The Cyrus Cylinder: an empire's charter of tolerance

After taking Babylon, Cyrus recorded in cuneiform that he restored temples and returned displaced peoples to their homes.

Why it matters

Whatever its exact reach, the Cylinder is the earliest surviving imperial statement of governing through restoration rather than terror — the self-image the Persian empire kept for two centuries.

People

Cyrus the Great

Related events

• 550 BCE – 330 BCE

  Cyrus founds the Achaemenid Persian empire

  Cyrus the Great conquered Media, Lydia and Babylon; his successors ruled the largest empire yet seen through satrapies, tribute and relative tolerance of local customs and religions.

  Empires · persia

• c. 1000 BCE – 600 BCE

  Zoroastrianism takes shape on the Iranian plateau

  The teachings attributed to Zarathustra framed life as a struggle between truth (asha) and falsehood (druj), centered on one wise lord, Ahura Mazda.

  Religion · persia

• 268 BCE – 232 BCE

  Ashoka rules by edict

  The Mauryan emperor Ashoka, after witnessing the slaughter of his Kalinga war, publicly renounced conquest and inscribed principles of tolerance, welfare and restraint on stone pillars across his realm.

  Civilizations · south asia

Sources

• British Museum — The Cyrus Cylinder