Cyrus Cylinder

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

Cyrus Cylinder The Cyrus Cylinder is an ancient clay artifact, created following the Persian conquest of Babylon by Cyrus the Great in 539 BCE. Often described as an early charter of human rights, the cylinder's text details Cyrus's policies of restoration, tolerance, and the repatriation of displaced peoples, marking a significant departure from the typical imperial proclamations of the ancient Near East. Its discovery in the ruins of Babylon has provided critical insight into the transition of power from the Neo-Babylonian Empire to the Achaemenid Empire and the ideological foundations of Persian rule.

Discovery and Acquisition

The cylinder was discovered in March 1879 during a British Museum-sponsored excavation led by Assyriologist Hormuzd Rassam. The dig took place at the site of the ancient city of Babylon, within the remains of a large building, possibly a temple dedicated to the god Marduk. Rassam, a native of Mosul and a former colleague of famed archaeologist Austen Henry Layard, was conducting systematic excavations across Mesopotamia. The artifact was found in a context that suggested it had been placed as a foundation deposit, a common practice to commemorate the building or restoration of important structures. Shortly after its discovery, the cylinder was sent to the British Museum in London, where it was cataloged and studied. Its acquisition was part of a broader 19th-century effort by European institutions to collect and decipher cuneiform texts from the Fertile Crescent, greatly advancing the field of Assyriology.

Physical Description and Inscription

The Cyrus Cylinder is a barrel-shaped object made of baked clay, measuring approximately 22.5 centimeters in length. Its surface is inscribed with a declarative text in the Akkadian language, written in the distinctive cuneiform script. The inscription consists of 45 lines, though the beginning of the text is damaged. The script is a fine example of late Babylonian monumental writing. The text is structured in a traditional Mesopotamian style, beginning with an indictment of the deposed Babylonian king Nabonidus, whom it portrays as impious and neglectful of the cult of Marduk. It then details the divine selection of Cyrus the Great, king of Anshan, by Marduk to restore order and justice. The physical object itself is not unique as a form; similar foundation cylinders were commonly deposited by Mesopotamian rulers, including earlier kings like Nebuchadnezzar II.

Historical Context in Ancient Babylon

The cylinder was created in the immediate aftermath of the Fall of Babylon in 539 BCE. The Neo-Babylonian Empire, the last great Mesopotamian empire before the Persian conquest, was ruled by Nabonidus. His reign was marked by religious controversy, particularly his promotion of the moon god Sin over the supreme Babylonian god Marduk, which alienated the powerful priesthood of Babylon. This internal discord is reflected in the cylinder's text, which serves as Persian propaganda legitimizing Cyrus's takeover. The Achaemenid Empire, under Cyrus, presented itself not as a foreign oppressor but as a liberator restoring proper religious order and social justice, a stark contrast to the brutal tactics of earlier empires like the Assyrian Empire. The conquest effectively ended independent Babylonian political power and integrated the region into the first Persian Empire.

Content and Proclamations

The proclamation inscribed on the cylinder outlines several key policies implemented by Cyrus the Great. It states that he restored the cults of various gods and returned their divine images to their proper cities, reversing the centralizing policies of Nabonidus. Most famously, it declares that he allowed deported peoples living in Babylon to return to their homelands and rebuild their temples. This policy is corroborated by other sources, such as the Biblical books of Ezra and Nehemiah, which describe the end of the Babylonian captivity and the return of Jews to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. The text emphasizes themes of peace, justice, and the abolition of forced labor. It presents Cyrus's rule as one based on voluntary allegiance and respect for local customs, a significant ideological tool for administering a vast, multicultural empire.

Interpretations and Legacy

Since its translation in the late 19th century, the Cyrus Cylinder has been the subject of extensive scholarly debate and varying interpretations. Early Assyriologists like Henry Rawlinson recognized its historical value for understanding the fall of Babylon. In the 20th century, it was famously promoted by the last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, as the world's first charter of human rights, a symbol of ancient Iranian enlightenment. This interpretation has been critically examined by modern historians, who note that the text is a traditional Mesopotamian foundation document that legitimizes a new ruler within the existing ideological framework. However, its specific proclamations regarding the treatment of conquered peoples were indeed exceptional for its time. Its legacy is thus dual: as a crucial primary evidence of a crucial primary source forciety and as a vital for the Great, it and as achaemenidemphilosophy and as a primary source|title= the Great|title= the Great|Cyrus the Great|Cyrus the Great|title=title=title=title|title=title=Great|title=title=Great|title=title=Great|title=Great|title=Great Wall of the Great|title=Great|title=Great|title=source=Great|title= the Great and a vital|title=Great|title=source=Great|title= the Great and as a vital|title=emian Empire and a vital source of the Great|title=source=Great|title=source=Great|title of the Great a vital for understanding the Great|title= source of the Great and a