February
13
/ 2020
Cyrus II of Persia (more commonly known as Cyrus the Great and called Cyrus the Elder by the ancient Greeks) was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Although there are various ancient sources for Cyrus’ life, one of the most important of these is Herodotus’ The Histories. Initially, the Persians were vassals of the Median Empire. When Cyrus came to power, however, he successfully rebelled against the Medes and became the ruler of a new empire. Subsequently, Cyrus expanded the Achaemenid Empire through conquest. Cyrus subjugated both the Lydian and Neo-Babylonian Empires, thereby forming the largest empire the world had seen up to that time. Cyrus died during a military campaign in the east and was succeeded by his son
