King of the World The Life of Cyrus the Great Matt Waters Offers the most up-to-date biography in English of Cyrus the Great Contextualizes and emphasizes primary sources for an accurate account Explains his enormous influence among ancient Greeks and Macedonians, including Alexander the GreatDescription The Persian Empire was the world’s first hyperpower, with territory stretching from Central Asia to Northeastern Africa and from Southeastern Europe to the Indus Valley. It was the dominant geopolitical force from the later sixth century to its conquest by Alexander in the 330s BCE. Much of the empire’s territory was conquered by its founder, Cyrus the Great, who reigned from 559-530 BCE. Cyrus became a legend in his own lifetime, and his career inspired keen interest from Persia’s unruly neighbors to the west, the ancient Greeks. The idealized portrait of Cyrus by the Greek Xenophon had a profound impact on ancient, medieval, and early modern debates about rulership.King of the World provides an authoritative and accessible account of Cyrus the Great’s life, career, and legacy. While Greek sources remain central to any narrative about Cyrus, a wealth of primary evidence is found in the ancient Near East, including documentary, archaeological, art historical, and biblical material. Matt Waters draws from all of these sources while consistently contextualizing them in order to provide a cohesive understanding of Cyrus the Great. This overview addresses issues of interpretation and reconciles limited material, while the narrative keeps Cyrus the Great’s compelling career at the forefront. Cyrus’ legacy is enormous and not fully appreciated— King of the World takes readers on a journey that reveals his powerful impact and preserves his story for future generations.Table of Contents Preface Figures and Maps Chronological Chart/Table Timeline Chapter 1 – Introduction: The Kings of Anshan Scope and Scale: The Cusp of the First World Empire An Achaemenid Renaissance Setting the Historical Stage Persians and Iranians The Kingdom of Anshan/Parsumash among the Great Powers pp. 14-23 Cyrus I A Royal Heirloom What’s in a (Throne) Name? Endnotes Chapter 2 – An Irresistible Force A New Son Rising Cyrus and Cassandane The Daughters of Cyrus: Atossa and Artystone Endnotes Chapter 3 – On the March Median Problems (More) Dreaming of Cyrus Cyrus’ War with Astyages Go West, Young Man Endnotes Chapter 4 – The Chosen One The Conquest of Babylonia Cyrus’ Babylonian Inscriptions The Cyrus Cylinder Royal Inscriptions from Uruk and Ur The Verse Account A Time of Transition Endnotes Chapter 5 – The Imperial Project (Re)Ordering the World The Roads Go Ever On The Persian Army A Unifying Ideology More Territory, More Capitals Pasargadae Tomb of Cyrus Gate R Palaces S and P Paradise Found, The Royal Garden The Zendan and the Tall-i Takht Exit Pasargadae Cyrus the Polytheist Endnotes Chapter 6 – Legacies The Death of Cyrus Reality and Imagination Recalling Cyrus: Alexander III of Macedon Subtle but Formidable Remembrances Conclusions: New out of Old Endnotes Appendix A – On Sources Endnotes Appendix B – Translation of the Cyrus Cylinder Appendix C – Teispids and Achaemenids Endnotes BibliographyAuthor Information Matt Waters, Professor of Classics and Ancient History, University of Wisconsin-Eau ClaireMatt Waters is Professor of Classics and Ancient History at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He is the author of Ctesias’ Persica and Its Near Eastern Context and Ancient Persia: A Concise History of the Achaemenid Empire, 550-330 BCE, among other works.
