[Astyages]] commissioned one of his servants to go to [[Mandane]] in [[Persia]] and slay the child. The servant was unwilling to kill the child himself, and so committed the task to a certain herdsman. The herdsman’s wife was about to give birth, and when she did so the child was stillborn. The couple buried the stillborn child and pretended they had carried out their commission, thereafter raising Cyrus themselves.<ref>''Histories'' 1.107.1 –1.113.3.</ref> When Cyrus reached manhood and his true identity was revealed, Cyrus and the Persians became inveterate enemies of Astyages, eventually defeating him in battle (559 BC)<ref>''Histories'' 1.214.3.</ref> and confining him to his palace. (This is unlikely in itself and casts doubt on Herodotus’s whole scenario about Astyages; would a conqueror leave a conquered king in his capital while the conqueror was involved in foreign campaigns?) After that the domination of the Persians over the Medes continued for several years before, and then after, the capture of Babylon. According to Herodotus, when Cyrus conquered Astyages he made the Medes “slaves instead of masters and the Persians, who were the slaves, are now the masters of the Medes.” <ref>''Histories'' 1.129.4.</ref>

According to Herodotus, then, Cyrus became overlord of the Medes, so that both Medes and Persians were subject to him well before the fall of Babylon to their forces and the forces of their allies (539 BC). Cyrus’s died, according to Herodotus, after the Persians were defeated by the forces of Tomyris, queen of the Massagetae. When the queen came upon Cyrus’s corpse she dipped his head in a skein of blood. <ref>''Histories''1.212.1 –2.114.5.</ref>

According to [[Herodotus]], then, ''Cyrus'' became overlord of the [[Medes]], so that both Medes and [[Persians]] were subject to him well before the fall of [[Babylon]] to their forces and the forces of their allies (539 BC). Cyrus’s died, according to Herodotus, after the Persians were defeated by the forces of Tomyris, queen of the Massagetae. When the queen came upon Cyrus’s corpse she dipped his head in a skein of blood. <ref>''Histories''1.212.1 –2.114.5.</ref>

===Xenophon===

===Xenophon===

In his ''Cyropaedia'' (Education of Cyrus) Xenophon agrees with Herodotus that Cyrus’s mother was Mandane, daughter of Astyages king of Media, but Xenophon makes it clear that the Cambyses she married was king of Persia, not a commoner. Xenophon relates that when Cyrus was twelve or slightly older, Mandane took him from Persia to Ecbatana, the Median capital, at the request of Astyages. The boy and his grandfather immediately developed a liking for each other, and when Mandane wanted to return, Astyages requested that the boy remain with him in order to complete his education. Cyrus agreed, saying he especially wanted to learn to ride a horse, a skill at which the Medes excelled but which the Persians did not practice at the time. The cordial relations between Astyages and his grandson continued during the years while Cyrus grew to manhood, and in no instance does Xenophon portray anything but affection between grandfather and grandson as long as Astyages was alive.

In his ''Cyropaedia'' (Education of Cyrus) [[Xenophon]] agrees with Herodotus that Cyrus’s mother was [[Mandane]], daughter of [[Astyages]] king of Media, but Xenophon makes it clear that the Cambyses she married was king of Persia, not a commoner. [[Xenophon]] relates that when Cyrus was twelve or slightly older, [[Mandane]] took him from [[Persia]] to [[Ecbatana]], the Median capital, at the request of Astyages. The boy and his grandfather immediately developed a liking for each other, and when Mandane wanted to return, Astyages requested that the boy remain with him in order to complete his education. Cyrus agreed, saying he especially wanted to learn to ride a horse, a skill at which the Medes excelled but which the Persians did not practice at the time. The cordial relations between Astyages and his grandson continued during the years while Cyrus grew to manhood, and in no instance does Xenophon portray anything but affection between grandfather and grandson as long as Astyages was alive.

When Astyages died, the kingdom passed, not to Cyrus, but to the son of Astyages, [[Cyaxares II]]  (''Cyropaedia'' 1.5.2). Cyaxares II, the brother of Mandane, was therefore the uncle of Cyrus. Cyrus became king of the Persians (only) on the death of his father Cambyses I, but he and the Persians remained, according to Xenophon, under the suzerainty of Cyaxares and the Medes until the death of Cyaxares, which happened about two years after the capture of Babylon in 539 BC. After Babylon was captured, Cyaxares had given his daughter in marriage to Cyrus, whose first wife apparently died a few weeks after the capture of Babylon,<ref>[[Nabonidus Chronicle]], as cited in Jean-Jacques Glassner, ''Mesopotamian Chronicles'' (ed. Benjamin R. Forster; Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2004), 239. The translation of Glassner that has the mourning period for the queen (and hence her death) occurring in the month Adar (February/March) is to be preferred to the earlier translation found in James Pritchard, ed., ''Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament'' (Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 1969), 306b, that has the mourning start in Arahshamnu (=Heshvan, October/November).</ref> with her dowry being the combined rule of the Medes and the Persians. This meant that after the death of Cyaxares the Persians instead of the Medes therefore became dominant in the empire that now included Babylonia and many other subject peoples. After a seven-year rule of the combined empire (537–530 BC),<ref>''Cyropaedia'' (8.7.1)</ref> Cyrus died a peaceful death and was succeeded by his son Cambyses II.<ref>''Cyropaedia'' (8.7.11)</ref>

When Astyages died, the kingdom passed, not to Cyrus, but to the son of Astyages, [[Cyaxares II]]  (''Cyropaedia'' 1.5.2). Cyaxares II, the brother of Mandane, was therefore the uncle of Cyrus. Cyrus became king of the Persians (only) on the death of his father Cambyses I, but he and the Persians remained, according to Xenophon, under the suzerainty of Cyaxares and the Medes until the death of Cyaxares, which happened about two years after the capture of Babylon in 539 BC. After Babylon was captured, Cyaxares had given his daughter in marriage to Cyrus, whose first wife apparently died a few weeks after the capture of Babylon,<ref>[[Nabonidus Chronicle]], as cited in Jean-Jacques Glassner, ''Mesopotamian Chronicles'' (ed. Benjamin R. Forster; Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2004), 239. The translation of Glassner that has the mourning period for the queen (and hence her death) occurring in the month Adar (February/March) is to be preferred to the earlier translation found in James Pritchard, ed., ''Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament'' (Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 1969), 306b, that has the mourning start in Arahshamnu (=Heshvan, October/November).</ref> with her dowry being the combined rule of the Medes and the Persians. This meant that after the death of Cyaxares the Persians instead of the Medes therefore became dominant in the empire that now included Babylonia and many other subject peoples. After a seven-year rule of the combined empire (537–530 BC),<ref>''Cyropaedia'' (8.7.1)</ref> Cyrus died a peaceful death and was succeeded by his son Cambyses II.<ref>''Cyropaedia'' (8.7.11)</ref>