Cyrus Cylinder BM
90920
This clay cylinder in
cuneiform writing was found by the British archaeologist Hormuzd Rassam in March
1879 and is preserved in the British Museum in London.
It records some facts of
the Persian King Cyrus (559-530 BC), and relates the conquest of Babylon in 539
BC and the capture of Nabonidus, its last king, who tainted the worship of the gods and imposed forced labor on the
population, which complained to their deities. It says that the gods of Babylon had left them, but the guardian
deity of the city sought who could restore the old order and elected Cyrus, king
of Anshan (Persia), declaring him sovereign of the world.
Interestingly, some 200
years before this happened, the prophet Isaiah wrote under inspiration: “Yahuh, the maker of all, he who stretched out the heavens
and shaped the earth”… “Says about Cyrus: «He
is my shepherd and shall perform all I want»” and “says of Jerusalem: «It will be rebuilt and the temple will
be established».
This is what Yahuh says
to his anointed, to Cyrus, whom he will take by his right hand to subdue before
him the nations and the strength of the kings: «I will loosen the doors to be
open, and no access will be closed»” (Isaiah 44:24, 28 and 45:1)
The register goes on
informing that Cyrus expanded his power over the tribes of Persia (Guti and
Ummanmanda), and reigned over them with justice and moderation. God had ordered
him to march against Babylon, and he entered the land without meeting any
resistance. From here, the document is written as by Cyrus himself, it says:
“I, Cyrus, king of the world ...” and
presents himself as the peacemaker of Babylon and the deliverer of its
population, reporting that the inhabitants of the neighboring countries brought
him tribute and gifts. Cyrus declares that he has restored the temples and the
religious cults, allowing the return of images to their place of origin and the
formerly deported peoples to their own lands.
This document that has
been regarded as the first human rights
treaty (see image below), became known because of its relationship with the
biblical account about the return of the Jewish people to
Jerusalem.
The Bible account
says:
“At that time, King Darius gave the command to search the
house of the scrolls, in which the treasures of Babylon were kept, and on the
fortress of Ecbatana in the province of Media, was found a roll thus written:
«In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued this decree concerning the
house of God in Jerusalem: Let the house be rebuilt as a place to offer
sacrifices. The foundations to be placed must be solid, of sixty cubits height
by sixty cubits width; three rows of large stone blocks and one made of new
wood. The real treasure will pay the expenses.
As to the gold and
silver utensils of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out the
temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, must be returned and taken to the
temple in Jerusalem where they were before, to be relocated inside the house of
God”. (Ezra 6: 2..5)
“In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in fulfillment of
the word of Yahuh through Jeremiah, Yahuh roused the spirit of Cyrus king of
Persia, who made to proclaim throughout the kingdom by voice and writing: «Cyrus
king of Persia says: Yahuh, the God of the heavens, has given me all the
kingdoms of the earth. He commanded me to build him a Temple in Jerusalem, which
is in Judah. Any of you who belong to his people, let his God be with him and
depart!»” (2Chronicles
36:22..23)
The text of the cylinder
ends with a reference to the banquet offered in the temples of Babylon and the
discovery of the inscription of Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria (668-627 BC),
during the reconstruction of the wall.
Description and content
The “fragment
A” (BM 90920) is about 23 x 8 cm. And comprises 35 lines, while the
“fragment
B” is about 8.6 x 5.6 cm. and comprises 9
lines.
Its contents can be summarized as follows:
1
Lines 1-19:
A description of the
“guilty” actions of Nabonidus, last king of Babylon, and indirectly, a reference
to his son Belshazzar; and a relation of the search conducted by the main god of
Babylon in order to find a new king, and the subsequent election of
Cyrus.
2
Lines 20-22:
Titles and Genealogy of Cyrus until his great grandfather
Teispes.
3
Lines 22-34:
Cyrus himself tells how he established peace, restored the worship
and allowed to the people exiled in Babylon, the return to their own
lands.
4
Lines 34-35:
Prayer of Cyrus to the god of Babylon, asking his favor for himself
and for his son Cambyses.
5
Lines 36-45:
Cyrus describes the rebuilding of the walls of Babylon and the
discovery of the inscription of Assurbanipal.
At the bottom of the page we have the cuneiform transliteration in
Latin characters and their translation into English.
Cuneiform text of Cyrus Cylinder:
Transliteration
|
Text of Fragment A
|
1 [ì-nu x x x] /x\-ni-šu |
2 [x x x ki-i]b-ra-a-tì |
3 [x x x] /x x\ GAL ma-tu-ú iš-šak-na a-na e-nu-tu
ma-ti-šú |
4 /ù?\ [x x x]-ši-li ú-ša-áš-ki-na
se-ru-šu-un |
5 ta-am-ši-li É-SAG-ÍL i-te-[pu-uš-ma x x x t]ì? a-na ÚRIki ù si-it-ta-a-tì
ma-ha-za |
6 pa-ra-as la si-ma-a-ti-šu-nu
ta-[ak-li-im
la-me-si x x x la]
pa-lih
u4-mi-šá-am-ma id-de-né-eb-bu-ub ù /ana ma-ag\-ri-tì |
7 sat-tuk-ku ú-šab-ti-li
ú-l[a-ap-pi-it
pél-lu-de-e x x x iš]-tak-ka-an qé-reb ma-ha-zi
pa-la-ha dAMAR.UTU LUGAL DINGIRmeš
i[g-m]ur
kar-šu-uš-šu |
8 le-mu-ut-ti URU-šu [i-t]e-né-ep-pu-/uš\ u4-mi-ša-am-/ma x x\ [x x x
ÙG]meš-šú i-na
ab-ša-a-ni la ta-ap-šu-úh-tì ú-hal-li-iq
kul-lat-si-in |
9 a-na ta-zi-im-ti-ši-na
dEN.LÍL DINGIRmeš ez-zi-iš i-gu-ug-m[a x x x] ki-su-úr-šu-un
DINGIRmeš a-ši-ib
ŠÀ-bi-šu-nu i-zi-bu
at-/ma\-an-šu-un |
10 i-na ug-ga-ti-ša ú-še-ri-bi a-na
qé-reb ŠU.AN.NAki dAMAR.UTU t[i-iz-qa-rudEN.LÍL
DINGIRm]eš us-sa-ah-ra a-na nap-har
da-ád-mi šá in-na-du-ú šu-bat-su-un |
11 ù ÙGmeš KUR šu-me-ri ù URIki
ša i-mu-ú ša-lam-ta-áš
ú-sa-/ah\-hi-ir ka-/bat\-[ta-áš] ir-ta-ši ta-a-a-ra kul-lat ma-ta-a-ta
ka-li-ši-na i-hi-it
ib-re-e-ma |
12 iš-te-'e-e-ma ma-al-ki i-šá-ru bi-bil
ŠÀ-bi-ša
it-ta-ma-ah qa-tu-uš-šu mKu-ra-áš LUGAL URU an-ša-an it-ta-bi ni-bi-it-su a-na
ma-li-ku-tì kul-la-ta nap-har iz-zak-ra šu-/um-šú\ |
13 kurqu-ti-i gi-mir um-man-man-da
ú-ka-an-ni-ša a-na še-pi-šu ÙGmeš sal-mat SAG.DU ša ú-ša-ak-ši-du
qa-ta-a-šú |
14 i-na ki-it-tì ù mi-šá-ru
iš-te-né-'e-e-ši-na-a-tì dAMAR.UTU EN GAL ta-ru-ú ÙGmeš-šú ep-še-e-ti-ša dam-qa-a-ta ù
ŠÀ-ba-šu i-ša-ra
ha-di-iš ip-pa-li-i[s] |
15 a-na URU-šu KÁ.DINGIRmeš ki
a-la-ak-šu iq-bi
ú-ša-as-bi-it-su-ma har-ra-nu TIN.TIRki
ki-ma ib-ri ù tap-pe-e
it-tal-la-ka i-da-a-šu |
16 um-ma-ni-šu rap-ša-a-tì ša ki-ma
me-e ÍD la ú-ta-ad-du-ú
ni-ba-šu-un gišTUKULmeš-šu-nu sa-an-du-ma
i-ša-ad-di-ha i-da-a-šu |
17 ba-lu qab-li ù ta-ha-zi
ú-še-ri-ba-áš qé-reb ŠU.AN.NAki URU-šu KÁ.DINGIRmeš ki
i-ti-ir i-na šap-ša-qí,
mdNÀ.NÍ.TUKU LUGAL la pa-li-hi-šu ú-ma-al-la-a
qa-tu-uš-šú |
18 ÙGmeš
TIN.TIRkika-li-šu-nu
nap-har KUR šu-me-ri u URIki
ru-bé-e ù šak-ka-nak-ka
ša-pal-šu ik-mi-sa ú-na-áš-ši-qu še-pu-uš-šu ih-du-ú a-na
LUGAL-ú-ti-šú im-mi-ru
pa-nu-uš-šú-un |
19 be-lu ša i-na tu-kul-ti-ša
ú-bal-li-tu mi-tu-ta-an i-na pu-uš-qu ù ú-de-e ig-mi-lu
kul-la-ta-an ta-bi-iš ik-ta-ar-ra-bu-šu iš-tam-ma-ru
zi-ki-ir-šu |
20 a-na-ku mKu-ra-áš LUGAL kiš-šat LUGAL GAL LUGAL dan-nu LUGAL
TIN.TIRki LUGAL KUR šu-me-ri ú ak-ka-di-i
LUGAL kib-ra-a-ti
er-bé-et-tì |
21 DUMU mKa-am-bu-zi-ia LUGAL GAL LUGAL
URU an-ša-an DUMU DUMU
mKu-ra-áš
LUGAL GAL LUGA[L U]RU an-ša-an ŠÀ.BAL.BAL
mši-iš-pi-iš
LUGAL GAL LUGAL URU an-šá-an |
22 NUMUN da-ru-ú ša LUGAL-ú-tu ša dEN u dNÀ ir-a-mu pa-la-a-šu a-na tu-ub
ŠÀ-bi-šú-nu
ih-ši-ha L[UGA]L-ut-su e-nu-ma a-n[a q]é-reb TIN.TIRkie-ru-bu
sa-li-mi-iš |
23 i-na ul-si ù ri-ša-a-tì
i-na É.GAL ma-al-ki
ar-ma-a šu-bat be-lu-tìdAMAR.UTU EN GAL ŠÀ-bi ri-it-pa-šu ša ra-/im\ TIN.TIRki ši-m[a]/a-tiš\ /iš-ku?-na\-an-ni-ma u4-mi-šam a-še-'a-a pa-la-/ah\-šú |
24 um-ma-ni-ia rap-ša-tì i-na
qé-reb TIN.TIRki i-ša-ad-di-ha šú-ul-ma-niš
nap-har KU[R šu-me-ri] /ù\ URIki mu-gal-[l]i-tì ul
ú-šar-ši |
25 /URUki\
KÁ.DINGIR.RAki ù
kul-lat ma-ha-zi-šu i-na ša-li-im-tì áš-te-'e-e
DUMUmeš TIN.TIR[ki x x x š]a ki-ma la ŠÀ-[bi DING]IR-ma ab-šá-a-ni la si-ma-ti-šú-nu
šu-ziz-/zu!\ |
26 an-hu-ut-su-un
ú-pa-áš-ši-ha ú-ša-ap-ti-ir sa-ar-ma-šu-nu a-na
ep-še-e-ti-[ia
dam-qa-a-ti] dAMAR.UTU EN GA[L]-ú
ih-de-e-ma |
27 a-na ia-a-ti mKu-ra-áš LUGAL pa-li-ih-šu ù
mKa-am-bu-zi-ia DUMU si-it ŠÀ-bi-[ia ù a-n]a nap-h[ar]
um-ma-ni-ia |
28 da-am-qí-íš ik-ru-ub-ma i-na šá-lim-tì
ma-har-ša ta-bi-iš ni-it-t[a-al-la-ak i-na qí-bi-ti-šú]
sir-ti nap-har LUGAL
a-ši-ib
BÁRAmeš |
29 ša ka-li-iš kib-ra-a-ta iš-tu tam-tì
e-li-tì a-di tam-tì šap-li-tì a-ši-ib n[a-gi-i né-su-tì] LUGALmeš
KUR a-mur-ri-i a-ši-ib
kuš-ta-ri ka-li-šú-un |
30 bi-lat-su-nu ka-bi-it-tì
ú-bi-lu-nim-ma qé-er-ba ŠU.AN.NAki ú-na-áš-ši-qu še-pu-ú-a iš-tu
[ŠU.AN.NAk]i a-di URU aš-šurki ù
MÙŠ-ERENki |
31 a-kà-dèki KUR èš-nu-nak URU za-am-ba-an URU me-túr-nu
BÀD.DINGIRki a-di
pa-at kurqu-ti-i ma-ha-z[a e-be]r-ti ídIDIGNA ša iš-tu pa!-na-ma na-du-ú
šu-bat-su-un |
32 DINGIRmeš a-ši-ib ŠÀ-bi-šú-nu a-na áš-ri-šu-nu ú-tir-ma
ú-šar-ma-a šu-bat da-rí-a-ta kul-lat ÙGmeš-šú-nu
ú-pa-ah-hi-ra-am-ma ú-te-er
da-ád-mi-šú-un |
33 ù DINGIRmeš KUR
šu-me-ri ù
URIki ša mdNÀ.NÍ.TUKU
a-na ug-ga-tì EN
DINGIRmeš ú-še-ri-bi
a-na qé-reb ŠU.AN.NAki i-na qí-bi-ti
dAMAR.UTU EN GAL i-na
ša-li-im-tì |
34 i-na maš-ta-ki-šu-nu ú-še-ši-ib
šú-ba-at tu-ub ŠÀ-bi {ut} kul-la-ta DINGIRmeš
ša ú-še-ri-bi a-na
qé-er-bi ma-ha-zi-šu-un |
35 u4-mi-ša-am ma-har
dEN ù
dNÀ ša
a-ra-ku U4meš-ia li-ta-mu-ú lit-taz-ka-ru a-ma-a-ta
du-un-qí-ia ù a-na dAMAR.UTU EN-ia li-iq-bu-ú ša
mKu-ra-áš
{-áš} LUGAL pa-li-hi-ka u
mKa-am-bu-zi-ia DUMU-šú |
Text of Fragment B
|
36 /x\ [x x x- i]b šu-nu lu-ú /x x x x x x x x\
ÙGmeš TIN.TIRki /ik-tar-ra-bu\ LUGAL-ú-tu KUR.KUR ka-li-ši-na šu-ub-ti né-eh-tì
ú-še-ši-ib |
37 [x x x KUR.]GImušen 2
UZ.TURmušen ù 10 TU.GUR4mušen.meš e-li KUR.GImušen
UZ.TURmušen.meš ù
TU.GUR4mušen.meš |
38 [x x x u4-m]i-šam
ú-ta-ah-hi-id BÀD im-gur-dEN.LÍL BÀD
GAL-a ša
TIN.TIRk[i ma-as-s]ar-/ta\-šú du-un-nu-nù
áš-te-'e-e-ma |
39 [x x x] ka-a-ri a-gur-ru šá GÚ ha-ri-si ša LUGAL mah-ri i-p[u-šu-ma la ú-ša]k-/li-lu\
ši-pi-ir-šu |
40 [x x x la ú-ša-as-hi-ru URU]
/a\-na ki-da-a-ni ša LUGAL ma-ah-ra la i-pu-šu
um-man-ni-šu di-ku-u[t
ma-ti-šu i-na (or: a-na) q]é-/reb\
ŠU.AN.NAki |
41 [x x x i-na ESIR.HÁD.RÁ]/A\ ù SIG4.AL.ÙR.RA
eš-ši-iš e-pu-uš-ma
[ú-šak-lil
ši-pir-ši]-in |
42 [x x x
gišIGmeš gišEREN
MAH]meš
ta-ah-lu-up-tì ZABAR as-ku-up-pu ù nu-ku-š[e-e pi-ti-iq e-ri-i e-ma
KÁmeš-š]i-na |
43 [ú-ra-at-ti x x x š]i-ti-ir šu-mu šá
mAN.ŠÁR-DÙ-IBILA LUGAL a-lik mah-ri-[ia šá qer-ba-šu ap-pa-a]l-sa! |
44 [x x x]/x x x\[x x x]-x-tì |
45 [x x x]/x x x\[x x a-na d]a-rí-a-tì |
British Museum
Translation by Irving Finkel Assistant Keeper
Department of the Middle
East
|
Text of Fragment A
|
1
[When ... Mar]duk, king of the whole of heaven and earth, the ....... who,
in his ..., lays waste his ....... |
2
[............]broad ? in intelligence, ...... who inspects} (?) the wor]ld
quarters (regions) |
3
[...........]his [first]born (=Belshazzar),
a low person was put in charge of his country, |
4
but [...........] he set [a (…) counter]feit over them.
|
5
He ma[de] a counterfeit of Esagil, [and .....]... for Ur and the rest of
the cult-cities. |
6
Rites inappropriate to them, [impure] fo[od-
offerings……….......]disrespectful […] were daily gabbled, and, as an
insult, |
7
he brought the daily offerings to a halt; he inter[fered with the rites
and] instituted […....] within the sanctuaries. In his mind, reverential
fear of Marduk, king of the gods, came to an end.
|
8
He did yet more evil to his city every day; … his [people ..........], he
brought ruin on them all by a yoke without relief.
|
9
Enlil-of-the-gods became extremely angry at their complaints, and […]
their territory. The gods who lived within them left their
shrines, |
10
angry that he had made (them) enter into Shuanna (Babylon). Ex[alted
Marduk, Enlil-of-the-Go]ds, relented. He changed his mind about all the
settlements whose sanctuaries were in ruins, |
11
and the population of the land of
Sumer and Akkad who had become like corpses, and took pity on
them. He inspected and checked all the countries,
|
12
seeking for the upright king of his choice. He took the hand of Cyrus,
king of the city of Anshan, and called him by his name,
proclaiming him aloud for the kingship over all of everything.
|
13
He made the land of Guti and all the Median troops
prostrate themselves at his feet, while he shepherded in justice and
righteousness the black-headed people |
14
whom he had put under his care. Marduk, the great lord, who nurtures his
people, saw with pleasure his fine deeds and true heart,
|
15
and ordered that he should go to Babylon He
had him take the road to Tintir (Babylon), and, like a friend and
companion, he walked at his side. |
16
His vast troops whose number, like the water in a river, could not be
counted, were marching fully-armed at his side.
|
17
He had him enter without fighting or battle right into Shuanna; he saved
his city Babylon from hardship. He handed over to
him Nabonidus, the king who did not fear him. |
18
All the people of Tintir, of all Sumer and Akkad, nobles and governors, bowed down before him
and kissed his feet, rejoicing over his kingship and their faces shone.
|
19
The lord through whose help all were rescued from death and who saved them
all from distress and hardship, they blessed him sweetly and praised his
name………… |
20
I am Cyrus, king of the universe, the great king, the powerful king, king
of Babylon, king of Sumer and Akkad, king of the four quarters of the
world, |
21
son of Cambyses, the great king, king of the city of Anshan, grandson of
Cyrus, the great king, ki[ng of the ci]ty of Anshan, descendant of
Teispes, the great king, king of the city of Anshan,
|
22
the perpetual seed of kingship, whose reign Bel (Marduk)and Nabu love, and
with whose kingship, to their joy, they concern themselves. When I went as
harbinger of peace i[nt]o Babylon |
23
I founded my sovereign residence within the palace amid celebration and
rejoicing. Marduk, the great lord, bestowed on me as my destiny the great
magnanimity of one who loves Babylon, and I every day sought him out
in awe. |
24
My vast troops were marching peaceably in Babylon, and the whole of [Sumer] and Akkad had nothing to fear.
|
25
I sought the safety of the city of Babylon and all its sanctuaries. As for
the population of Babylon [….…, w]ho as if without div[ine
intention] had endured a yoke not decreed for them,
|
26
I soothed their weariness; I freed them from their bonds(?). Marduk, the
great lord, rejoiced at [my good] deeds, |
27
and he pronounced a sweet blessing over me, Cyrus, the king who fears him,
and over Cambyses, the son [my] issue, [and over] my all my troops,
|
28
that we might live happily in his presence, in well-being. At his exalted
command, all kings who sit on thrones, |
29
from every quarter, from the Upper Sea to the Lower Sea, those who inhabit
[remote distric]ts (and) the kings of the land of Amurru who live in
tents, all of them, |
30
brought their weighty tribute into Shuanna, and kissed my feet. From
[Shuanna] I sent back to their places to the city of Ashur and Susa,
|
31
Akkad, the land of Eshnunna, the city of Zamban, the city of Meturnu, Der,
as far as the border of the land of Guti - the sanctuaries across the
river Tigris - whose shrines had earlier become dilapidated,
|
32
the gods who lived therein, and made permanent sanctuaries for them. I
collected together all of their people and returned them to their
settlements, |
33
and 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, |
34
I returned them unharmed to their cells, in the sanctuaries that make them
happy. May all the gods that I returned to their sanctuaries,
|
35
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, |
Text of Fragment B
|
36
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. |
37
Every day I increased by [… ge]ese, two ducks and ten pigeons the [former
offerings] of geese, ducks and pigeons. |
38
I strove to strengthen the defences of the wall Imgur-Enlil, the great
wall of Babylon, |
39
and [I completed] the quay of baked brick on the bank of the moat which an
earlier king had bu[ilt but not com]pleted its work.
|
40
[I …… which did not surround the city] outside, which no earlier king had
built, his workforce, the levee [from his land, in/int]o Shuanna.
|
41
[…..........with bitum]en and baked brick I built anew, and [completed]
its [work]. |
42
[….........]great [doors of cedarwood] with bronze cladding,
|
43
[and I installed] all their doors, threshold slabs and door fittings with
copper parts. […..............]I saw within it an inscription of
Ashurbanipal, a king who preceded me; |
44
[…...........]his … Marduk, the great lord, creator (?) of [ ...
] |
45
[…..............] my [… I presented] as a gift.....................] your
pleasure forever. |
|
|