On the Occasion of October 29 - The Day of Cyrus the Great

In the name of Cyrus and his land.

In the name of stand and freedom,

In the name of wrath and awakening.

In the name of all whose names remain —

The restless hearts, the raptured souls.

Read the original poem in Persian ...

The Global Impact of Cyrus’s Peaceful Conquest of Babylon

The 7th of Aban (October 29) commemorates the peaceful entry of Cyrus the Great into the ancient city of Babylon, along with his messages of peace and friendship. According to Babylonian inscriptions, Cyrus was warmly welcomed by the people of Babylon upon his arrival, after which he sent greetings of goodwill to all the cities across the Babylonian lands.

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On what basis is October 29 considered Cyrus the Great Day?

Matching the Third Day of the Month of Araḫsamna with the Current Calendar

After the peaceful conquest of Babylon, major global transformations took place — particularly the connection between East and West. The idea of human dignity and human rights began to receive unprecedented attention after Cyrus’s arrival in Babylon.

According to Dr. Shahrokh Razmjou, Cyrus the Great founded a new tradition in history, valuing honor not through plunder, destruction, and massacre, but through compassion and the freedom of peoples to live according to their own customs (1).

Razmjou writes about the Cyrus Cylinder:

Although the text cannot be considered a human rights charter in the modern sense, it contains elements that show how the rights of the people were respected by Cyrus and his army, in ways that align with what we now call human rights. Its importance is magnified when we realize that this was not merely how Cyrus treated his own people, but how he, as a victorious ruler, treated the defeated. Thus, the Cylinder and its text may be seen as a symbol of civilized behavior and respect for human rights. (2)

Cyrus the Great’s Role in Preserving the Iranian World

Cyrus the Great’s efforts to preserve the Iranian realm are equally noteworthy. The conquest of Babylon took place after the Babylonian king had taken part in attacks against the Persians.

Historical sources agree that the major powers of that time — Lydia, Egypt, and Babylon — had formed an alliance to invade the Persian territories, but they were met with Cyrus’s successful defense (3). Therefore, Cyrus the Great cannot be regarded as a mere conqueror; his campaigns were fundamentally defensive.

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Reasons Behind Cyrus the Great’s Conquests

A common misconception is that the Iranians were always defeated by foreign invaders. However, one must remember that Persian victories were often far more significant and enduring — as clearly demonstrated by Cyrus’s triumphs over his enemies.

Beyond his defensive actions, Cyrus’s cultural policies also strengthened Iranian identity in later centuries.

The Achaemenid art that flourished during the era of Cyrus the Great holds great artistic value, as it drew from the artistic traditions of diverse peoples and ethnic groups. This synthesis of many artistic styles reflects a respect for the culture and art of various nations within the Achaemenid Empire — symbolizing the inclusive cultural policy of that era, where every group could see itself represented in the royal art and architecture.

The political framework that existed before Cyrus evolved into a more organized and advanced system under his rule.

The philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel refers to the Persian Empire in his Lectures on the Philosophy of History using the German word “Reich” (Empire), which signifies a “monarchy with imperial unity.” Hegel described the Persian Empire, in contrast to India and China, as embodying “diversity within unity and unity within diversity.” This idea, first articulated in Zoroastrian philosophy, became the theoretical foundation for the very concept of an empire — one that unites many nations under a single sovereign while maintaining their individuality and mutual connection (4).