Cyrus the Great Takes Babylon
The Persian conquest of Babylon in 539 BCE was one of the most consequential events in ancient history. The last king, Nabonidus (556-539 BCE), had promoted the moon god Sin over Marduk and spent years in self-imposed exile at the oasis city of Tayma in Arabia, alienating Babylon's powerful priestly establishment. The Babylonian Chronicle records tersely: the 16th day, Ugbaru, governor of Gutium, and the army of Cyrus entered Babylon without battle. Cyrus's genius was fully displayed in what he did next. Rather than sacking Babylon, he presented himself as its liberator, chosen by Marduk. His proclamation, preserved on the Cyrus Cylinder, declares that Marduk sought out a righteous ruler. For the Jewish exiles, Cyrus's arrival was messianic. Isaiah 44-45 calls Cyrus my shepherd and his anointed. Cyrus permitted the exiled Judeans to return to their homeland and rebuild their Temple, an act of religious tolerance unprecedented in ancient Near Eastern imperial practice.
- Year: 539 BCE
- Category: Political
