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| The '''Cyrus Cylinder''', also known as the ‘Cyrus the Great Cylinder’, is an artifact of the ], consisting of a declaration issued by the emperor ] inscribed in Babylonian (]) ] on a clay cylinder. | The '''Cyrus Cylinder''', also known as the ‘Cyrus the Great Cylinder’, is an artifact of the ], consisting of a declaration issued by the emperor ] inscribed in Babylonian (]) ] on a clay cylinder. | ||
| It was discovered in ] by the ]-] archaeologist ] in the ] temple of ], and today is kept in the ] |
It was discovered in ] by the ]-] archaeologist ] in the foundations of the ] (i.e., the ] temple of ]), and today is kept in the ].<ref>Muhammad Dandamaev, "", in E. Yarshater (ed.) '']'' vol. VI, 1993, p. 521</ref> | ||
| ==Historical Context== | ==Historical Context== | ||
| ] | ] After the battle and massacre at ], Persian troops entered the city of Babylon on ] (Julian calendar; October 7 by the Gregorian calendar), without meeting resistance. On ], Cyrus himself entered the city, assuming the usual titles of "king of Babylon, king of ] and ], king of the four corners of the world." The Cyrus Cylinder was placed under the walls of Babylon as a ], following a long Babylonian tradition. | ||
| On ] (Julian calendar; October 7 by the Gregorian calendar), 539BC , Persian troops entered the city of ] without resistance. On ], Cyrus himself entered the city, assuming the titles of "king of Babylon, king of ] and ], king of the four sides of the world." The Cyrus Cylinder was placed under the walls of Babylon as a ], following a long Babylonian tradition. | |||
| ==Description and Content== | ==Description and Content== | ||
| The text consists of two fragments, known as "A" (lines: 1-35, measures: 23 x 8 cm) and "B" (36-45, 8,6 x 5,6 cm). "A" has always been in the British Museum; "B" has been kept at ], but has been transferred to the British Museum.<ref>Cyrus Cylinder; A declaration of good kingship </ref> | The text consists of two fragments, known as "A" (lines: 1-35, measures: 23 x 8 cm) and "B" (36-45, 8,6 x 5,6 cm). "A" has always been in the British Museum; "B" has been kept at ], but has been transferred to the British Museum.<ref>Cyrus Cylinder; A declaration of good kingship . The British Museum</ref> | ||
| Its contents can be summarized as follows: | Its contents can be summarized as follows: | ||
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| ==The Cylinder as a Charter of Human Rights== | ==The Cylinder as a Charter of Human Rights== | ||
| In ], Shah ] made the Cyrus Cylinder the symbol of the celebration of what he called the 2,500 years' of Persian history, counting back to the death of Cyrus.<ref>Of course, monarchy as a political system was known in Iran at least 2,000 years earlier, Cyrus' rule had started 30 years earlier, and was preceded by several generations of Achaemenid kingship.</ref> In this context, the Cylinder was called the world’s first charter of ]<ref>iranchamber.com, The Cyrus Charter: </ref> |
In ], Shah ] made the Cyrus Cylinder the symbol of the celebration of what he called the 2,500 years' of Persian history, counting back to the death of Cyrus.<ref>Of course, monarchy as a political system was known in Iran at least 2,000 years earlier, Cyrus' rule had started 30 years earlier, and was preceded by several generations of Achaemenid kingship.</ref> In this context, the Cylinder was called the world’s first charter of ].<ref>iranchamber.com, The Cyrus Charter: </ref> A copy with a rather free translation into English was offered to the ].<ref>United Nations Press Release 14 October 1971 ().</ref> The text was also translated into the other official U.N. languages.<ref>, CAIS-Online (accessed January 11, 2007); , The Iranian.com (retrieved January 12, 2007).</ref>. The replica is now kept at the ] Headquarters in ] in the second floor hallway, between the ] and the ] chambers. | ||
| It was said that several passages from the Cyrus Cylinder promote a form of religious tolerance and freedom. He allowed his subjects to continue worshipping their gods, despite his own monotheist beliefs.<ref>, The British Museum Website; Retrived January 12, 2007</ref> The historian ] had written in 1963: | It was said that several passages from the Cyrus Cylinder promote a form of religious tolerance and freedom. He allowed his subjects to continue worshipping their gods, despite his own monotheist beliefs.<ref>, The British Museum Website; Retrived January 12, 2007</ref> The historian ] had written in 1963: | ||
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| However, many scholars have pointed out that the Cyrus Cylinder does in fact not allow this interpretation.<ref>A. Kuhrt "The Cyrus Cylinder and Achaemenid imperial policy" in ''Journal of Studies of the Old Testament'' 25 pp. 83-97, B. van der Spek, "Did Cyrus the Great introduce a new policy towards subdued nations? Cyrus in Assyrian perspective" in ''Persica'' 10 pp. 273-285; M. Dandamaev ''A Political History of the Achaemenid Empire'', pp. 52-53.</ref> Similar gestures to those recorded on the Cylinder were more or less usual for a conquering monarch in contemporary Babylon and the surrounding area. An example of a text that is of about the same age and contains parallel motifs is the ] from ], which mentions the return of gods to their shrines, which have been rebuilt by a pious ruler who increases the daily offerings. Cyrus' prayer for his son echoes another text by Nabonidus, in which he describes the rebuilding of the ] of ]. The abolishing of corvées is mentioned by several Mesopotamian rulers, e.g. ] of ]. The discovery of fragment B, which includes the stereotypical remark that Cyrus increased the number of sacrifices, has strengthened this interpretation. | However, many scholars have pointed out that the Cyrus Cylinder does in fact not allow this interpretation.<ref>A. Kuhrt "The Cyrus Cylinder and Achaemenid imperial policy" in ''Journal of Studies of the Old Testament'' 25 pp. 83-97, B. van der Spek, "Did Cyrus the Great introduce a new policy towards subdued nations? Cyrus in Assyrian perspective" in ''Persica'' 10 pp. 273-285; M. Dandamaev ''A Political History of the Achaemenid Empire'', pp. 52-53.</ref> Similar gestures to those recorded on the Cylinder were more or less usual for a conquering monarch in contemporary Babylon and the surrounding area. An example of a text that is of about the same age and contains parallel motifs is the ] from ], which mentions the return of gods to their shrines, which have been rebuilt by a pious ruler who increases the daily offerings. Cyrus' prayer for his son echoes another text by Nabonidus, in which he describes the rebuilding of the ] of ]. The abolishing of corvées is mentioned by several Mesopotamian rulers, e.g. ] of ]. The discovery of fragment B, which includes the stereotypical remark that Cyrus increased the number of sacrifices, has strengthened this interpretation. | ||
| Besides, ] has made it clear in many publications that the Iranian religions of that age were not monotheistic,<ref>For instance, ''Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices'' (London, 1979; corrected repr. 1984; repr. with new foreword 2001). For a more recent view, Peter Clark, ''Zoroastrianism. An Introduction to an Ancient Faith'' (Brighton, 1998, 2001).</ref> which makes it impossible to state that Cyrus, although himself a monotheist, allowed his subjects to keep their own beliefs. | |||
| ⚫ | Because the Cyrus Cylinder can not be used to support the late Shah's opinion about Cyrus, at least one falsification has been made, probably before Fragment B was discovered. It can be found online and has been ‘elaborated’ with promises founding Cyrus’ right to reign on the acceptance of the people<ref>For example, on faithfreedom.org or iranchamber.com ; for references, see "" at </ref> |
||
| ⚫ | Because the Cyrus Cylinder can not be used to support the late Shah's opinion about Cyrus, at least one falsification has been made, probably before Fragment B was discovered. It can be found online and has been ‘elaborated’ with promises founding Cyrus’ right to reign on the acceptance of the people.<ref>For example, on faithfreedom.org or iranchamber.com ; for references, see "" at </ref> | ||
| ==Biblical significance== | ==Biblical significance== | ||
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| ] in ] to return to their native lands, earning him an honored place in Judaism.]] | ] in ] to return to their native lands, earning him an honored place in Judaism.]] | ||
| The Bible records that a remnant of the Jewish population returned to their homeland from Babylon, following an edict from Cyrus to rebuild the temple.<ref>Horne C. F., Cyrus the Great; the Decree of Return of Jews, 539 B.C., (); accessed January 26, 2007.</ref> This edict is fully reproduced in the ]. As a result of Cyrus' policies, the Jews honored him as a dignified and righteous king, and he is the only ] to be designated as a ], a divinely-appointed king, in the ]. | The Bible records that a remnant of the Jewish population returned to their homeland from Babylon, following an edict from Cyrus to rebuild the temple.<ref>Horne C. F., Cyrus the Great; the Decree of Return of Jews, 539 B.C., (); accessed January 26, 2007.</ref> This edict is fully reproduced in the ]. As a result of Cyrus' policies, the Jews honored him as a dignified and righteous king, and he is the only ] to be designated as a ], a divinely-appointed king, in the ]. That he also allowed the return of the Jews is not mentioned in the Cylinder, but many authors certainly consider it very likely.<ref>, Washington State University Website, Retrieved January 12, 2007</ref> | ||
| Whether or not the Cylinder amounts to a ‘charter’, many feel that it remarkably appears to confirm these ] statements concerning Cyrus’ tolerance and magnanimity. | |||
| That he also allowed the return of the Jews is not mentioned in the Cylinder, but some authors certainly consider it likely. <ref>, Washington State University Website, Retrieved January 12, 2007</ref> | |||
| Before the discovery of this artefact, many sceptical Western historians believed that the Biblical stories were entirely fictional. {{fact}} However, due to the discovery of the Cyrus Cylinder and similar texts (the ], the Deluge story in the ], the ] relief from ], etc.), this has come to be considered an extreme point of view; the outline of Jewish history presented in these ] appears to have some basis in actual historical occurrences. | Whether or not the Cylinder amounts to a ‘charter’, it remarkably appears to confirm the ] statements concerning Cyrus’ tolerance and magnanimity. Before the discovery of this artefact, many sceptical Western historians believed that the Biblical stories were entirely fictional. {{fact}} However, due to the discovery of the Cyrus Cylinder and similar texts (the ], the Deluge story in the ], the ] relief from ], etc.), this has come to be considered an extreme point of view; the outline of Jewish history presented in these ] appears to have some basis in actual historical occurrences. | ||
| ==Editions and Translations== | ==Editions and Translations== | ||
Revision as of 12:35, 28 January 2007
The Cyrus Cylinder, also known as the ‘Cyrus the Great Cylinder’, is an artifact of the Persian Empire, consisting of a declaration issued by the emperor Cyrus the Great inscribed in Babylonian (Akkadian) cuneiform on a clay cylinder.
It was discovered in 1879 by the Assyro-British archaeologist Hormuzd Rassam in the foundations of the Esagila (i.e., the Marduk temple of Babylon), and today is kept in the British Museum.
Historical Context
After the battle and massacre at Opis, Persian troops entered the city of Babylon on October 12 (Julian calendar; October 7 by the Gregorian calendar), without meeting resistance. On October 29, Cyrus himself entered the city, assuming the usual titles of "king of Babylon, king of Sumer and Akkad, king of the four corners of the world." The Cyrus Cylinder was placed under the walls of Babylon as a foundation deposit, following a long Babylonian tradition.
Description and Content
The text consists of two fragments, known as "A" (lines: 1-35, measures: 23 x 8 cm) and "B" (36-45, 8,6 x 5,6 cm). "A" has always been in the British Museum; "B" has been kept at Yale University, but has been transferred to the British Museum. Its contents can be summarized as follows:
- The criminal deeds of king Nabonidus are described, as well as how the Babylonian god Marduk looked for a new king and chose Cyrus (lines 1-19).
- Cyrus' titles and genealogy, up to his great grandfather Teispes (20-22).
- Cyrus tells how he guaranteed peace, abolished corvées, restored cults, allowed deported gods to return to their shriness (22-34).
- Cyrus prays to Marduk for himself and Cambyses, his son (34-35).
- Cyrus tells that he restored the walls of Babylon and that he found an inscription of the Assyrian king Assurbanipal (36-45)
The Cylinder as a Charter of Human Rights
In 1971, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi made the Cyrus Cylinder the symbol of the celebration of what he called the 2,500 years' of Persian history, counting back to the death of Cyrus. In this context, the Cylinder was called the world’s first charter of human rights. A copy with a rather free translation into English was offered to the United Nations. The text was also translated into the other official U.N. languages.. The replica is now kept at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City in the second floor hallway, between the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council chambers.
It was said that several passages from the Cyrus Cylinder promote a form of religious tolerance and freedom. He allowed his subjects to continue worshipping their gods, despite his own monotheist beliefs. The historian R.N. Frye had written in 1963:
“In the victories of the Persians… what was different was the new policy of reconciliation and together with this was the prime aim of Cyrus to establish a pax Achaemenica… If one were to assess the achievements of the Achaemenid Persians, surely the concept of One World,… the fusion of peoples and cultures in one ‘Oecumen’ was one of their important legacies.”
This claim has often been repeated. It is argued, for example, that he freed the Babylonians from oppression and inaugurated an age of religious freedom, in which Cyrus, although himself a monotheist, allowed his subjects to keep their own beliefs.
However, many scholars have pointed out that the Cyrus Cylinder does in fact not allow this interpretation. Similar gestures to those recorded on the Cylinder were more or less usual for a conquering monarch in contemporary Babylon and the surrounding area. An example of a text that is of about the same age and contains parallel motifs is the Cylinder of Nabonidus from Sippar, which mentions the return of gods to their shrines, which have been rebuilt by a pious ruler who increases the daily offerings. Cyrus' prayer for his son echoes another text by Nabonidus, in which he describes the rebuilding of the ziggurat of Ur. The abolishing of corvées is mentioned by several Mesopotamian rulers, e.g. Sargon II of Assyria. The discovery of fragment B, which includes the stereotypical remark that Cyrus increased the number of sacrifices, has strengthened this interpretation.
Besides, Mary Boyce has made it clear in many publications that the Iranian religions of that age were not monotheistic, which makes it impossible to state that Cyrus, although himself a monotheist, allowed his subjects to keep their own beliefs.
Because the Cyrus Cylinder can not be used to support the late Shah's opinion about Cyrus, at least one falsification has been made, probably before Fragment B was discovered. It can be found online and has been ‘elaborated’ with promises founding Cyrus’ right to reign on the acceptance of the people.
Biblical significance
Main article: Cyrus in the Judeo-Christian tradition
The Bible records that a remnant of the Jewish population returned to their homeland from Babylon, following an edict from Cyrus to rebuild the temple. This edict is fully reproduced in the Book of Ezra. As a result of Cyrus' policies, the Jews honored him as a dignified and righteous king, and he is the only Gentile to be designated as a messiah, a divinely-appointed king, in the Tanakh. That he also allowed the return of the Jews is not mentioned in the Cylinder, but many authors certainly consider it very likely.
Whether or not the Cylinder amounts to a ‘charter’, it remarkably appears to confirm the Biblical statements concerning Cyrus’ tolerance and magnanimity. Before the discovery of this artefact, many sceptical Western historians believed that the Biblical stories were entirely fictional. However, due to the discovery of the Cyrus Cylinder and similar texts (the Code of Hammurabi, the Deluge story in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Lachish relief from Nineveh, etc.), this has come to be considered an extreme point of view; the outline of Jewish history presented in these Biblical texts appears to have some basis in actual historical occurrences.
Editions and Translations
The latest edition of the Akkadian text is:
- Hanspeter Schaudig, Die Inschriften Nabonids von Babylon und Kyros' des Großen, samt den in ihrem Umfeld entstandenen Tendenzschriften. Textausgabe und Grammatik. (2001 Münster, Ugarit-Verlag) (online with English translation)
Translations:
- Rogers, Robert William: Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), New York, Eaton & Mains (Online: fragment A only).
- Pritchard, James B. (ed.): Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament (ANET) (1950, 1955, 1969). Translation by A. L. Oppenheim. (fragment A and B).
- Brosius, Maria (ed.): The Persian Empire from Cyrus II to Artaxerxes I (2000, London Association of Classical Teachers (LACT) 16, London.
Notes
- Muhammad Dandamaev, "The Cyrus Cylinder", in E. Yarshater (ed.) Encyclopedia Iranica vol. VI, 1993, p. 521
- Cyrus Cylinder; A declaration of good kingship . The British Museum
- Based on M. Dandamaev, "The Cyrus Cylinder", op. cit., p. 521; and J. Wisehöfer, Ancient Persia from 550 BC to 650 AD, 2006 , pp. 44-45.
- Of course, monarchy as a political system was known in Iran at least 2,000 years earlier, Cyrus' rule had started 30 years earlier, and was preceded by several generations of Achaemenid kingship.
- iranchamber.com, The Cyrus Charter: online
- United Nations Press Release 14 October 1971 (SG/SM/1553/HQ263).
- Cyrus the Great Cylinder, CAIS-Online (accessed January 11, 2007); U.N. chief awarded Cyrus cylinder, The Iranian.com (retrieved January 12, 2007).
- The Forgotten Empire; the World of Ancient Persia, The British Museum Website; Retrived January 12, 2007
- Prof. R. N. Frye, ‘The Heritage of Persia’, pp. 123-124
- WHAT IS NEW HORIZONS AND WHY, Center For Inquiry West (CFI) Website, Retrieved January 12, 2007.
- A. Kuhrt "The Cyrus Cylinder and Achaemenid imperial policy" in Journal of Studies of the Old Testament 25 pp. 83-97, B. van der Spek, "Did Cyrus the Great introduce a new policy towards subdued nations? Cyrus in Assyrian perspective" in Persica 10 pp. 273-285; M. Dandamaev A Political History of the Achaemenid Empire, pp. 52-53.
- For instance, Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices (London, 1979; corrected repr. 1984; repr. with new foreword 2001). For a more recent view, Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism. An Introduction to an Ancient Faith (Brighton, 1998, 2001).
- For example, on faithfreedom.org or iranchamber.com here; for references, see "The Cyrus Cylinder" at Livius.org
- Horne C. F., Cyrus the Great; the Decree of Return of Jews, 539 B.C., (LINK); accessed January 26, 2007.
- The Hebrews after the exile, Washington State University Website, Retrieved January 12, 2007