Cyrus the Great: A Critical Review of a Historical Figure

Introduction

Since ancient times, there has been an opinion that everything in the world is cyclical and repeats itself after certain periods. Thus, the study of antiquity can provide a lot of useful knowledge about the rulers and significant persons of those times who made a contribution to history. With the help of analysis and criticism of their personality, it is possible to deduce the strengths and weaknesses of a particular policy. Cyrus the Great is thus seen in the current essay as a significant figure, a Persian king who managed to reach great political and military heights, which left a historical legacy. A detailed discussion through a critical analysis of his personality is the purpose of this essay.

Cyrus II of Persia

Cyrus II of Persia or Cyrus the Great is primarily known for being the founder of the Achaemenid Persian Empire and is considered one of the outstanding and convincing personalities of ancient history. However, despite this status, the ruler does not have a vague and insignificant historical image¹. Moreover, the main characteristic of his figure is his attitude towards the Persian people. There are many modern and ancient studies and literary works about the influence of Cyrus II on the course of history.

Among the outstanding characteristics of Cyrus II is the fact that he was an experienced and thoughtful military tactician. This trait helped the conqueror to conquer the Medes, Lydians and Babylonians. These achievements contributed to the significant success and acceleration of the creation of the largest empire of that time. In a critical analysis of this figure, it was concluded that Cyrus the Great was distinguished by special skills of government. It is noted that the man treated the empire he ruled with respect and attention, especially the protection of minority rights and human rights in general. Moreover, religious tolerance promoted by the conqueror was encouraged. In addition, Cyrus II was the only non-Jewish significant person named the Messiah in the Bible after the end of the Jewish exile in Babylon. Many sources, when mentioning the ruler or retelling his biography, resort to mixing historical facts with mythology, relying on knowledge wandering even beyond the borders of Persia.

Personal abilities and skills of Cyrus the Great as the founder of the Achaemenid state are hard to overestimate. One of the primary pieces of evidence of his large-scale cultural heritage is that the personality of Cyrus the Great has survived in the minds of the Persian people as a model of a great conqueror, a wise ruler, and a victim who was able to become a legendary hero. The sources state, «the scale and nature of Cyrus’ conquests meant that he was an impressive personage and one about whom his contemporaries… had a highly favorable impression of his political skills and insights»². The historical figure of the Persian king is often compared with no less important rulers for the history of humankind ³. Hence, for example, a parallel can be drawn between Cyrus the Great and the Roman twin brothers Romulus and Remus, whose importance for the creation of the Roman Empire cannot but be compared with the figure of Cyrus the Great for the Achaemenid Empire. Similar comparisons are permissible in some senses between Cyrus and Moses, who to fulfill a divine duty, became the leader of the Jews. The basis for this comparison, however, is not only the personal skills of Cyrus: it is enough to turn to his history, written in the legends, to discover the similarities.

For instance, this historical knowledge that Cyrus the Great was given to a shepherd: such biographical fragments are reminiscent of the story of the little Moses, who was found in the reeds, or the Roman twins, thrown on the river and fed by a wolf. Between the three lines described, there is a familiar plot: a child who finds himself in cruel conditions but manages to overcome them to become a historical figure and a strong ruler. In this context, it is impossible not to assume that such plots were part of public or historical propaganda as a need to brighten and ennoble the figure of the Achaemenid ruler: «myths would have spread quickly, since Cyrus the Great was the national hero of the Persians»⁴. Thus, it is well known that the ancient Greek writer and historian Xenophon used the image of Cyrus as an example of heroism and valor for his students⁵. This is a good illustration of one facet of the historical influence that Cyrus had on the world.

It is correct to note that Cyrus became for history not another Persian king who introduced some reforms and succeeded by another but became a great historical figure who could change the political agenda of that era radically. This is expressed not only in the lifetime legends about Cyrus but also in his influence on the world after the death of the Persian prince. It is known that even after the death of Cyrus, the Achaemenid empire continued to exist for at least another two centuries. For modern history, Cyrus remains a significant figure, as humanity still honors the memory of the Persian king. Thus, the personality and successes of him are comparable to the cult for modern Iran⁶. All of this together leads to the conclusion that Cyrus the Great is a paramount ruler in human history.

Human Rights

It is noteworthy that even during the reign of Cyrus, B.C., the foundations of natural human rights, which are components of the actual narrative only today, nearly 2,500 thousand years later, began to emerge. One such piece of history is the Cyrus Cylinder, which was once heralded as the prototype of the Declaration of Human Rights ⁷. It was reported, “the Cylinder is internationally celebrated as its text is seen as an example of benevolent and just rule”⁸. It is well known that Cyrus the Great’s social policy was based on such tenets as justice, effective leadership, and universal equality: very extreme values for the Dark Ages. Some of the leadership lessons modern rulers can take from Cyrus the Great’s worldview include the need to be accountable, to promise only what can be delivered, to create a balance of interests, and to motivate their subordinates.⁹. Thus, the Persian king was distinguished not only by his ability to rule and conquer, but also by the creation of favorable conditions for the existence of his population.

Conclusion

This work examines the personality and activities of Cyrus the Great, his legacy and influence on history as a Persian king. Cyrus the Great has been shown to be an important figure who contributed significantly to changing the geopolitical agenda of the past and whose progressive ideas of social policy are reflected in contemporary declarations. Special attention is paid to the influence on the socio-cultural and political life of that era. Among his main achievements are the formation of a movement for human rights, respect for minorities and religious tolerance. Many sources note his judicious approach in ruling by people who called him their father. An interesting part of the biography of Cyrus II of Persia is the influence of the legend of the conqueror and ruler formed at that time. It represents the ruler Cyrus the Great as the forerunner of modern ideological, political and legal attitudes in the field of human rights. Many sources also note that despite the fact that Cyrus II of Persia carried out his great memorable activity many centuries ago, he still has influence in the cultural and political space of modern society, constantly experiencing various changes in interpretation.

Bibliography

Ansari, Ali. “A Royal Romance: The Cult of Cyrus the Great in Modern Iran.” Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society 31, no. 3 (2021): 405-426.

Nally, David. “Was Cyrus really ‘The Great’?” Teaching History 55, no. 3 (2021): 10-16.

Morsalpour, Mohsen, and Omid Ghiasi. “The Role of Achaemenid Models in the Iranian National Epic.” Journal of Asian History 52, no. 1 (2018): 23-42.

Schlevogt, Kai-Alexander. “Lessons in Intelligent Leadership from Cyrus the Great: First Insights from the New Discipline Called” Archaeology of Leadership Thought and Knowledge”(ALTK).” Effective Executive 21, no. 4 (2018): 15-55.

Seretaki, Maria, and Melina Tamiolaki. “Polybius and Xenophon: Hannibal and Cyrus the Great as Model Leaders.” Polybius and His Legacy, 2018, 225-240.

Shayegan, M. Rahim. Cyrus the Great. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2018.

Van de Ven, Annelies. “The Many Faces of the Cyrus Cylinder: Displaying Contested Objects as Constellations.” PhD diss., University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 2017. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.

Footnotes

1. Rahim Shayegan, Cyrus the Great (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2018), 26.
2. Ali Ansari, “A Royal Romance: The Cult of Cyrus the Great in Modern Iran,” Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society 31, no. 3 (2021): 415.
3. David Nally, “Was Cyrus really ‘The Great’,” Teaching History 55, no. 3 (2021): 10.
4. Mohsen Morsalpour and Omid Ghiasi, “The Role of Achaemenid Models in the Iranian National Epic,” Journal of Asian History 52, no. 1 (2018): 27.
5. Maria Seretaki and Melina Tamiolaki, “Polybius and Xenophon: Hannibal and Cyrus the Great as Model Leaders,” Polybius and His Legacy, 2018, 226.
6. Ansari, “A Royal Romance”, 424.
7. Annelies Van de Ven, “The Many Faces of the Cyrus Cylinder: Displaying Contested Objects as Constellations” (PhD diss., University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 2017), 1, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.
8. Ibid, iii.
9. Kai-Alexander Schlevogt, “Lessons in Intelligent Leadership from Cyrus the Great: First Insights from the New Discipline Called” Archaeology of Leadership Thought and Knowledge”(ALTK),” Effective Executive 21, no. 4 (2018): 15.