Cyrus Flashcards
Who was Astyages
- King of Media
- Grandfather of Cyrus
Who was Harpagus
Astyages’ second-in-command/advisor
What happened during Cyrus’ childhood
- After a dream, Astyages asks Harpagus to kill the baby Cyrus
- Harpagus gives him to a shepherd, who switches Cyrus for a dead child and brings him up as his son
- Astyages finds out and punishes Harpagus by killing his son and serving him up at a banquet
- Cyrus’ identity discovered at age 10 when he beat a nobleman’s son while playing ‘king’
How did Cyrus invade Media? How did he treat Astyages
- Harpagus encourages Cyrus to invade Media; Harpagus
switches sides to Cyrus - Cyrus lets his grandfather retire.
How does the Nabonidus Chronicle
record this
- Astyages’ army switches sides
- Harpagus is not mentioned. Astyages and Cyrus are not
related; Cyrus sacks Ecbatana.
Who was Croesus
King of Lydia, very rich
Why did Croesus attack Persia
Croesus received an oracle from Delphi
It told him if he invades Persia, ‘a great empire will fall’.
How did Cyrus conquer Croesus? How was Harpagus involved? How did Cyrus treat Croesus?
- After an inconclusive battle, Cyrus invades Lydia at the
beginning of winter - Harpagus uses camels against Lydian cavalry
- Cyrus wants to burn Croesus, but then makes him his advisor.
What did the Ionians do? What happened to them?
- Ionia and Lydia revolt after Cyrus leaves
- Harpagus subdues Ionia; lots of Ionians (e.g. Xenophanes) evacuate to Greece or Italy.
How did Cyrus capture Babylon according to Herodotus // Nabonidus Chronicle // Cyrus Cylinder?
- Herodotus: Cyrus diverts the Euphrates and conquers the city
through the river’s entrances - Nabonidus Chronicle: Cyrus wins a battle on the river Tigris; Nabonidus flees; Cyrus conquers Babylon ‘without a battle’
Cyrus Cylinder: Cyrus marches into Babylon ‘in peace’.
How did Cyrus treat the Jews in Babylon?
- Cyrus freed them, let them return to Jerusalem to build a new Temple; Cyrus is a messiah.
How else did Cyrus treat the Babylonian gods and people?
- In both the Nabonidus Chronicle and Cyrus Cylinder, Cyrus
returns religious statues which Nabonidus had stolen and kept
in Babylon. - Marduk take Cyrus ‘by the hand’ as king from Persia to
Babylonia
Who were the Massagetae? Who was their queen?
Scythian nomadic tribe, ruled by queen Tomyris
How did the Massagetae conquer Cyrus? How did he die?
- Cyrus aggressively crosses river Araxes
- On Croesus’ advice, he tricks the Scythian army into getting
drunk and kills many of them - Cyrus captures Tomyris’ son who kills himself
- Cyrus killed in a bloody battle after Tomyris discovers her son is dead
Tomyris cuts off Cyrus’ head and puts in a bag of blood.
Identify and describe the following features of Pasargadae: Tomb of Cyrus, paradise gardens, palace, winged figure?
- Tomb of Cyrus: pyramid steps, saddle-roof, Cyrus buried in a gold sarcophagus
- Paradise gardens: irrigated with stone channels, with exotic plants and birds;
- Palace: apadana with white columns from Ionia;
- Winged figure: sculpture at the gate, with Egyptian crown and wings
