Cyrus Cylinder

Cyrus Cylinder
Prioryman · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	Cyrus Cylinder
Material	Baked clay
Size	22.5 cm (8.9 in) long
Writing	Akkadian cuneiform
Created	539–530 BC
Period	Achaemenid Empire
Discovered	Babylon, Mesopotamia, 1879
Location	British Museum, London
Id	BM 90920

Cyrus Cylinder The Cyrus Cylinder is an ancient clay cylinder inscribed with a declaration in Akkadian cuneiform script issued by the Achaemenid ruler Cyrus the Great following his conquest of Babylon in 539 BC. Often described as an early charter of human rights, the text details Cyrus's policy of restoration for displaced peoples and his respect for local religions and traditions, marking a significant departure from the practices of earlier Mesopotamian empires like the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Its discovery provided crucial insight into the transition of power in Ancient Babylon and the foundational ideology of the Persian Empire.

Discovery and Acquisition

The artifact was discovered in March 1879 during a British Museum-sponsored excavation led by Assyriologist Hormuzd Rassam at the site of the ancient city of Babylon. Rassam was conducting digs at the main temple of Marduk, known as Esagila, when the cylinder was unearthed. It was found in a context suggesting it had been placed as a foundation deposit, a common practice for commemorating the building or restoration of important structures. The cylinder was subsequently shipped to London, where it entered the collection of the British Museum and was given the inventory number BM 90920. Its arrival coincided with a period of intense scholarly interest in cuneiform decipherment and the history of the Ancient Near East.

Physical Description and Inscription

The Cyrus Cylinder is a barrel-shaped object made of baked clay, measuring approximately 22.5 centimetres in length. The main body of the cylinder contains 45 lines of neatly inscribed text, though the beginning of the inscription is damaged. The script is the standard Akkadian cuneiform used for official proclamations in Babylon during the period. A separate fragment, known as the "Cyrus Cylinder Fragment," was identified in the 1970s in the Yale Babylonian Collection; it joins the main cylinder, adding several missing lines. The text is written in the first person, purportedly from the perspective of Cyrus the Great, and follows a traditional Mesopotamian literary format used by earlier rulers like Nabonidus, the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire.

Historical Context in Ancient Babylon

The cylinder's creation must be understood within the turbulent final years of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. The empire, ruled by Nabonidus, was facing internal dissent, particularly from the powerful priesthood of Marduk in Babylon, who opposed the king's religious policies favoring the moon god Sin. In 539 BC, the armies of Cyrus the Great, founder of the Achaemenid Empire, defeated the Babylonian forces at the Battle of Opis. According to historical sources like the Nabonidus Chronicle, Babylon surrendered without a major siege. Cyrus's entry into the city was portrayed as a liberation. The cylinder was crafted as a piece of political propaganda, aimed at legitimizing Cyrus's rule to the Babylonian elite by presenting him as a divinely chosen restorer of order, in contrast to the deposed Nabonidus.

Content and Proclamations

The inscription begins by condemning the former king, Nabonidus, for impiety and poor governance, claiming he disrupted the cults of the gods and imposed forced labor. It then details the benevolent acts of Cyrus the Great, claiming the god Marduk sought a righteous ruler and selected Cyrus. Key proclamations include the restoration of temples and cult centers across Mesopotamia and the return of divine statues to their home cities. Most famously, it declares the repatriation of various displaced peoples to their homelands, allowing them to rebuild their sanctuaries. This policy is corroborated by other sources, such as the Edict of Cyrus in the Hebrew Bible, which describes the return of the Jews from the Babylonian captivity to Jerusalem. The text concludes with a description of Cyrus's public works, including the repair of Babylon's walls and the discovery of an earlier foundation inscription of the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal.

Interpretation and Legacy

Interpretations of the Cyrus Cylinder have evolved significantly. Initially studied as a typical Mesopotamian foundation text, it gained global prominence in the 20th century when it was promoted as an ancient declaration of human rights. This view was notably advanced by the last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, during the 2500-year celebration of the Persian Empire in 1971. A replica was presented to the United Nations headquarters, and it is often cited as an early symbol of tolerance and multiculturalism. Scholars of Assyriology, however, emphasize its deep roots in Babylonian literary tradition and its primary function as an instrument of political legitimacy for a new dynasty. It remains a potent national symbol for Iran and a key artifact for understanding the administration and ideology of the early Achaemenid Empire. The cylinder has been exhibited worldwide, including notable tours to Iran in 2010 and the United States in 2013, sparking ongoing dialogue about cultural heritage and historical narrative.

Category:Achaemenid Empire Category:Archaeological discoveries in Iraq Category:Clay tablets and inscriptions Category:British Museum collection