In the world of ancient history, there are archaeological discoveries that have marked a milestone in our understanding of the civilizations that came before us. One of those findings is the famous Cylinder of Cyrus, from the Persian Empire, which has sparked debates as to whether it can be considered the first declaration recognizing human rights.
The Cylinder of Cyrus was discovered in 1879 in Babylon, present-day Iraq, during archaeological excavations led by Hormuzd Rassam. It dates back to the 6th century BCE, during the reign of Cyrus II, the founder of the Achaemenid Persian Empire.
The original artifact, displayed at the British Museum, is a cylindrical clay tablet about 21 centimeters long, covered in cuneiform inscriptions in the Akkadian language. These inscriptions narrate the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus and the measures implemented by the Persian king, which have been interpreted as the first manifestation in history of the recognition of human rights.
The cylinder portrays the Babylonian king Nabonidus as a tyrant who imposed a reign of terror on his subjects, and Cyrus’ conquest is depicted as facilitated by the god Marduk to liberate the people of Babylon from the tyrant’s yoke. The inscriptions then describe the measures taken by Cyrus after the conquest of Babylon, such as freeing the people from servitude, allowing captives to return to their homes, and promoting the reconstruction of temples and the restoration of local cults. These measures have been interpreted in the past century as precursors to human rights, making both the Cylinder and the figure of Cyrus the Great symbolic for modern Iran.
This connection with human rights has been considered anachronistic by most historians, who view it as propagandistic policy carried out by Iran, from the Shah to the current Iranian leaders. It is true that we cannot impose current conceptions such as respect for human rights on the past since the systems of thought, values, and society were not the same as today. However, this does not prevent us from acknowledging the achievements of the past.
The measures inscribed on the cylinder reflect the Persian Empire’s policy of tolerance and moderation towards the conquered peoples. This moderation and magnanimity are particularly significant when compared to preceding Mesopotamian empires like the Assyrians or the Babylonians, who maintained dominion through terror, massacring the defeated peoples and destroying cities and local temples.
In contrast, the Persian Empire presented a completely new policy, based not on imposition through terror but on tolerance and respect for the diversity of the governed peoples. This conception of a cosmopolitan empire, founded on respect for different cultural particularities, diversity of cults, and religious tolerance, would later be adopted by the Hellenistic Empire founded by Alexander the Great and, subsequently, by the Roman Empire. It is true that these empires had institutions that are now recognized as contrary to human rights, such as slavery. However, it is also good to practice a healthy eclecticism and, without denying the flaws of the past, be able to recognize the good that we can acknowledge and rescue those values that can be considered timeless, based on justice, truth, goodness, and respect for all human beings, regardless of their social background, sexual identity, ethnic origins, ideologies, or beliefs.
The reproduction of the Cylinder of Cyrus that we offer is of great quality and serves as a beautiful reminder of the cultural heritage that various civilizations contribute to the ongoing process of human spiritual and material development.
Cristina Diaz
Visit the piece in our shop:
Cylinder of Cyrus. Width: 19 cm.
Sources:
Wikipedia
Article in English:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_Cylinder
Text translated from Akkadian into English:
https://web.archive.org/web/20180311235804/http://www.livius.org/ct-cz/cyrus_I/cyrus_cylinder2.html
