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Cyrus the Great: A Life from Beginning to End
Discover the remarkable life of Cyrus the Great...
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Cyrus II of Persia was one of the greatest leaders that the world had ever known; he was the one in whose footsteps other empire builders would follow. From Alexander the Great to countless Roman emperors and Ottoman sultans—it was the mighty shoes of Cyrus that they all attempted to fill.
More than merely a successful conqueror, Cyrus the Great is known just as much for being a great liberator as he is known for his conquests. He was even credited in the Bible as the one who freed the Jews from their long-held Babylonian exile. By the time of his death, Cyrus controlled more land and people than anyone before him. Under his dominion were countless principalities, nationalities, ethnicities, and religions of all kinds. In contrast to many other powerful rulers, Cyrus did not seek to oppress his subjects or interfere with their way of life, religions, or local customs. It is for this reason that, as great as his temporal conquests may have been, the benevolence of Cyrus the Great’s leadership stands as his greatest attribute of all.
The life of Cyrus the Great remains as an unparalleled testament in the annals of history.
Discover a plethora of topics such as
Early Life and Legend The Persian Empire is Born Love and Marriage Cyrus’ Last Stand Aftermath and Succession And much more! So if you want a concise and informative book on Cyrus the Great, simply scroll up and click the "Buy now" button for instant access!
Free BONUS Inside!
Cyrus II of Persia was one of the greatest leaders that the world had ever known; he was the one in whose footsteps other empire builders would follow. From Alexander the Great to countless Roman emperors and Ottoman sultans—it was the mighty shoes of Cyrus that they all attempted to fill.
More than merely a successful conqueror, Cyrus the Great is known just as much for being a great liberator as he is known for his conquests. He was even credited in the Bible as the one who freed the Jews from their long-held Babylonian exile. By the time of his death, Cyrus controlled more land and people than anyone before him. Under his dominion were countless principalities, nationalities, ethnicities, and religions of all kinds. In contrast to many other powerful rulers, Cyrus did not seek to oppress his subjects or interfere with their way of life, religions, or local customs. It is for this reason that, as great as his temporal conquests may have been, the benevolence of Cyrus the Great’s leadership stands as his greatest attribute of all.
The life of Cyrus the Great remains as an unparalleled testament in the annals of history.
Discover a plethora of topics such as
Early Life and Legend The Persian Empire is Born Love and Marriage Cyrus’ Last Stand Aftermath and Succession And much more! So if you want a concise and informative book on Cyrus the Great, simply scroll up and click the "Buy now" button for instant access!
36 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 24, 2019
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Hourly History
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
September 6, 2020
Cyrus the Great Was Truly Great
Cyrus survived his grandfather’s attempt to have him killed before he was born because of a dream he had. When Cyrus was a young man, he fought again his grandfather and defeat him. As he would do with countless other rulers, he didn’t kill his grandfather but allowed him to live albeit as a well treated captive. At the time of his death, Cyrus’s Persian Empire was the largest ever. He ruled as a generous leader and he allowed the conquered peoples to retain their religions, customs and their properties. That is was truly made Cyrus Great.
Cyrus survived his grandfather’s attempt to have him killed before he was born because of a dream he had. When Cyrus was a young man, he fought again his grandfather and defeat him. As he would do with countless other rulers, he didn’t kill his grandfather but allowed him to live albeit as a well treated captive. At the time of his death, Cyrus’s Persian Empire was the largest ever. He ruled as a generous leader and he allowed the conquered peoples to retain their religions, customs and their properties. That is was truly made Cyrus Great.
December 1, 2020
Excellent material and excellent writing. I especially appreciate the authors references to modern geographic names along with the ancient territorial names. It really helps an amateur history buff like myself who enjoys reading history but may not know all the ancient country names by heart.
Quick read, solid information, highly readable and understandable. I highly recommend the book.
Quick read, solid information, highly readable and understandable. I highly recommend the book.
March 17, 2020
Difficult to write history when facts can't be verified. The Editors of Hourly History candidly admit this flaw as they go on to narrate the details about Cyrus, The Great. It still makes for an interesting read.
April 7, 2022
I received this book free from Amazon and it is part of the Captivating history collection.
These books are mostly about historical events or historical persons.
This one is about Cyrus the Great, founder of Persian empire and one of the greatest conqueror in history. It has all the important information about the remarkable, beneficent liberator and benevolent ruler who ruled in a much different way than other tyrants of the history, in a very concise way (you can read it within an hour).
This is my assessment of this book Cyrus the Great by Captivating history according to my 8 criteria:
1. Related to practice - 3 stars
2. It prevails important - 4 stars
3. I agree with the read - 4 stars
4. not difficult to read (as for non-English native) - 4 stars
5. Too long (more than 500 pages) - short and concise (150-200 pages) - 5 stars
6. Boring - every sentence is interesting - 3 stars
7. Learning opportunity - 4 stars
8. Dry and uninspired style of writing - Smooth style with humouristic and fun parts - 4 stars
Total 3.875 stars
View notes and highlights:
Cyrus was one of the greatest leaders that the world had ever known; he was the one in whose footsteps other empire builders would follow. From Alexander the Great to countless Roman emperors and Ottoman sultans—it was the mighty shoes of Cyrus that they all attempted to fill.s was one of the greatest leaders that the world had ever known; he was the one in whose footsteps other empire builders would follow. From Alexander the Great to countless Roman emperors and Ottoman sultans—it was the mighty shoes of Cyrus that they all attempted to fill.
During his rule, Cyrus played up this role of beneficent liberator as much as possible, as was most famously demonstrated in his decision to allow the Jews, who had long been exiled by the Babylonians during the so-called Babylonian Captivity, to finally be repatriated back to their native lands, albeit under Persian rule.
It was the prophetic Book of Isaiah that is said to have predicted this feat, with a direct mention of a ruler named Cyrus being used as God’s right hand to free Israel.
The resulting massive kingdom, the largest the world had known to that point, stretched from the Indus River in the east to Asia Minor in the west. Now, Cyrus the Great rightfully proclaimed himself “king of the four corners of the world.”
“Whenever you can, act as a liberator. Freedom, dignity, wealth—these three together constitute the greatest happiness of humanity. If you bequeath all three to your people, their love for you will never die.” —Cyrus the Great
But what made Cyrus so great was not the fact that he lorded it over this diverse empire—his greatness is often cited in his enlightened sense of tolerance
These books are mostly about historical events or historical persons.
This one is about Cyrus the Great, founder of Persian empire and one of the greatest conqueror in history. It has all the important information about the remarkable, beneficent liberator and benevolent ruler who ruled in a much different way than other tyrants of the history, in a very concise way (you can read it within an hour).
This is my assessment of this book Cyrus the Great by Captivating history according to my 8 criteria:
1. Related to practice - 3 stars
2. It prevails important - 4 stars
3. I agree with the read - 4 stars
4. not difficult to read (as for non-English native) - 4 stars
5. Too long (more than 500 pages) - short and concise (150-200 pages) - 5 stars
6. Boring - every sentence is interesting - 3 stars
7. Learning opportunity - 4 stars
8. Dry and uninspired style of writing - Smooth style with humouristic and fun parts - 4 stars
Total 3.875 stars
View notes and highlights:
Cyrus was one of the greatest leaders that the world had ever known; he was the one in whose footsteps other empire builders would follow. From Alexander the Great to countless Roman emperors and Ottoman sultans—it was the mighty shoes of Cyrus that they all attempted to fill.s was one of the greatest leaders that the world had ever known; he was the one in whose footsteps other empire builders would follow. From Alexander the Great to countless Roman emperors and Ottoman sultans—it was the mighty shoes of Cyrus that they all attempted to fill.
During his rule, Cyrus played up this role of beneficent liberator as much as possible, as was most famously demonstrated in his decision to allow the Jews, who had long been exiled by the Babylonians during the so-called Babylonian Captivity, to finally be repatriated back to their native lands, albeit under Persian rule.
It was the prophetic Book of Isaiah that is said to have predicted this feat, with a direct mention of a ruler named Cyrus being used as God’s right hand to free Israel.
The resulting massive kingdom, the largest the world had known to that point, stretched from the Indus River in the east to Asia Minor in the west. Now, Cyrus the Great rightfully proclaimed himself “king of the four corners of the world.”
“Whenever you can, act as a liberator. Freedom, dignity, wealth—these three together constitute the greatest happiness of humanity. If you bequeath all three to your people, their love for you will never die.” —Cyrus the Great
But what made Cyrus so great was not the fact that he lorded it over this diverse empire—his greatness is often cited in his enlightened sense of tolerance
May 6, 2023
I didn't know the first thing about this guy so I was quite impressed with what I learned. Apparently he is a bit underrated in the modern world.
Everyone always talks about Alexander "the Great", but it seems this guy was a much better ruler.
All the sources talk about how benevolent he was, how tolerant, how liberal and so forth.
And it seems he was just a smart guy and a good administrator.
I think the proof of this is that the empire he founded seems to have continued on smoothly for a couple of hundred years after his death until it was overthrown by ... Alexander the Great.
It was also especially interesting reading about how much of his story intersects with events in the Old Testament.
Ancient history seems to messy and confusing to me. So many empires, so many battles, but it's so cool to realize how the echoes of these ancient events are still present in our culture, often times without even thinking where it started. E.g. the expression "the writing is on the wall" which I knew came from the book of Daniel but it is also connected to one of Cyrus' military campaigns. Also it almost certainly didn't happen but it's neat that we're still referencing this alleged incident 2,500 years later.
Everyone always talks about Alexander "the Great", but it seems this guy was a much better ruler.
All the sources talk about how benevolent he was, how tolerant, how liberal and so forth.
And it seems he was just a smart guy and a good administrator.
I think the proof of this is that the empire he founded seems to have continued on smoothly for a couple of hundred years after his death until it was overthrown by ... Alexander the Great.
It was also especially interesting reading about how much of his story intersects with events in the Old Testament.
Ancient history seems to messy and confusing to me. So many empires, so many battles, but it's so cool to realize how the echoes of these ancient events are still present in our culture, often times without even thinking where it started. E.g. the expression "the writing is on the wall" which I knew came from the book of Daniel but it is also connected to one of Cyrus' military campaigns. Also it almost certainly didn't happen but it's neat that we're still referencing this alleged incident 2,500 years later.
November 10, 2022
The first half of the book was really interesting and it seemed reliable but the second half was questionable. The author continuously uses Herodotus' accounts and Herodotus isn't a reliable source because he never seperated fact from fiction.
Honestly, I'd say if you want a reliable account read the Bible (I'm based ik) as a lover of Persian history I still enjoyed the book but I wouldn't hand this book over to anyone if they want a genuine account of Cyrus' life. This book made it sound like Cyrus was a greedy monster when in fact he was the complete opposite of that, I don't believe he would've lied or done anything that was quite concerning.
Nevertheless, if you want something interesting and captivating I'd say go ahead and read it but if you want something genuine and reliable I wouldn't recommend.
Honestly, I'd say if you want a reliable account read the Bible (I'm based ik) as a lover of Persian history I still enjoyed the book but I wouldn't hand this book over to anyone if they want a genuine account of Cyrus' life. This book made it sound like Cyrus was a greedy monster when in fact he was the complete opposite of that, I don't believe he would've lied or done anything that was quite concerning.
Nevertheless, if you want something interesting and captivating I'd say go ahead and read it but if you want something genuine and reliable I wouldn't recommend.
August 4, 2026
Having no prior knowledge of this king of kings, I found this short introduction captivating.
I’ll definitely be reading more about Cyrus — he appears to have been a truly great ruler, so much so that his approach to running an empire was revered by figures like Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and even the founding fathers of the United States.
What struck me most was how Cyrus ruled with compassion and understanding, allowing his subjects to live freely rather than through fear or oppression.
He cemented his legacy with the Jewish people in particular, granting them their freedom and funding the repair of temples destroyed by the Babylonian army.
I really enjoyed this book and it’s sparked an interest in exploring Persian history further.
I’ll definitely be reading more about Cyrus — he appears to have been a truly great ruler, so much so that his approach to running an empire was revered by figures like Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and even the founding fathers of the United States.
What struck me most was how Cyrus ruled with compassion and understanding, allowing his subjects to live freely rather than through fear or oppression.
He cemented his legacy with the Jewish people in particular, granting them their freedom and funding the repair of temples destroyed by the Babylonian army.
I really enjoyed this book and it’s sparked an interest in exploring Persian history further.
June 11, 2021
Who Was Cyrus?
I have long been curious about Cyrus, prophesied about in Isaiah, the ruler who freed the Jews and ended the Babylonian Captivity. Who was he? How did his management of the many cultures within an empire come to be so different from other rulers of his time? These questions are not answered in as much depth as I would have liked, although what is said piques my curiosity even more. Nevertheless, I appreciated what insight this book did give on Cyrus, the soldier/emperor.
I have long been curious about Cyrus, prophesied about in Isaiah, the ruler who freed the Jews and ended the Babylonian Captivity. Who was he? How did his management of the many cultures within an empire come to be so different from other rulers of his time? These questions are not answered in as much depth as I would have liked, although what is said piques my curiosity even more. Nevertheless, I appreciated what insight this book did give on Cyrus, the soldier/emperor.
September 27, 2020
Quick, interesting read
This is an interesting overview of the life and rule of Cyrus the Great. The author is careful to acknowledge that many of the stories surrounding the rule may simply be myth and legend but still relates them along with the accepted facts and is careful to distinguish between the two.
This is an interesting overview of the life and rule of Cyrus the Great. The author is careful to acknowledge that many of the stories surrounding the rule may simply be myth and legend but still relates them along with the accepted facts and is careful to distinguish between the two.
July 24, 2022
Quick, informative read
This little book—33 pages—gives a great overview of the rise and fall of Cyrus the Great. Engaging from first page to last, there are no long-winded narratives on any particular aspect of his life. Highly recommend for anyone curious about this benevolent ruler. Too bad there aren’t more like him these days…
This little book—33 pages—gives a great overview of the rise and fall of Cyrus the Great. Engaging from first page to last, there are no long-winded narratives on any particular aspect of his life. Highly recommend for anyone curious about this benevolent ruler. Too bad there aren’t more like him these days…
March 24, 2023
The book is a fascinating look at the life of Cyrus the Great. He was not only a great strategist and expanded his empire but was also a benevolent ruler. Unlike most other rulers at that time he allowed the people he conquered to practice their religion and customs.
I enjoyed the book - it was concise and informative.
I enjoyed the book - it was concise and informative.
December 23, 2024
Το βιβλίο είναι μια συναρπαστική ματιά στη ζωή του Cyrus The Great. Δεν ήταν μόνο ένας μεγάλος στρατηγός ο οποίος επέκτεινε την αυτοκρατορία του, αλλά επίσης ένας καλοπροαίρετος ηγεμόνας. Σε αντίθεση με τους περισσότερους ηγεμόνες της εποχής, επέτρεψε στους ανθρώπους που κατέκτησε να ασκούν τη θρησκεία και τα έθιμά τους. Συνοπτικό και κατατοπιστικό.
July 9, 2026
Cyrus In A Few Minutes
This is really well written and in the short amount of time to read it, you get a good sense of this man. He is a fascinating character, even though this is not a religiously motivated narrative, the Biblical element of the subject was used respectfully. Thank you. Well done.
This is really well written and in the short amount of time to read it, you get a good sense of this man. He is a fascinating character, even though this is not a religiously motivated narrative, the Biblical element of the subject was used respectfully. Thank you. Well done.
September 7, 2021
Wonderful short read and informative of Cyrus the Great.
Highly recommend for an “Reader’s Digest” understanding of a history of King Cyrus. It could whet your appetite for a more full appreciation of this Nobel King and ruler.
Highly recommend for an “Reader’s Digest” understanding of a history of King Cyrus. It could whet your appetite for a more full appreciation of this Nobel King and ruler.
September 13, 2021
Not bad
Not very informative. Very short book that is a quick read but has no depth or real references or sources to the statements. If you’re looking for a general overview of Cyrus the Great it’s not bad.
Not very informative. Very short book that is a quick read but has no depth or real references or sources to the statements. If you’re looking for a general overview of Cyrus the Great it’s not bad.
March 6, 2022
The emperors of the empire all kind of ran together in my mind - Cyrus, Xerxes, Darius. But this short biography has created a strong image in my mind of Cyrus, his successes and his death. What a great story!
January 13, 2023
Cyrus the Great
There is a good deal of important information for such a compact issue. I would recommend this to anyone interested in ancient history and to all who are interested in biblical studies. .
There is a good deal of important information for such a compact issue. I would recommend this to anyone interested in ancient history and to all who are interested in biblical studies. .
November 22, 2025
Easy Read
Appreciated the transparency regarding the possibility of myth over facts. Liked the quotes of Cyrus II and the details. I recommend this quick, informative, interesting read.
Appreciated the transparency regarding the possibility of myth over facts. Liked the quotes of Cyrus II and the details. I recommend this quick, informative, interesting read.
August 2, 2026
3.75. Short, easy read. Spills into conjecture but rather than leaning into it (ala Xenophon) or avoiding it altogether, the author acknowledges it just enough to further the story. He mentions it with the caveat that it may be unreal. Well done.
September 7, 2020
A good review of Cyrus the Great and the Persian Empire.
June 14, 2021
Cyrus
Good short and to the point. A great short biography. Unfortunately very little can be verified about yet one more tyrant in history.
Good short and to the point. A great short biography. Unfortunately very little can be verified about yet one more tyrant in history.
February 14, 2022
Short but informative
While I would have liked the auto go into the biography with more depth I found it an enjoyable read.
While I would have liked the auto go into the biography with more depth I found it an enjoyable read.
March 6, 2022
Cyrus a quick history
Easy reading, the book gives a summary of Cyrus life. The author points out what is myth and legend and gives reference to the ancient historians he cites.
Easy reading, the book gives a summary of Cyrus life. The author points out what is myth and legend and gives reference to the ancient historians he cites.
January 10, 2023
great book for the time
I thought that this book was really good at putting his history into a clear concise book. Hit the highlights and then move on. Was really informative.
I thought that this book was really good at putting his history into a clear concise book. Hit the highlights and then move on. Was really informative.
April 7, 2024
Best birdseye view you can get!
Before reading this short book I knew nothing about Cyrus the great and now I know enough to talk about him. Really appreciate the work
Before reading this short book I knew nothing about Cyrus the great and now I know enough to talk about him. Really appreciate the work
November 27, 2024
I enjoyed this read
This was an enjoyable read. The author was engaging and concise. A great starter read for the history of the Persian empire.
This was an enjoyable read. The author was engaging and concise. A great starter read for the history of the Persian empire.
December 21, 2024
Another good read from Hourly History
Another good read from Hourly History. A good overview of Cyrus The Great's life and history. Enough to make one interested to find out more.
Another good read from Hourly History. A good overview of Cyrus The Great's life and history. Enough to make one interested to find out more.
August 10, 2019
Super short!
Wow that was short. I should have paid more attention to the 1 hour history element. I feel like I have a super surface level understanding of Cyrus, but feel I would have gleamed more from a Wikipedia article. I'll be more careful when selecting a biography in the future. Good news is it was free with kindle unlimited and I only spent $3 for the audio version... Which most people will find annoying. I did not find it a compelling listen at all.
Wow that was short. I should have paid more attention to the 1 hour history element. I feel like I have a super surface level understanding of Cyrus, but feel I would have gleamed more from a Wikipedia article. I'll be more careful when selecting a biography in the future. Good news is it was free with kindle unlimited and I only spent $3 for the audio version... Which most people will find annoying. I did not find it a compelling listen at all.
August 27, 2019
The Great Unknown
I knew about Xerxes and Darius because their adventures with the Greek but filled the early Persian timeline. Interesting finish to a character that Alexander the Great must have taken a lesson from.
What made Cyrus so great was not the fact that he lorded it over this diverse empire—his greatness is often cited in his enlightened sense of tolerance. His tolerance was not merely empty talk; it was set down within the legal code of the Achaemenid Empire.
I knew about Xerxes and Darius because their adventures with the Greek but filled the early Persian timeline. Interesting finish to a character that Alexander the Great must have taken a lesson from.
What made Cyrus so great was not the fact that he lorded it over this diverse empire—his greatness is often cited in his enlightened sense of tolerance. His tolerance was not merely empty talk; it was set down within the legal code of the Achaemenid Empire.
September 24, 2019
Enjoyable
I always enjoy this quick read history books. Makes for a nice daytime read on subjects where not a lot of information is available.
I always enjoy this quick read history books. Makes for a nice daytime read on subjects where not a lot of information is available.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews