Discovering Cyrus: The Persian Conqueror Astride the Ancient World

by Reza Zarghamee

Some of the most fascinating human epochs lie in the borderlands between history and mystery. So it is with the life of Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Empire in the sixth century B.C. By conquest or gentler means, he brought under his rule a dominion stretching from the Aegean Sea to the Hindu Kush and encompassing some tens of millions of people. All across this immense imperium, he earned support and stability by respecting local customs and religions, avoiding the brutal ways of tyranny, and efficiently administering the realm through provincial governors. The empire would last another two centuries, leaving an indelible Persian imprint on much of the ancient world. The Greek chronicler Xenophon, looking back from a distance of several generations, wrote: “Cyrus did indeed eclipse all other monarchs, before or since.” The biblical prophet Second Isaiah anticipated Cyrus’ repatriation of the Jews living in exile in Babylon by having the Lord say, “He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please.” Despite what he achieved and bequeathed, much about Cyrus remains uncertain. Persians of his era had no great respect for the written word and kept no annals. The most complete accounts of his life were composed by Greeks. More fragmentary or tangential evidence takes many forms – among them, archaeological remains, administrative records in subject lands, and the always tricky stuff of legend. Given these challenges, Discovering Cyrus: The Persian Conqueror Astride the Ancient World is a remarkable feat of portraiture. In his vast sweep, Reza S. Zarghamee draws on sources of every kind, painstakingly assembling detail, and always weighing evidence carefully where contradictions arise. He describes the background of the Persian people, the turbulence of the times, and the roots of Cyrus’ policies. His account of the imperial era itself delves into religion, military methods, commerce, court life, and much else besides. The result is a living, breathing Cyrus standing atop a distant world that played a key role in shaping our own.

Genres: History, Ancient History, Nonfiction, Biography, Military History, Military Fiction

784 pages, Hardcover

First published November 30, 2013

About the author

Born in 1978 to Iranian parents, Reza Zarghamee grew up in Boston. At the age of thirteen, he began studying Old Persian cuneiform at the urging of Professor Richard Frye, a founder of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Harvard University. Later, he took courses in Zoroastrianism and Manichaenism taught by another eminent Harvard scholar, Prods Oktor Skjaervø. He attended Columbia University, pursuing a double-major in history and biology, studying Persian language and literature, and graduating with honors in 2000. Three years later, he received a J.D. degree from Harvard Law School, where his writings included a comparison of ancient Near Eastern legal systems. He is currently an attorney with the firm of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP.

Reviews

[Neda aziziyeh]

امروز که این کتاب را میخونم هر چه بیشتر از پان ایرانی ها و کوروش پرستان بیزار میشوم . آنها با نشر جملات دروغین , روایت های من درآوردی , انتساب یک روز کذب به عنوان روز تولد کوروش و بسیاری دیگر تاثیر زیادی در بی ارزش کردن این شخصیت بزرگ تاریخی داشتند, سیاست مغرضانه آنها سبب شد, جنبه های بی ارزش و مبهمی از زندگی یک شاه بزرگ شود و جنبه های مهم سیاسی و تاریخی آن که میتواند برای نسل امروز بسیار قابل توجه باشد نادیده گرفته شود . این کتاب از چندین جهت قابل توجه است , هیچ کلمه و نظری بدون استدلال و سند ذکر نشده , منابع و مستندات از نظر میزان اعتبار بررسی شده و گاه با هم مقایسه شدند , با قطعیت نظری اعلام نشده , برای خوندن کتاب بهتر است یک نقشه جغرافیایی کنار دست شما باشد چون ارجاعات جغرافیایی برای فهم حقیقت مهم هستند.
کتاب طوری نوشته شد که یک شخص عادی و با حوصله هم می تواند آنرا بخواند. نیاز است که مدام به مستندات رجوع کنید برای همین باید حوصله کافی داشته باشید.
اگر عاشق کوروش هستید یا از آن متنفر هستید به سراغ این کتاب نروید چون در هیچ مورد به آرزوتون نمیرسید, ذهنیت خود را بشورید و با آرامش خواندن کتاب رو شروع کنید و فراموش کنید تاریخ برای عبرت و درس گرفتن است نه چیز دیگر .

[Binston Birchill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any full length biography of Cyrus the Great will obviously be incomplete and, at least partially, speculative. The reason is twofold. The Persians method of recording their history has, largely, not survived the test of time, therefore, many of the accounts we have to rely on consist of Greek and Biblical sources, which present unique challenges. Propaganda, myth, exaggeration and simple inaccuracy has to be sorted out and it falls on historians and the author's knowledge of their differing accounts to make the final determination of what is fact and what is not. If it seems impossible, well, that's because it probably is. The best you can hope for is honesty in the author and for the most part I think Zarghamee did a good job of stating what was known and what was speculative, and why. He clearly would like to show a positive picture of Cyrus and while he admits some negative characteristics or events he definitely avoids speaking of them at length. The history presented here in this book is so incredibly informative to anyone like myself who only has a rudimentary understanding of the events leading up to his death in 530 B.C.

Herodotus, Xenophon and Ctesias are the major primary sources on Cyrus and the author does a great job of explaining why that's so challenging. I've read Herodotus and 100% agree, I plan to tackle Xenophon immediately following this review (note: tackled)

What's revealed in this immensely readable biography is a portrait of Cyrus the Great as a man who stood above other leaders of his era. If you judge a person by their actions, especially within the context of the time they lived in, then Cyrus II ranks among the greatest rulers of all-time. There may have been conquerors who were more devastating to their enemies but what sets Cyrus apart is his legacy of inclusion and religious tolerance, biblical sources and the legacy of the Achaemenid empire attest to the fact that he was more than a conqueror, he was a ruler. While the book may have certain flaws if you're looking for an absolutely definitive account of fact it does bring to light one of the most under-represented historical figures from ancient times.

While the book is quite expensive, it is at least partially justified by a few things. Length, extensive sourcing, notes and appendix, and the sheer beauty of the overall design of the book. I highly recommend it.

[Gry Ranfelt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is hands down one of my favorite history books. Not just because the beginning of the Achaemenid Persian empire is fascinating, but because Reza Zarghamee manages to make such a difficult topic both engaging and accessible while still maintaining a VERY high standard.

Discovering Cyrus presents the stage which Cyrus enters, ripe with steppe nomads, religion, and the legacies of prior empires. It discusses his childhood and adolescence and the many different versions of the story. It is very good at speculating based on sources, but always presents its reasoning and any caveats a certain viewpoint may hold. In that way it felt like I was involved in the academic discussion, which was nice, especially since it never got too long, overwhelming, or boring.

I think you can start reading this book without much or any prior knowledge about the Persian empire, but if you've read this and want to know more, or am too intimidated to read this, I highly recommend the podcast Hardcore History's episodes on Kings of Kings. There are three episodes on the Achaemenid Persian empire. In addition, the Great Courses have a good audiobook, although it's very fragmented and doesn't give a nice strong thread as Discovering Cyrus does.

I would've liked a bit more details about Cyrus' less palatable actions. We know (or at least it seems very likely) he wasn't as brutal as previous kings or emperors, but we also KNOW he must've punished people in gruesome ways, especially those who rebelled. It's mentioned throughout the book, but not in very much detail, and I would've loved to know more to get the full picture of what Cyrus was capable of. (I'm pretty sure there's more of that in Hardcore History, but I may mix it up with some of the Assyrian atrocities).

Beware: There be gold in the footnotes. My one big critique of this book is that I wish that when there was a footnote, it was somehow marked whether it was simply a reference to a source, or a 400-word comment by the author on how the Persian royal family moved about throughout the year, and at which seasons and why. It disturbed my reading a lot to constantly go back to check if there was a delectable foot note waiting, only to find a reference and have to go back to find my place. It made the reading a lot longer than it had to be.

[Windsor · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an outstanding book. In my top 5 all time read list. The author is very knowledgeable but honest about a time period historians know little about. Gives a great two sided account of a man from multiple sources. Even used the Bible pretty conservatively (and surprisingly well to be honest). Kinda makes you feel annoyed about Darius ruining such a great empire. Cyrus seems more inclusive about culture than many ancient rulers. Even the Jews love him (for obvious temple reasons). He seems a pretty inclusive (although harsh when he needs to be) ruler. 10/5 stars. Would recommend.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this in-depth look into the past. It helped my mind map of a period of history which so often seems blurred and distant.

[Mario Fabrizio Polinelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

An impressive work. Certainly one of the best books I’ve ever read. The author is amazingly knowledgeable and his style of writing is beautiful. Highly recommended book!

[Radiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a masterfully written work that is not too academic for the casual historophile, yet scholastic enough to be appreciated as an academic work. The name Cyrus the Great has echoed through history for millennia, inciting curiosity, skepticism and inspiring pride in the Persian nation. The main problem with our understanding of Cyrus the Great has mainly been that written records from Persian, or indeed, Aryan sources are sadly lacking and information from Greek sources are sadly propagandistic at times, wholly inaccurate at other times and frankly, can be rather biased.

Here, Reza Zarghamee uncovers and presents a portrait of the ruler through examining written and anecdotal evidence, linguistic evidence, archeological evidence and discusses theories and possible alternative views on who Cyrus the Great is, his achievements and his legacy. I personally view this as a massive undertaking.

He starts with the Aryan tribes invading the Iranian plateau and the formation of the powerful Medes and Persian kingdoms while not neglecting the relationships between the Aryan tribes and the kingdoms already dominating the region and beyond, such as the Greek states in Asia Minor, the Elamites, the Assyrians and the Babylonians. He sets the scene and with the helpful map in the book, visualizing and following the rise and fall of empires in the region is effortless. Later examinations of Cyrus' empire administration, his policies and his laws certainly provided insight into his unique character.

Personally, I found this thesis a feat of fair and thorough methodical research, gathering evidence from Greek, Iranian, Levantine, Hebrew, Arabic, Hindu sources and more. It is incredibly detailed for someone like me, a casual reader of history. That Mr. Zarghamee made it so readable was very much appreciated. While this book has some problems, I personally view it as an authoritative (current) work on Cyrus the Great.

[Justin Echols · Rating 4 out of 5]

"O man, whoever you are, and from wherever you come, I am Cyrus, who founded the empire of the Persians. Grudge me not, therefore, this little earth that covers my body." - Found on the Tomb of Cyrus the Great

[Joseph Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like to think of this book as the fine bottle of wine that I have chosen to pair with the Costco-sized bag of Ghiradellis that is the 350 chapters of Naruto that I have read over the last month. 5 Stars

[Sage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tour de force.

[Rishiraj Singh Deora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best biography on Cyrus the Great.