Wednesday, March 13th, 2013
Stephan: When the Constitutional Convention was underway, the Founders, particularly Jefferson talked about Cyrus II,(c. 600 BC or 576 BC-530 BC) the king of Persia, known to history as Cyrus the Great. They drew guidance from the success of his approach to government, and it shaped our own. How many Congresspersons in today's Congress do you think would know who Cyrus the Great was, or why his governance guided them.
Here is the fascinating story of the Cyrus cylinder. Click through to see the excellent video.
Read more: http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/aroundthemall/2013/03/the-cyrus-cylinder-goes-on-view-at-the-sackler-gallery/#ixzz2NIxSCVXG
When Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon in 539 B.C., he encountered the same problem many political leaders face today: How do rulers keep the peace?
Cyrus, the King of Persia, was in the midst of building the largest empire that the world had ever seen. By his death in 550 B.C., his reign would extend from present-day Turkey to India.
For Cyrus, establishing control over vast miles of land with peoples of different cultures, languages and faiths created numerous obstacles in unifying his kingdom. The king sought order, not more war. ‘It is the first time anyone has had to address that challenge,
