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Iranwire – “Cyrus the Great is Alive!” billboards have been installed across Israel by people who think of American president Donald Trump as the only person who could bring the Gaza war to the end and bring the remaining Israeli hostages.
“He truly reminds me of Cyrus,” says Samuel Lewinstein, a retired Israeli statistician. “Through his forceful character he put Hamas and Bibi Netanyahu to shut up and put up and is going to bring our hostages home.”
But who was the ancient Persian king Cyrus the Great who is remembered not as a foreign conqueror, but as an unexpected ally and early champion of Jewish freedom.
The images and legacy of Cyrus have been invoked by Israeli leaders across the political spectrum – from David Ben-Gurion to Benjamin Netanyahu – as a symbol of justice, tolerance, and recognition of the Jewish people’s historic right to their homeland.
In 2015, Israel’s postal service even issued a commemorative stamp bearing his likeness, and when the British Museum’s Cyrus Cylinder toured Israel, it drew thousands of visitors who saw in the 2,500-year-old artifact a precursor to modern declarations of human rights.
For many Israelis, Cyrus embodies a rare example of a powerful outsider who acted in harmony with the biblical vision of liberation – a ruler who understood, long before modern diplomacy, that peace could rest on respect for faith and identity.
Among Jews, the reverence for Cyrus dates back to the sixth century BCE, when he conquered Babylon and issued a decree allowing Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem. The Book of Isaiah calls him “God’s anointed,” a title otherwise reserved for Israelite kings, and the Book of Ezra records his command to rebuild the Temple – an act seen as both political liberation and divine fulfillment.
During the Second Temple period, Cyrus’s name was recited in prayers and remembered in readings associated with the return from exile.
Today, in some communities, rabbis and educators revisit his story during the High Holy Days and around Sukkot, linking his decree of return to the broader themes of renewal and restoration that mark the Jewish calendar.
His figure also appears in Jewish art and educational programs as a model of righteous leadership — a gentile king who, without conversion, acted according to the will of the God of Israel.
Historically, Cyrus the Great was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire, born around 600 BCE in what is now southwestern Iran. He rose from ruling a small kingdom, Anshan, to overthrow the Median Empire, defeat the wealthy Lydian king Croesus, and ultimately conquer Babylon in 539 BCE.
In a world defined by conquest and subjugation, Cyrus’s approach was revolutionary: he governed through tolerance, allowing local religions and customs to flourish under imperial protection.
His Cyrus Cylinder – often described as the first charter of human rights – declares that he returned displaced peoples to their homelands and restored their temples. For the Jewish people, this translated into freedom after decades of Babylonian captivity and the rebirth of Jerusalem as a spiritual center.
Cyrus died in battle around 530 BCE, but his reputation only grew with time. Cyrus the Great holds a uniquely revered place in Persian history and identity. He is celebrated as the father of the Iranian nation – the leader who united the Persian tribes and established an empire renowned for its justice, tolerance, and administrative brilliance.
For Persians, Cyrus embodies the golden age of Iran: an era of strength balanced by compassion and respect for human dignity.
The Cyrus Cylinder, discovered in Babylon and inscribed with his decree of freedom for conquered peoples, is often regarded in Iran as an early declaration of human rights. It symbolizes Persian values of fairness, coexistence, and rule of law.
Many Iranians, both inside and outside the country, view Cyrus as a timeless national symbol – transcending religion, ethnicity, and even modern politics.
Each year, thousands of Iranians gather on Cyrus Day (October 29) at his tomb in Pasargadae to honor his legacy, chanting “Iran is our homeland; Cyrus is our father.” His memory represents pride in a pre-Islamic identity and a reminder that Iran once led the world through wisdom, not tyranny.
In Persian culture and education, Cyrus is not just a conqueror but a moral archetype — a ruler who proved that empires could be built on tolerance, justice, and respect for all peoples. His legacy continues to inspire a sense of national dignity and hope for a humane and enlightened Iran.
Major Achievements of Cyrus the Great (c. 600–530 BCE)
- Founder of the Achaemenid Empire (c. 550 BCE):
United the Persian tribes under his rule and established one of the largest empires in ancient history, stretching from the Aegean Sea to the Indus River. - Conquest of the Median Empire (550 BCE):
Overthrew his grandfather Astyages and ended Median dominance, bringing the Iranian plateau under Persian leadership. - Conquest of Lydia (c. 547 BCE):
Defeated King Croesus and brought the wealthy Lydian kingdom in Asia Minor under Persian control, securing access to major trade routes and resources. - Conquest of Babylon (539 BCE):
Captured the city without major bloodshed and incorporated Mesopotamia into his empire, ending the Neo-Babylonian dynasty. - Policy of Religious and Cultural Tolerance:
Allowed conquered peoples to worship their own gods and maintain local customs — a revolutionary approach for the era. - The Cyrus Cylinder:
Issued a declaration (now considered the world’s first human rights charter) proclaiming freedom of religion, return of exiled peoples, and restoration of temples. - Liberation of the Jews (538 BCE):
Permitted Jewish exiles in Babylon to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple, earning him the title “God’s anointed” in the Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 45:1). - Administrative Innovations:
Created a centralized government with efficient provincial administration and respect for local traditions, laying the foundation for later Persian governance. - Model of Just and Benevolent Rule:
Remembered across cultures — by Persians as a national hero, by Jews as a liberator, and by historians as a visionary statesman who combined power with mercy.
