Cyrus the Great
founder of the Achaemenid Empire (559–529 BC)
AI overview
Cyrus the Great founded the Achaemenid Empire around 559 BC and ruled until 529 BC, creating one of the ancient world's largest and most powerful states. He is historically significant because he established the foundation of a vast Persian empire that would dominate the Middle East and western Asia for centuries.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Person
- Born
- 0600-00-00
- Died
- 0530-00-00
via Open Library + Wikidata
Listeners · Last.fm
- Listeners
- 216
- Total plays
- 1,471
Tags
USA
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Article
Cyrus II of Persia (c. 600 – 530 BC), commonly known as Cyrus the Great, was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Hailing from Persis, he brought the Achaemenid dynasty to power by defeating the Median Empire and embracing all of the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East, expanding vastly across most of West Asia and much of Central Asia to create what would soon become the largest empire in history at the time. The Achaemenid Empire's greatest territorial extent was achieved under Darius the Great, whose rule stretched from Southeast Europe and Northeast Africa in the west to the Indus Valley in the east.
After absorbing the Median Empire, Cyrus conquered Lydia and eventually the Neo-Babylonian Empire, granting him control of Anatolia and the Fertile Crescent, respectively. He also led a major expedition into Central Asia, where his army brought "into subjection every nation without exception" before he allegedly died in battle with the Massagetae, a nomadic Eastern Iranian people, along the Syr Darya in December 530 BC. However, according to Xenophon of Athens, Cyrus did not die fighting and had instead returned to the capital city of Pasargadae. Regardless of the date of his death, he was succeeded by his son Cambyses II, whose campaigns led to the conquests of Egypt, Nubia, and Cyrenaica during his short reign.