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Primary sourceDocument539 BC

Cyrus Cylinder

Cyrus the Great · 539 BC

A clay cylinder inscribed in Akkadian cuneiform in Cyrus's name after his conquest of Babylon in 539 BC, presenting him as chosen by Marduk to restore order.

This is Cyrus's own proclamation after conquering Babylon, written in his name to legitimize his rule.

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Photograph of the Cyrus Cylinder, a barrel-shaped clay object covered in rows of cuneiform writing, with a visible crack and a broken section at the lower right. It rests on a clear acrylic stand on a dark display base.
Cyrus Cylinder, Akkadian cuneiform inscription, 539 BC. British Museum, London.

About this source

What it is

The Cyrus Cylinder is a clay cylinder, now broken into several pieces, inscribed with an Achaemenid royal proclamation in Akkadian cuneiform. It was made in the name of Cyrus the Great following his conquest of Babylon in 539 BC and buried as a foundation deposit in the city's main temple. It was found in the ruins of Babylon in 1879 and is now held by the British Museum.

Why it matters

The text sets out Cyrus's genealogy, denounces the defeated Babylonian king Nabonidus, and presents Cyrus as chosen by the god Marduk to restore peace, repair temples and return displaced peoples to their homes. It has been read by some as evidence of a policy of religious and cultural tolerance, and in modern Iran it became a national symbol, sometimes called a 'charter of human rights' — though historians caution this label is anachronistic.

Look closer

  • Why might Cyrus want this proclamation buried where only future builders would find it?
  • Whose voice is really speaking here — Cyrus's, or the scribes and priests who served him?
  • What does the text leave out that a modern human rights document would include?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Cyrus the Great on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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c. 529 BCE

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Histories

Herodotus · c. 440 BCE

Title page of an 1803 London edition of Cyropaedia, reading 'Cyropaedia; or, The Institution of Cyrus, by Xenophon, translated from the Greek by the Honourable Maurice Ashley.' Includes a decorative emblem and printer credits. A library stamp is faintly visible on the right.Book

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Xenophon · c. 370 BC

Dark blue cloth book cover with a gold ornamental oval emblem containing the letters G, S and a stylized monogram. A white library label at the upper left reads University of Toronto with a barcode and number 3 1761 01515886 8.Book

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The Persians

Aeschylus · 472 BC

Illustration of a seated, haloed scribe in red and green robes writing in a large open book on his lap. Behind him is a red cabinet with open doors holding rows of red-bound books. Latin inscription runs across the top of the page, with a small table and footstool in the foreground.Book

Secondary source

Book of Ezra

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