• Home
  • Archaeology
  • History
  • Science
  • Ancient Aliens
  • UFO
  • News
Archaeology and Ancient Civilizations
  • Home
  • Archaeology
  • History
  • Science
  • Ancient Aliens
  • UFO
  • News
No Result
View All Result
Archaeology and Ancient Civilizations
  • Home
  • Archaeology
  • History
  • Science
  • Ancient Aliens
  • UFO
  • News
No Result
View All Result
Archaeology and Ancient Civilizations
No Result
View All Result
Home Archaeology

The Cyrus Cylinder And The Ancient Proclamation of Human Rights

The Cyrus Cylinder And The Ancient Proclamation of Human Rights
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

An old cylinder discovered in a temple in Babylon (modern-day Iraq) sporting cuneiform inscriptions revealed some surprising edicts. Linked with the Persian king, Cyrus the Great, founder of the Achaemenid Empire, many believe the Cylinder lays out the world’s first declaration of universal human rights.

More than two millennia before the French Revolution introduced the Declaration of the Rights of Man. Of the Citizens, an ancient Near Eastern monarch issued a charter considered the oldest known declaration of human rights. This charter is known today as the Cyrus Cylinder.

You might also like

We Just Solved This Ancient Computer… Now Something Terrible Happened

FINALLY FOUND! 50 World War II Discoveries You Need To See

Massive Objects In Space Heading Towards Earth, NASA On High Alert

The Cyrus Cylinder was discovered in the ruins of Babylon, in modern Iraq, in March 1879. The ancient relic, a foundation deposit at the city’s main temple, the Ésagila, was made of baked clay and measured 22.5 cm (8.85 in) in length. On the Cylinder is an account detailing the conquest of Babylon in 539 B.C. by the Persian king Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Achaemenid Empire, who had created the largest empire of the era. It also describes the capture of Nabonidus, the last king of Babylon. The account was inscribed in cuneiform text and dated to between 539 and 530 B.C.

The inscription on the Cylinder speaks of Cyrus’ promotion of religious, racial, and linguistic freedom and his permission to those deported by the Babylonians to return to their homelands. It extols Cyrus as a benefactor of the citizens of Babylonia who improved their lives and restored temples and cult sanctuaries across Mesopotamia and elsewhere in the region. Some segments of the text read:

“I announce that I will respect the traditions, customs, and religions of the nations of my empire and never let any of my governors and subordinates look down on or insult them while I am alive. From now on…, I never let anyone oppress any others, and if it occurs, I will take their right back and penalize the oppressor.”

“I will never let anyone take possession of movable and landed properties of the others by force or without compensation. While I am alive, I prevent unpaid, forced labor. Today, I announce that everyone is free to choose a religion. People are free to live in all regions and take up a job provided that they never violate other’s rights.”

Some critics have argued that the belief that the Cyrus Cylinder is the world’s first charter of human rights is an anachronism and ignores the context of the document. They claim that Cyrus seemed to be more concerned about the views of the gods and merely took steps to appease them rather than acting for the goodness of the people. For instance, it is written on the Cylinder:

“The gods of the land of Sumer and Akkad which Nabonidus – to the fury of the lord of the gods – had brought into Shuanna, at the command of Marduk, the great lord, I returned them unharmed to their cells, in the sanctuaries that make them happy.”

In exchange, these gods were supposed to return the favor to Cyrus:

“May all the gods that I returned to their sanctuaries, every day before Bel and Nabu, ask for a long life for me, and mention my good deeds, and say to Marduk, my lord, this: “Cyrus, the king who fears you, and Cambyses, his son, may they be the provisioners of our shrines until distant (?) days and the population of Babylon call blessings on my kingship. I have enabled all the lands to live in peace.”

Furthermore, they argue that the Cylinder was discovered as a foundation deposit of the Ésagila, suggesting that Cyrus’ intended audience was the various gods of the realm, rather than mortal beings.

Regardless of which perspective is taken, the Cyrus Cylinder is undoubtedly an incredible piece of writing that brings to life the events that transpired over 2,500 years ago and opened a window into the thoughts and desires of a powerful king that once ruled over an empire.

This article (The Cyrus Cylinder And The Ancient Proclamation of Human Rights) was initially published on Ancient Origins and is published under a Creative Commons license.

Previous Post

Ancient Aliens Left Earth 20,000 Years Ago And They Are Our Ancestors

Next Post

The New Theory Linking The Pentagon UFOs To The Mysterious Object Of Extraterrestrial Origin Oumuamua

Related Posts

We Just Solved This Ancient Computer… Now Something Terrible Happened
Archaeology

We Just Solved This Ancient Computer… Now Something Terrible Happened

by vttc89
May 31, 2025
FINALLY FOUND! 50 World War II Discoveries You Need To See
Archaeology

FINALLY FOUND! 50 World War II Discoveries You Need To See

by vttc89
May 31, 2025
Massive Objects In Space Heading Towards Earth, NASA On High Alert
Archaeology

Massive Objects In Space Heading Towards Earth, NASA On High Alert

by vttc89
May 31, 2025
What This Underwater Drone Captured Terrifies The Whole World
Archaeology

What This Underwater Drone Captured Terrifies The Whole World

by vttc89
May 30, 2025
If these Bruce Lee Moments Were Not Recorded, No One Would Believe It
History

If these Bruce Lee Moments Were Not Recorded, No One Would Believe It

by vttc89
May 30, 2025
Next Post
The New Theory Linking The Pentagon UFOs To The Mysterious Object Of Extraterrestrial Origin Oumuamua

The New Theory Linking The Pentagon UFOs To The Mysterious Object Of Extraterrestrial Origin Oumuamua

The Die Glocke UFO Conspiracy: What Inspired Nazis To Create The Bell-Shaped Anti Gravity Machine?

The Die Glocke UFO Conspiracy: What Inspired Nazis To Create The Bell-Shaped Anti Gravity Machine?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Archaeologists In Derbyshire Have Discovered An Anglo-Saxon House From The 9th Century

Archaeologists In Derbyshire Have Discovered An Anglo-Saxon House From The 9th Century

February 23, 2022
How Story Of Jesus And The Bible Was Copied From Ancient Kemet Spirituality

How Story Of Jesus And The Bible Was Copied From Ancient Kemet Spirituality

February 7, 2023
The World’s Oldest Shipwreck Has Been Discovered At The Bottom Of The Black Sea: A 2,400-Year-Old ‘Odysseus’ Ship

The World’s Oldest Shipwreck Has Been Discovered At The Bottom Of The Black Sea: A 2,400-Year-Old ‘Odysseus’ Ship

February 20, 2022
An English Teacher Of History And A 9000-Year-Old Cheddar Man Have The Same DNA!

An English Teacher Of History And A 9000-Year-Old Cheddar Man Have The Same DNA!

February 26, 2022
1.5-Million-Year-Old Human Remains Point to Two Waves Out of Africa

1.5-Million-Year-Old Human Remains Point to Two Waves Out of Africa

0
Amateur fossil hunter unearths new type of prehistoric ‘sea dragon’ on Dorset beach

Amateur fossil hunter unearths new type of prehistoric ‘sea dragon’ on Dorset beach

0
In the church excavation, a mosaic made by a freed slave to thank God was found.

In the church excavation, a mosaic made by a freed slave to thank God was found.

0
Ancient Roman bath complex discovered beneath sand dunes in Spain

Ancient Roman bath complex discovered beneath sand dunes in Spain

0
We Just Solved This Ancient Computer… Now Something Terrible Happened

We Just Solved This Ancient Computer… Now Something Terrible Happened

May 31, 2025
FINALLY FOUND! 50 World War II Discoveries You Need To See

FINALLY FOUND! 50 World War II Discoveries You Need To See

May 31, 2025
Massive Objects In Space Heading Towards Earth, NASA On High Alert

Massive Objects In Space Heading Towards Earth, NASA On High Alert

May 31, 2025
What This Underwater Drone Captured Terrifies The Whole World

What This Underwater Drone Captured Terrifies The Whole World

May 30, 2025
  • All
  • History
We Just Solved This Ancient Computer… Now Something Terrible Happened
Archaeology

We Just Solved This Ancient Computer… Now Something Terrible Happened

by vttc89
May 31, 2025
0

In 1901, a shipwreck off the Greek island of Antikythera revealed a 2,000-year-old enigma: the Antikythera Mechanism. Discovered in fragments...

Read more
FINALLY FOUND! 50 World War II Discoveries You Need To See

FINALLY FOUND! 50 World War II Discoveries You Need To See

May 31, 2025
Massive Objects In Space Heading Towards Earth, NASA On High Alert

Massive Objects In Space Heading Towards Earth, NASA On High Alert

May 31, 2025
What This Underwater Drone Captured Terrifies The Whole World

What This Underwater Drone Captured Terrifies The Whole World

May 30, 2025
If these Bruce Lee Moments Were Not Recorded, No One Would Believe It

If these Bruce Lee Moments Were Not Recorded, No One Would Believe It

May 30, 2025

© 2022 Archaeology and Ancient Civilizations

No Result
View All Result
  • Home

© 2022 Archaeology and Ancient Civilizations

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?