Discovering Cyrus: Persian Conqueror (book)

Reza Zarghamee (amazon.com): Discovering Cyrus; Eds., Wisdom Quarterly

Some of the most fascinating human epochs lie in the borderlands between history and mystery. So it is with the life of Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Empire in the 6th century BCE.

By conquest and gentler means, he brought under his rule a dominion stretching from the Aegean Sea to the Hindu Kush and encompassing tens of millions of people.

All across this immense empire, he earned support and stability by respecting local religions and customs [and may have practice Zoroastrianism himself], avoiding the brutal ways of tyranny, efficiently administering his realm through the use of provincial governors.

His empire would last another two centuries, leaving an indelible Persian imprint on much of the ancient world.

The Greek chronicler Xenophon, looking back from a distance of several generations, wrote: "Cyrus did indeed eclipse all other monarchs, before or since."

Cyrus the Great's Persia, an empire that included Buddhist Afghanistan (Bactria/Gandhara)

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Cyrus the Great relief (Wiki)

The biblical prophet known as Second Isaiah anticipates King Cyrus' repatriation of Jews living in exile in Babylon to their land with these words of the Lord: "He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please."

Despite what he achieved and bequeathed, much about King Cyrus remains uncertain. Persians of his era had no great respect for the written word, so the most complete accounts of his life were composed by the Greeks.

More fragmentary and tangential evidence takes many forms -- among them, archeological remains, administrative records in subject lands, and legends.

Given these challenges, Discovering Cyrus: The Persian Conqueror Astride the Ancient World is a remarkable feat of portraiture. In his vast sweep, author Reza Zarghamee draws on sources of every kind, painstakingly assembling detail, weighing evidence carefully where contradictions arise.

He describes the background of the Persian people, the turbulence of the times, and the roots of King Cyrus' policies. His account of the imperial era itself delves into religion, military methods, commerce, court life, and much else.

The result is a living, breathing King Cyrus standing atop a distant world who played a key role in shaping our own. More