Page 56 - All About History - Issue 33-15

King Astyages sending
A statue of Cyrus the Harpagus to kill the
Great in Germany young Cyrus

Queen Tomyris
receiving the head of
Cyrus, king of Persia The Cyrus Cylinder
It’s been called the first ever human rights charter, but what did it promise?
The Cyrus Cylinder, only ten inches long, is a major source shrines, angry that he had made them enter into Babylon.
for the king’s achievements, though an unreliable one. Enlil-of-the-gods inspected and checked all the countries,
For one thing, it is damaged, and the text is incomplete. seeking for the upright king of his choice. He took the hand
For another, it is in effect propaganda justifying Cyrus’s of Cyrus, and called him by name, proclaiming him aloud for
conquests and rule. The Babylonian king, Nabonidus, the kingship over all of everything. Marduk, the great lord,
is denigrated and Cyrus is praised as the protector of who nurtures his people, saw with pleasure his fine deeds
Babylonian interests. The cuneiform text, here selected and true heart, and ordered that he should go to Babylon.
from the British Museum translation, reads in part: He had him enter without fighting or battle. He handed
“Rites inappropriate to [the cult-cities] were daily over to him Nabonidus, the king who did not fear him. All
gabbled, and as an insult, he (Nabonidus) brought the daily the people, nobles and governors bowed down before him
offerings to a halt. In his mind, reverential fear of Marduk, and kissed his feet, rejoicing over his kingship, and their
king of the gods, came to an end. He did more evil to his faces shone. I am Cyrus, king of the universe, the great
city every day, and to his people. Enlil-of-the-gods became king, the powerful king, king of Babylon, king of Sumer and
extremely angry at their complaints. The gods left their Akkad, king of the four quarters of the world.”
The Cyrus Cylinder was found
broken into several fragments and is
now housed at the British Museum

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