CLST 208 Lecture Notes - Pasargadae, Psamtik Iii, Persian Daric
23 Nov 2012
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Document Summary
Persians from nw part of iran around persepolis. Was originally a tribal leader from the area around elam but pasargadae was ancestral home of. Led a revolt against the medes who ruled the area at the time. 549 cyrus seized control of the median capital at ecbatana. Begins conquests by moving west all the way to lydia but does not attack the neo-babylonians at first. By 539 had conquered all of the medes and began to turn attention to neo-babylonians. Battle of opis: persians under cyrus defeat the neo-babylonians under nabonidus, enters babylon as a hero with the support of the priests of marduk. Cyrus cylinder : record of cyrus calling him the restorer of people , written in old persian, likely allow all captives of the neo babylonians (including the jews) to return to their homeland. Always treated very well in jewish sources.
