Cyaxares

Cyaxares was the king of Media who transformed the Median confederacy into a powerful empire and is credited with destroying the Assyrian Empire. He reorganized the Median army into specialized units of spearmen, cavalry, and archers, and in alliance with Babylon under Nabopolassar he sacked and destroyed Nineveh in 612 BCE, ending Assyrian dominance of the Near East. He also conquered much of Anatolia before his westward expansion was halted by the Lydians after the Battle of the Eclipse (585 BCE), resulting in a peace treaty that established the Halys River as the border.

• Nationality: median
• Roles: ruler, general