By Dariush Bieniaz
Recognition of the position of Cyrus the Great (530-590 BC) must first be understood in the context of the world history of his time. Simultaneously with the rise of Cyrus the Great in Persia, in two other corners of the world, far apart from each other, the same approach was born, namely the establishment of a just and nonviolent government. In China it was in a figure like Confucius (551-479 BC) and in Greece in a figure like Solon (638-558 BC).
Cyrus, Confucius, and Solon were the children of their time. They were tired of the endless wars between the tribes and city states that had drained many of their livelihoods and taken lives. They were children of an era of misery and had seen people tired of bloody and destructive wars.
Cyrus was not a philosopher like Confucius or Solon. He was a soldier, but a soldier who “felt” the needs of his time and acted on that feeling. While Confucius and Solon sought to formulate the theoretical foundations of a just and nonviolent government, Cyrus the Great was implementing the same principles that Confucius and Solon set out for future generations.
Cyrus the Great was not a philosopher writing about his political philosophy, but he was a pragmatic man who recognized the needs of his time. Cyrus did not write anything about himself, but there were others who wrote about his behavior and political actions. We see the written reflection of Cyrus’ behavior both in the Old Testament Gospel, in Xenophon’s “Cyrus Letter,” and in the charter attributed to him.
From: Pasargad Heritage Foundation
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