# Cyrus the Great — WHE Definition Discussion (1-306)

**URL:** <https://community.worldhistory.org/t/cyrus-the-great-whe-definition-discussion-1-306/17007>\
**Category:** WHE Articles\
**Created:** [February 21, 2018, 6:56am UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/cyrus-the-great-whe-definition-discussion-1-306/17007 "2018-02-21T06:56:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
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**Author:** ![daannijssen](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/daannijssen/32/318_2.png) [@daannijssen](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/daannijssen)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 6:56am UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/cyrus-the-great-whe-definition-discussion-1-306/17007/1 "2018-02-21T06:56:03Z")

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Cyrus II (d. 530 BCE), also known as Cyrus the Great, was the fourth king of Anshan and the first king of the Achaemenid Empire. Cyrus led several military campaigns against the most powerful kingdoms of the time, including Media, Lydia, and Babylonia. Through these campaigns, he united much of the Middle East under Persian hegemony while keeping the local administration mostly intact. By guaranteeing some continuity and thus winning the loyalty of the elite, he laid the foundations for the Achaemenid Empire.

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_This is a companion discussion topic for the original definition at [https://www.worldhistory.org/Cyrus\_the\_Great/](https://www.worldhistory.org/Cyrus_the_Great/)._

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**Join the Conversation**

- Was Cyrus wise to let local leaders stay in power after he conquered a kingdom?
- Do you think the Cyrus Cylinder was more about truth or propaganda?
- Was Cyrus's success mostly due to his army or his respect for other cultures?

Is there anything you'd like to ask me about this definition? Ask away — and if you spot something that should be covered, that's useful to know too.