Cyrus Cylinder

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The Cyrus cylinder: a clay cylinder inscribed with a Babylonian account of the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus in 539 BC, detailing his restoration to various temples of statues removed by Nabonidus, the previous king of Babylon, and highlighting his own contributions at Babylon. This type of cylindrical form is typical of royal inscriptions from the Late Babylonian period, revealing that the cylinder was deliberately buried in the foundations of the city wall of Babylon. The text remains incomplete, written in Babylonian script and language, which records that Nabonidus, the last King of Babylon (555-539 BC), had seriously compromised the cults of the Babylonian gods, including Marduk, the city-god of Babylon, imposing labor-service on its free population, who lodged complaints with the gods. The gods responded by abandoning Babylon, but Marduk looked around for a champion to restore the old ways and chose Cyrus, King of Anshan (Persia), declaring him king of the world. First, Cyrus expanded his kingship over the tribes of Iran (described as Gutians and Ummanmanda), ruling them justly. Then, Marduk ordered Cyrus to march on Babylon, which he entered without a fight. Nabonidus was handed over into his hands, and the people of Babylon joyfully accepted the kingship of Cyrus. From this point forward, the document is written as if Cyrus himself is speaking: 'I, Cyrus, king of the world ...'. He presents himself as a worshipper of Marduk who strove for peace in Babylon and abolished the labor-service of its population. The people of neighboring countries brought tribute to Babylon, and Cyrus claims to have restored their temples and religious cults and returned their previously deported gods and people. The text concludes with additional food offerings in the temples of Babylon and an account of the rebuilding of Imgur-Enlil, the city wall of Babylon, during which an earlier building inscription of Ashurbanipal, King of Assyria (668-627 BC), was found.