Cyrus the Great was the founder of the great Persian Empire. His life and feats are still discussed today. Neil MacGregor, an art historian, explores the Cyrus Cylinder, an ancient clay cylinder praising Cyrus the Great. MacGregor discusses various points about the emperor including the aspects of his kingdom and his treatment of his people and other peoples. MacGregor discusses Cyrus as a benevolent ruler of a multicultural empire. He was accepting of many peoples are wanted them to live in harmony in his kingdom. MacGregor says Cyrus is the figurehead of the multinational countries. The Jewish Torah described Cyrus as liberator because he freed thousands of Jewish people from Assyrians. MacGregor acknowledges that this is proven true due to the Cyrus Cylinder which speaks about the same topic. In today’s world, the Cylinder is seen as a object that calls for acceptance. MacGregor tacks its journey around the world and how it was needed in Tehran, Iran to help institute peace between different peoples. …show more content…
MacGregor’s ted talk was very informative about the Cyrus Cylinder.
The background given on Cyrus and his administration helped to ease the understanding of the cylinder’s journey. The Cyrus Cylinder is seen as a conduit for multinationalism and acceptance. While I personally believe that is was merely a figure for some governments to give people false hope that they are accepting, it can be an inspiration to some people and hopefully do real good in the world. The cylinder helps us to learn what the time of ruler Cyrus was, a benevolent leader. Cyrus the Great exhibited many different traits; each of which helped him become a great leader and an even greater ruler. His combination of self-reliance, generosity, control, and intelligence all allowed Cyrus to excel as a
leader. Cyrus the great knows that the best person to rely on, is himself. Throughout his campaign, Cyrus and his troops travelled many miles and were constantly in need of supplies. Cyrus understands that in order for his army to be successful, they must be furnished with the proper necessities. Cyrus was a foreword thinker; to avoid lacking necessities, Cyrus always had a backup plan to ensure goals were met. He always thought three steps ahead on the thought that a supplier did not keep his word. “If Syazarees breaks his word to us, my army won’t fall apart. We’ll mobilize and find resources on our own” (14). A great leader like Cyrus understood the requirement of keeping his troops endowed with the goods needed for a successful campaign. “I kept leading my men out to forage, securing as many supplies as possible and keeping the men at the height of their powers” (184). Therefore, it is best to keep your troops happy by giving them the right weapons to fight with and ample resources to unwind and celebrate after a fruitful battle. The mindset of Cyrus to be self-sufficient showcases one of the essential attributes of a strong leader. Cyrus’ self-reliance contributes to his generosity because it allows him to obtain spoils in order to share with his men. Cyrus was venerated by his own troops and even other armies. Because he did not rely on others, Cyrus was able to readily source his troops with possessions. Considering this, other peoples knew the benefit of fighting with Cyrus because of the massive amounts of wealth available to gain. Furthermore, Cyrus’ generosity allowed him to gain the trust of different peoples because he treated them like equals, and rewarded them with copious amounts of bounty. Consequentially, other armies join on his campaign because they know that there is much to gain. “I galloped back to the Median cavalry and thanked them for coming, saying also that I hope to reward their initiative” (80). The ability to provide an abundance of resources “Thus we Persians kept the camp in good order while the Medes and our other allies drank and feasted and mad music and knew the full joy of victory”(103). Cyrus did not hoard resources, but shared them with his men and other that supported him, thus gaining their respect. Considering this, Cyrus also gained the respect of other armies by allowing them to join his campaign against their common enemy, the Assyrians. Therefore, each successful army Cyrus recruited and treated benevolently helped to establish a sense of trust and eventually let the troops become somewhat loyal to him. Cyrus earns the loyalty of his men and other armies by his meticulous strategy and careful planning. Throughout his campaign, Cyrus was able persuade many different peoples to follow him: usually through the possibility of wealth and conquer over a common enemy. Men also knew that he was a renowned general who was concerned about the condition of those under his control. “Never forget that your men expect you to protect them. They’ll lose all confidence in you if you neglect their safety and interests, so you must never know a careless moment” (27). One cannot be a leader without loyal followers. Moreover, his persuasive nature allowed him to control various groups of people. Additionally, without loyal men who want to fight under him, he could not have been Cyrus the Great. As a result of his adapt nature and combination of self-reliance and generosity, Cyrus earns the loyalty of many. Cyrus uses his intelligent in order to establish himself as a ruling general by understanding how to employ various tactics. Cyrus was keen on the ability of his troops saying, “Long delays undermine the morale of soldiers” (48). He knew that in order to win, the soldiers must be at their highest peak. Therefore once morale is snapped, the battle is already decided. Cyrus also knew how to defeat an enemy. Pursuing a fleeing enemy was the first step of him winning his campaign. “I want Syazarees to see for himself that every one of us wants to pursue the enemy” (72). Cyrus was a strategist who knew that staying docile with an escaping enemy was a wasted opportunity. Even when his uncle believes that they should just celebrate their victory, Cyrus understands the consequence of celebrating too early and not eliminating the threat. “My goal was to employ cunning and diplomacy before resorting to force. In my attempt to minimize the harm inflicted on my own troops…I was always eager to negotiate a reasonable peace” (165). Even though he was a prodigious general, war was never his first choice. Diplomacy was always the smarter option because it entails less bloodshed and no risk. In addition, Cyrus understood that outsmarting the enemy through strategy is necessary if war was inevitable. Therefore, knowing when to attack and having the loyalty and respect of others to follow allowed Cyrus to develop into the renowned general. Although great leaders display various leadership traits, a great leader may contain some faults. Cyrus seemed to showcase some forms of arrogance. In the start of his journey, Cyrus relies on his uncle for a regiment of men to ensure his victory. After returning to his uncle, Cyrus seems to have forgotten where his help came from and his Syazarees reminds him, ‘You make Media great by using my own men, while I have no part in the performance. Finally I have to show up like a courtesan to collect your favors. I’m supposed to celebrate you vas the great man!”(175). Cyrus showcases some form of being conceit to his uncle. While he may be jealous that his men have decided to follow Cyrus, Syazarees has introduced to Cyrus that he may be at fault. Cyrus’ leadership skills and the massive amount of men that have named him “Cyrus the Great” seem to clouded his mind and caused this mindset. Although his arrogance is considered a weakness, it could also be seen as a strength because it would allow him to take risk that he might not have taken without the utmost confidence. Cyrus’ leadership ability is illustrated by the four traits of: Self-reliance, generosity, control, and his intelligence. Each are great to have one their own, but the combination help to create a leader like Cyrus the Great. However, he was not perfect but his arrogance was not a crutch and he used it to his advantage. In our everyday lives, his traits are aspirations for many. For those who want to be eventual leaders, these traits are beneficial to have and actually may be necessary to have. Society values characters with this traits because they make people more likeable. In the business world, the best managers are those who are well liked by their employees but also know how to inspire hope and produce outstanding results. Also, arrogance is sometimes necessary to inspire others. It can be also be understood as confidence which can be invigorating to the everyday worker. Lastly, from studying Cyrus the Great, one can learn that improving yourself is one way in which one can change the way people think about you. Additionally, gaining this traits will also improve how you feel about yourself in general. One’s perception can also influence the perception of others. Through his journeys, Cyrus teaches us how to better ourselves and to become a strong leader.
The book starts off with how the Great Achaemenid Empire rose to become a hyperpower through the strategies of its rulers, beginning with Cyrus. Whenever he conquered a new empire, Cyrus would remove or “decapitate” the head of the current government and replace them with persian aristocracy, known as a satraps. One of the many things Cyrus did to exercise tolerance was how he rarely interfered with the lives of his conquered people. This supports Chua’s thesis by proving
Two rulers discussed in this chapter are Naram-Sin and Gudea. Naram-Sin is remembered as a ruler of the Akkadian Empire, and his reign was evidenced by success regarding an acquisition of resources and strengthening of his army. In terms of works of art, Naram-Sin pushed for his carvings and paintings to be done on walls and caves. Through that, he believed that his legacy would have been carried from one generation to another in Mesopotamia.
“They call me ‘The Reaper” (Irving 7). For as long as he can remember, Nicholas Irving was always obsessed with the idea of becoming a Navy SEAL. He fawned over the weapons, submersibles, and explosives they used, especially after watch Navy SEALs, but he wasn’t too keen on the idea of becoming “disciplined.” As a teenager he didn’t do too well in school, his only A in his entire high school career coming from ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps). After his high school graduation, he signed himself up for the Navy SEAL Cadet Corps Camp in Florida. A few weeks after attending this camp, he was called back to Florida where he soon learned after a series of test that he was colorblind. However, this minor setback did not stop him and he soon
A man who served during the Old Kingdom, under kings Mernere and Pepi II. Officials carved fifty-eight lines on his tomb to commemorate this man’s life. He was not only the governor of Upper Egypt, but also led four expeditions to Nubia, in which he successfully traded and opened up relations between the two nations. “He majesty of Mernere, my lord, sent me… to Yam, to open the way to that country. I did it in seven months; I brought from it all kinds of beautiful and rare gifts, and was praised for it very greatly.” As we can see, this quote not only shows us that the Egyptians valued trading with their neighbors, but also that those who were able to be trade and have good relations with other nations was something valued and significant to their culture. Similarly, we will see that the ability to trade was not only a quality of importance to Ancient Egypt, but also to the Han Dynasty of
Within 21 years of Xerxes reign to the Persian empire, Xerxes impact and legacy to is questionable from the successes and failures of: the military and administration contributions. From the use of sources such as the Harem inscription “When my father Darius went away from the throne, but the grace of Ahuramazda, I became king on my father’s throne. When I become king, I did much that was excellent. What had been built by my father, I protected, and I added other buildings” is essential and useful in assessing Xerxes’ legacy.
His first challenge to conquest in the West was to end warfare in the Persian Empire. The two empires had been long time rivals in the Middle East and had battled often (Norwich-A Short History of Byzantium,27). During the 400?fs, both the Romans and the Persians struggled to cope with invasions from outside groups. But in 502, conflict re-ignited between them. From 502-505, the Byzantines, led by Justinian fought the Persians and then again from 527-532. This revisited conflict of warfare between the two rival empires ended when the Byzantines fought the Persians to a standstill and ordered them to accept a peace treaty (Whittow-Making of Byzantium,41).
In this essay I aim to examine the roots of Hasmonean rule and observe the relationship between the regime and `Hellenism' (mainly in the political context), and ascertain to what extent Hellenism became an integrated part of the Hasmonean dynasty's mode of governing its state. It is noteworthy to point out that many scholars explain the process of Hellenization as a long and drawn out one, as Lester Grabbe concisely states; "Hellenization was a centuries-long process of synthesis and diversification. It was not the simple imposition of Greek culture on the natives; indeed, the Greeks on the whole did not impose their culture but rather jealously preserved their `superior' political and cultural position in the Near Eastern society." Another aspect to bear in mind is that Greek coinage was used throughout the land of Palestine during the Persian period and Greek pottery found in the area has been dated as early as the fourteenth century B.C.E. So to suggest that the Greeks and their culture were totally alien to the peoples of Palestine until the arrival of Alexander (and subsequently the Ptolemies and Seleucids) would be to ignore this evidence. This being the case, why was it not until Antiochus IV of the Seleucids that open revolt (and the beginning of the Maccabee's rise to power) in opposition to `Hellenism' occurred? I will attempt to answer this complex question in the course of this essay.
Thesis statement: In this research, I will investigate the basic concepts of the Egyptian mythology and its gods.
The Classical mythology contains tales and epics of the ancient Greek and roman literatures and myths. On the other hand, Homer’s two epic poems, the Iliad relates to the events of the Trojan War while the Odyssey details Odysseus expedition after the war. Homer’s epic poems, the Odyssey and the Iliad present a major part of ancient history as modern fictional heroic stories. In ancient Greek, heroes were humans who were depicted to possess superhuman abilities. A key example in the classical mythology is Akhilles who is later known in Homer’s Iliad as Achilles. Achilles is he greatest hero of the Iliad whereas Odysseus is the greatest hero of the Odyssey. The greatest heroes from classic mythology and the modern fictional hero’s stories are mortal, and subject to death. The Odyssey and the Iliad marks the beginning of modern fictional literature.
In the sixth century B.C, the land that we now call Iran was the center of the largest empire in the world. The kings of Ancient Persia( such as Cyrus the Great) were the leaders of a great civilization that made amazing advances in laws, goverment and communication. Founded in 550 B.C by King Cyrus the Great, the Persian Empire spanned from Egypt in the west to Turkey in the north, and through Mesopotamia to the Indus River in the east. Unlike most empires at that time, the Persian kings were benovelent rulers, and allowed a diverse variety of diffrent people with diffrent ethnic backgrounds. The Persian empire was split into three diffrent empires with three diffrent time periods but the first empire was called the Achaemenid Empire. It began with King Cyrus the Great and ended with King Darius III.
The Suez Canal was a construction of a canal to make routes shorter. More importantly the canal was a construction of many dreams, profits, and the unification of the West and the East. Lesseps and his companions began to embark on a journey with a great dream in mind. In his book Parting the Desert, Karabell not only shows the history of the construction of the Suez Canal and the unification of East and West, however also shows the destruction of many countries' hopes and dreams
Al Ghazali, Zainab. Return of the Pharaoh: Memoir in Nasir’s Prison. The Islamic Foundation, 2006. Pp. vii, 188.
The Persian Empire spanned from Egypt in the west to Turkey in the north, and through Mesopotamia to the Indus River in the east. It was a series of imperial dynasties centered in Persia. It was established by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC, with the Persian conquest of Media, Lydia and Babylonia. The Persian history was interrupted by the Islamic conquest and later by the Mongol invasion. The main religion of ancient Persia was Zoroastrianism, but after the 7th century this was replaced by Islam. In the modern era, a series of Islamic dynasties ruled Persia independently of the universal caliphate. Since 1979 Persia has been an Islamic republic. In 552 BCE Cyrus led his armies against the Medes and captured Ecbatana in 549 BCE, effectively conquering the Median Empire
The Prince of Egypt is an animation and a musical about the story of Moses. The movie begins with Moses’ mother sending him off in the bulrushes and ends with Moses watching over his people, with the tablet of law in his hands. This essay will discuss whether or not a cartoon medium is a good way of passing on the story of Moses, the point of the movie, what is best about the film, whether or not anything should be changed in the film, my favourite characters in the movie and whether or not this film should be recommended for a grade nine class to watch.
This logic struck Cyrus so much that he acted on the advice of Croesus and reclaimed the booty. Here Cyrus is portrayed as a rational, just ruler, who treats conquered subjects with restraint. This is in contrast to the loser in the struggle, Croesus, who, although Herodotus represents as wise and strong, is much too hasty. When he received the prophecy from the Oracle at Delphi of “If you attack, you will destroy a great empire,” in response to his question of whether he should bring the fight to the Achaemenids, he rushed across the river to attack Cyrus’s position, eager to destroy a great empire. Of course, the ambiguity of the oracle was his undoing, as it was his own Lydian empire that he destroyed. In this episode, Herodotus is not afraid to admit the faults of his Ionian Greek brethren, or to ascribe positive attributes to the Greek’s enemy.