Many ancient rulers are remembered only by their military conquests and tyrranical behaviour.
It is not the case with the Cyrus the Great, who stil stands as rare shiny prototype of a wise and benevolent ruler, who was called “father” by his subjects.
His ethics stemmed from his monotheistic, Zoroastrian religion, for which we read in The Ahyeh book:
Monologue 15: Haniel/Anael
Sons of light, sons of darkness – The One verses the Non. Before Abraham's religions arose, came Zarathustra and Zoroastrianism (1), and the first great monotheistic religion.
In the current age, this ancient faith has dwindled almost to nothing, and has closed itself off to those who are not Zoroastrian by birth, rendering itself of little value to the greater cause of lifting humanity out of its godlessness and amorality.
Yet, to have survived down to the present day at all, is a great accomplishment indeed. Having been the central faith of one of the greatest empires of history (Persia), encompassing almost the entirety of Asia Minor, unto the very shores of Greece, Islam has now pushed it back to the fringes and enclaves in India (2).
Within this revealing it is said and spoken, for order's sake if nothing else, that Haniel, also known as Anael (3) governs the grandfather of monotheistic religion. Haniel calls to a new generation of Zoroastrians, to stand and spread the timeless wisdom of the path of Ahura Mazda (4).
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So, let us read and learn about Cyrus the Great, from the Wikipedia:
Cyrus II of Persia (Old Persian: Kūruš; c. 600–530 BC),[a] commonly known as Cyrus the Great,was the founder of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. Hailing from Persis, he brought the Achaemenid dynasty to power by defeating the Median Empire and embracing all of the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East, expanding vastly and eventually conquering most of West Asia and much of Central Asia to create the world's then-largest polity.
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To the Greeks, he was known as Cyrus the Elder (Greek: Κῦρος ὁ Πρεσβύτερος Kŷros ho Presbýteros). Cyrus became well-known among scholars at the time for having respected the customs and religious traditions of the lands that he conquered. He was influential in developing the system of a central administration at Pasargadae to govern the Achaemenid Empire's border satraps, which worked for the profit of both rulers and subjects. Following the Achaemenid conquest of Babylon, Cyrus issued the Edict of Restoration, in which he authorized and encouraged the return of the Jewish people to the former Kingdom of Judah, officially ending the Babylonian captivity. He is described in the Hebrew Bible and left a lasting legacy on Judaism due to his role in facilitating the "return to Zion" of the Jews. According to Chapter 45:1 of the Book of Isaiah, Cyrus was anointed by Yahweh for this task as a biblical messiah; Cyrus is the only non-Jewish figure to be revered in this capacity.
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Cyrus is also recognized for his achievements in human rights, politics, and military strategy, as well as his influence on the traditions of both the Eastern world and the Western world.
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The achievements of Cyrus the Great throughout antiquity are reflected in the way he is remembered today. His own nation, the Iranians, have regarded him as "The Father," the very title that had been used during the time of Cyrus himself, by the many nations that he conquered, as according to Xenophon:
And those who were subject to him, he treated with esteem and regard, as if they were his own children, while his subjects themselves respected Cyrus as their "Father" ... What other man but 'Cyrus', after having overturned an empire, ever died with the title of "The Father" from the people whom he had brought under his power? For it is plain fact that this is a name for one that bestows, rather than for one that takes away!
The Babylonians regarded him as "The Liberator", as they were offended by their previous ruler, Nabonidus, for committing sacrilege.
The Book of Ezra narrates a story of the first return of exiles in the first year of Cyrus, in which Cyrus proclaims: "All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD, the God of heaven, given me; and He hath charged me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah."(Ezra 1:2)
Cyrus was distinguished equally as a statesman and as a soldier. Due in part to the political infrastructure he created, the Achaemenid Empire endured long after his death.
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Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian, relates the traditional view of the Jews regarding the prediction of Cyrus in Isaiah in his Antiquities of the Jews, book 11, chapter 1:
In the first year of the reign of Cyrus, which was the seventieth from the day that our people were removed out of their own land into Babylon, God commiserated the captivity and calamity of these poor people, according as he had foretold to them by Jeremiah the prophet, before the destruction of the city, that after they had served Nebuchadnezzar and his posterity, and after they had undergone that servitude seventy years, he would restore them again to the land of their fathers, and they should build their temple, and enjoy their ancient prosperity. And these things God did afford them; for he stirred up the mind of Cyrus, and made him write this throughout all Asia: "Thus saith Cyrus the king: Since God Almighty hath appointed me to be king of the habitable earth, I believe that he is that God which the nation of the Israelites worship; for indeed he foretold my name by the prophets, and that I should build him a house at Jerusalem, in the country of Judea." This was known to Cyrus by his reading the book which Isaiah left behind him of his prophecies; for this prophet said that God had spoken thus to him in a secret vision: "My will is, that Cyrus, whom I have appointed to be king over many and great nations, send back my people to their own land, and build my temple." This was foretold by Isaiah one hundred and forty years before the temple was demolished. Accordingly, when Cyrus read this, and admired the Divine power, an earnest desire and ambition seized upon him to fulfill what was so written; so he called for the most eminent Jews that were in Babylon, and said to them, that he gave them leave to go back to their own country, and to rebuild their city Jerusalem, and the temple of God, for that he would be their assistant, and that he would write to the rulers and governors that were in the neighborhood of their country of Judea, that they should contribute to them gold and silver for the building of the temple, and besides that, beasts for their sacrifices.
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Cyrus has been known for his innovations in building projects; he further developed the technologies that he found in the conquered cultures and applied them in building the palaces of Pasargadae. He was also famous for his love of gardens; the recent excavations in his capital city has revealed the existence of the Pasargadae Persian Garden and a network of irrigation canals. Pasargadae was a place for two magnificent palaces surrounded by a majestic royal park and vast formal gardens; among them was the four-quartered wall gardens of "Paradisia" with over 1000 meters of channels made out of carved limestone, designed to fill small basins at every 16 meters and water various types of wild and domestic flora. The design and concept of Paradisia were exceptional and have been used as a model for many ancient and modern parks, ever since.
The English physician and philosopher Sir Thomas Browne penned a discourse entitled The Garden of Cyrus in 1658 in which Cyrus is depicted as an archetypal "wise ruler" – while the Protectorate of Cromwell ruled Britain.
"Cyrus the elder brought up in Woods and Mountains, when time and power enabled, pursued the dictate of his education, and brought the treasures of the field into rule and circumscription. So nobly beautifying the hanging Gardens of Babylon, that he was also thought to be the author thereof."
Cyrus's standard, described as a golden eagle mounted upon a "lofty shaft", remained the official banner of the Achaemenids.
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Striving for future Urian theocratic state, let us find inspiration in this great, wise and righteous ancient ruler, who was living and behaving as commited Zoroastrian brother in faith.
From The AhYeh book:
Look not to secular princes (8) and godless gurus who cannot save even themselves, for when their spirits depart they return to their masters, and on that day all their plans come to nothing. Rather, look to God, and become God's angelic agents among the nations of The Beast, The Harlot, and The Dragon. Raise the banner of that holy light which shines forever in the darkness – the divine light of God's love, which can never be extinguished, and become an army of penitent angels among the demonic throngs.
From The AhYeh book:
The Principality is not a dictator, having authority as unto the president of a republic (within a purely Urian model). Benevolent dictators have achieved many great things, and balanced sorts have held nations together against all odds. Yet, good or evil, humans die, and rich and powerful parents raise decadent and spoiled children. Hereditary rule is to be forever banished from the Urian vision; however, there will come, through genetic enhancement, a time when the people will have life spans as unto trees, and with the waivers, a ruler might lead for hundreds of years. (1)
The Law is to be established, so no new laws are to be imposed or created, save by the 2/3rds consent of The Principle (with consuls), The Council of the People, and The Religious Council.
The Leader cannot make law, but is to act as the first and primary spokesperson and representative of the Faith and the Sacred State. Theirs is to be the role of a mediator and arbitrator between factions, a high defender, a chief diplomat, the primary voice of conscience and spiritual truth, as well as the highest champion of the national vision.
I have stumbled upon an interesting citation from John Calvin, where he is speaking about unrighteous rulers (opposite to what Cyrus was).
In Book four, chapter 20, section 25 of the Institutes we find this:
This is a great post, thank you.
Once I was watching a documentary which emphasized Greek testimonies how Cyrus was working personally in his garden, and was very proud with his work, using each opportunity to show his garden to diplomats. I cannot find exact source, I believe it was Xenophon who recordet it.
Anyway, I found this text, without giving source of the information though:
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When Lysander, the Lacedaemonian general, brought magnificent presents to Cyrus, the younger son of Darius, who piqued himself more on his integrity and politeness than on his rank and birth, the prince conducted his illustrious guest through his gardens, and pointed out to him their varied beauties. Lysander, struck with so fine a prospect, praised the manner in which the grounds were laid out, the neatness of the walks, the abundance of fruits, planted with an art which knew how to combine the useful with the agreeable, the beauty of the parterres, and the glowing variety of flowers, exhaling odours universally throughout the delightful scene. "Everything charms and transports me in this place," said Lysander to Cyrus; "but what strikes me most is the exquisite taste and elegant industry of the person who drew the plan of these gardens, and gave it the fine order, wonderful disposition, and happiness of arrangement which I cannot sufficiently admire." Cyrus replied, "it was I that drew the plan and entirely marked it out; and many of the trees which you see were planted by my own hands." "What!" exclaimed Lysander, with surprise, and viewing Cyrus from head to foot, "is it possible that, with those purple robes and splendid vestments, those strings of jewels and bracelets of gold, those buskins so richly embroidered; is it possible that you could play the gardener, and employ your royal hands in planting trees?" "Does that surprise you?" said Cyrus; "I assure you that, when my health permits, I never sit down to my table without having fatigued myself, either in military exercise, rural labour, or some other occupation."
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This is indeed a hero of mine - a true model for any ruler of The Kingdom Come... The Righteous King, one might argue Cyrus himself was a reflection fo the Archangel Anael, the personification of an angelic king in human form.
Was watching a Jet Li movie tonight about the Monkey King, where he creates an avatar from a single hair on his head - and this is very much what is meant (figurative) of a human who reflects the pattern of a higher being, such as an angel or archangel, or in the negative, a vain or natural power (archetypes). Cyrus was certainly a hair of Anael, as Anael/Hanael is an emanation from The One... all is The One, acting among us (God With Us) across time, as those few individuals who are self-evidently the agents of The Divine Order... in the face of those who are agents of The Infernal... the Natural Order caught between them both.
Anyway, GREAT POST! A great ideal laid down for any would-be leader of any version of Kingdom Come.