Cyrus cylinder

The clay cylinder: inscribed in ancient writing with an account by Cyrus the Great, king of Iran (Persia) (559-530 BC) of his conquest of Babylon in 539 BC and capture of Nabonidus, the last Babylonian king. Length of this cylinder is 22.86 Centimeter (Approximately. 10 Inches)

Cyrus cylinder is story of historic achievement of King of King with the aid of Marduk, the principal god of the city of Babylon. Cyrus The Great presented himself not as a conqueror, but a liberator and the legitimate successor to the crown. He took the title of "King of Babylon and King of the Land". Cyrus had no thought of forcing conquered people into a single mould, and had the wisdom to leave unchanged the institution of each kingdom he attached to the Persian Crown. In 537 BC he allowed several thousands of prisoners to Babylon and return to Palestine.

Cyrus then describes measures of relief he brought to the populace of the city, and tells how he returned a number of images of gods, which Nabonidus had collected in Babylon, to their proper temples throughout Mesopotamia and western Iran. At the same time he arranged for the restoration of these temples, and organized the return to their homelands of a number of people who had been held in Babylonia by the Babylonian kings. Although the Jews are not mentioned in this document, their return to Palestine following their deportation by Nebuchadnezzar II, was part of this policy.

Few rulers in ancient history have earned equivalent of the fame and respect accorded to Cyrus the Great. He was founder of an Persian (Aryan) Empire 2,5OO years ago. The cuneiform writing on the cylinder is one of the important sources for the history of discovered during excavations at Babylon which Cyrus entered in 539 B.C.

This cylinder has been described as the 'first charter of human rights',

"I am Cyrus, king of the world, great king, mighty king, king of Babylon, king of the land of Sumer and Akkad, king of the four quarters, son of Cambyses, great king, king of Anshan, grandson of Cyrus, great king, king of Anshan, descendant of Teispes, great king, king of Anshan, progeny of an unending royal line, whose rule Bel and Nabu cherish, whose kingship they desire for their hearts' pleasures.

When I, well-disposed, entered Babylon, I established the seat of government in the royal palace amidst jubilation and rejoicing. Marduk, the great God, caused the big-hearted inhabitants of Babylon to...me. I sought daily to worship him. My numerous troops moved about undisturbed in the midst of Babylon.

I did not allow any to terrorize the land of Sumer and Akkad. I kept in view the needs of Babylon and all its sanctuaries to promote their well-being. The citizens of Babylon... I lifted their unbecoming yoke. Their dilapidated dwellings I restored. I put an end to their misfortunes.

The cuneiform writing on the cylinder sets a series of rules that became base of human right declaration is as follow