A TOLERANT MONARCH

A Greek writer of the fifth century B.C.E. remembered him as a tolerant and ideal monarch.  In the Bible he is called God's "anointed one' and "a bird of prey' coming from the sunrising." (Isaiah 45;1; 46;11) The monarch thus spoken of us Cyrus the Great, of Persia.

Cyrus' march to fame began about 560/559 B.C.E. when he succeeded his father Cambyses I to the throne of Anshan, a city or district in ancient Persia. Anshan was then under suzerainty of the Median King Astyages. Revolting against Median rulership, Cyrus won a swift victory  because the army of Astyages defected. Cyrus then gained the loyalty of the Medes. Thereafter, Medes and Persians fought unitedly under his leadership. Thus came into existence the Medo-Persian rule that in time extended its domain from the Aegean Sea to the Indus River.

With the combined forces of the Medes and the Persians, Cyrus first moved toe establish control over a trouble spot-the western sector of Media where the Lydian King Croesus had been expanding his domain into Median territory. Advancing to the eastern border  of the Lydian Empire in Asia Minor, Cyrus defeated Croesus and captured  his capital, Sardis, Cyrus then subdued the lonian cities and placed all Asia Minor within the realm of the Medo-Persian Empire. He thereby became the major rival of Babylon and its king, Nabonidus.

Next time: Continue with A TOLERANT MONARCH

From the book: PAY ATTENTION TO DANIEL'S PROPHECY! 1999