CYRUS THE GREAT

CYRUS (PART 1)

• In that year, Cyrus, Persia’s king, began to conquer several neighboring kingdoms.
• Cyrus was a military genius, leading his army from victory to victory between 550 and 539 b.c.e
• In time, Cyrus controlled an empire that spanned 2,000 miles, from the Indus River in the east to Anatolia in the west.
• The rest of the world paid little attention to the Persians until 550 b.c., when Cyrus came.

CYRUS (PART 2)

• Cyrus allowed the Jews to return back to Jerusalem in 538 BC, after being driven out by the Babylonians
• Under his rule, the Jews rebuilt the city and temples and considered Cyrus one of God's anointed ones.
• Cyrus was killed when he fought nomadic invaders on the eastern border of his empire.
• Greek historian Arrian claimed that Cyrus's house-shaped tomb had these words engraved on it:
• "O man, I am Cyrus the son of Cambyses. I established the Persian Empire and was king of Asia."

Questions

• How did Cyrus get killed?
• What did the Jews call him?