Anct history - greek period study

Where did Cyrus conquer and when

• Media - 550BC

• Lydia - 546BC

• Babylon - 539BC

How did Cyrus conquer media according to the Nabonidus chronicle

• Astyages marched against Cyrus

• Astyages’ army mutinied (Nabonidus chronicle)

• Astyages was taken prisoner

How did Cyrus conquer media according to Herodotus

• Astyages dreamt that his grandson (Cyrus) would overthrow him

• He ordered his advisor Harpagus to have the baby killed

• Harpagus ordered a herdsmen to dispose of the baby

• He could not kill the baby so he raised it as his own

• He got into a fight with the son of a Median noble so he was brought before Astyages

• Discovered he was his grandson

• Had Harpagus’ son cooked then served to Harpagus

• Astyages let Cyrus live and sent him to Persia

• Harpagus plotted revenge against Astyages and he encouraged Cyrus and other Median nobles to rebel against Astyages

• This is what caused the army to betray him

How did Cyrus conquer Lydia according to Herodotus

• Lydia had been ruled by Croesus since 560

• Croesus was alarmed by Cyrus conquering Media so he decided to make a pre-emptive attack on him

• Led his army across the river Halys to meet at Pteria

• Battle was inconclusive

• Croesus contacted his alliances (Bablyon, Sparta and Egypt)

• Cyrus made a counter attack in Saris

• Persians put camels on their front line which scared the Lydian cavalry

• The Persians captured Sardis by scaling the walls

How did Cyrus conquer Babylon according to Herodotus

• The Persians managed to enter Babylon by diverting the Euphrates river

• Scholars doubt this account

How did Cyrus treat the Babylonians

• Cyrus was welcomed as a liberator from Babylonian rule according to the Cyrus cylinder

• Cyrus was willing to associate himself to a foreign God to legitimise his rule (Marduk)

• He allowed exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and appoint himself as their liberator

• Cyrus is described as a messiah in the book of Isaiah

• He ordered the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem

Where and why did Cyrus build Pasargadae

• Modern Iran, on the site of Cyrus’ victory against Astyages

• After the conquest of Media (540) he wanted to build something which was representative of his greatness and power

Outline the main features of Cyrus’ tomb at Pasargadae

• Made of white limestone, this was unusual as it was harder to acquire as most buildings were made of timber and clay

• This means he spent huge amounts of time and money on this monument

• Shepherd hut on top is reminiscent of his humble origins

• Golden sarcophagus inside

• Inscription inside states who he was and what he’s done, implored the reader not to be jealous

Outline the main features of the monumental gateway at Pasargadae

• Not intended as defence as it doesn’t attach to city walls, it was designed to impress

• Shows that Cyrus has no need for defence

• Shows confidence and arrogance

• There is a winged figure on the gateway which shows cultural links between Syrian and Egyptian art

• Shows his cultural acceptance

Outline the main features of the private palace at Pasargadae

• Very large with tall pillars

• Grand architecture

• Very secluded as it was the residence of the King

• Looks over royal gardens

Outline the main features of the gardens at Pasargadae

• Had a water channel which was over a mile long

• Canal that was dug from the river Pulvar

• Divided into 4 parts, symbolic of Cyrus as a ruler of the four corners

• Shows extreme wealth and development

Outline the main features of the public palace at Pasargadae

• Has tall columns, impression of height and power

• There is an inscription stating “I am Cyrus the great a descendant of echimyid”

How did Cyrus die

Queen Tomyris defeated him battle and decapitated him

How reliable is Herodotus as a source

• He was writing centuries after these events happened

• His research was conducted by recording stories that hadn’t been written down but had been passed down by word of mouth so over the decades people would have overexaggerated things and added extra info

• It is thought he didn’t speak Persian meaning he got his information via translations

How reliable is the Nabonidus chronicle as a source

• It can be perceived as biased as it was most likely commissioned by Nabonidus and majority of the time favours Babylon and Nabonidus, portraying them in a good light

How reliable is the Cyrus cylinder

• Reliable as he wrote it himself so the titles listed are recalled accurately and exactly

• However as he had it commissioned, it exaggerates a lot of his power

Why did Cambyses go to war with Egypt according to Herodotus

• Amasis tricked Cambyses as he was going to marry his daughter but instead he sent the daughter of Apries

• Cambyses therefore goes to war as he was snubbed

• Wanted money land and resources as Egypt was wealthy

• Competition with Egypt over boarder lands such as Phoenicia

How did Cambyses invade Egypt according to Herodotus

• He had help from foreign powers

  • Received a fleet of 40 ships from Polycrates

  • Supplies of water from Arab tribesmen when crossing the desert

• Battle of Pelusium (525)

  • Cambyses’ forces defeated the Osammetichus ones with the Egyptians fleeing back to Memphis

• Siege of Memphis

  • Initially Egyptians refused to surrender but eventually Psammetichus surrendered leading to the surrender of Libya Cyrene

What does Herodotus say Cambyses did in Egypt

• Presents him as a madman who disrespects local gods

• Disrespects the corpse of Amasis

• He killed the Apis bull

• Organised the murder of his younger brother Smerdis

• Killed his pregnant sister/wife

What did the sarcophagus of the Apis bull say Cambyses did in Egypt

• Says Cambyses was respectful and sensitive towards Egyptian

• There is an inscription of Cambyses bowing down respectfully towards the bull

What did Udjahorresne say Cambyses did in Egypt

• Appointed a religious advisor and changed his title to an Egyptian one

• Udjahorresne taught Cambyses about Egyptian religion

• He purified the temple

How did Cambyses die according to Herodotus

Accidentally stabbed himself in the thigh

How did Darius come into power according to Herdotus