Is What Is Written on the Cyrus Cylinder Historically Accurate?

Preface

Given that the Cyrus Cylinder is a royal and commemorative artifact—usually produced by the institutions of power—any researcher may reasonably ask: Is what is written on the Cyrus Cylinder historically accurate, or is it just propaganda? This is a common challenge for many such artifacts.

To investigate this question, we must consult other sources and evaluate them to reach a conclusion. Fortunately, we do have other sources that address the same event described in the Cyrus Cylinder—namely, the conquest of Babylon. These include Greek, Jewish, and other texts. Most importantly, however, we have neutral archaeological sources that were written around the time of Babylon’s conquest. By examining these sources collectively, we find strong evidence confirming many claims of the Cyrus Cylinder—such as the peaceful capture of Babylon, Cyrus the Great’s humane and compassionate behavior, and more.

This article will briefly refer to some of these sources and pieces of evidence.

The famous cylinder, written in the Babylonian style and known as the Cyrus Cylinder or Charter of Human Rights, provides information about the conquest of Babylon. The cylinder notably refers to the peaceful capture of Babylon by Cyrus and includes references to freeing individuals from forced labor. In general, the Cyrus Cylinder portrays Cyrus the Great’s benevolent conduct toward the people of Babylon.

For instance, one passage in the cylinder states:

"(And when) my vast army (entered) Babylon in peace, I (Cyrus) did not permit anyone to terrorize the people of Sumer and Akkad."
(Cyrus Cylinder, line 24)

Greek and Jewish Sources on Cyrus’s Compassionate Behavior

Cyrus’s humane and kind behavior is not only reported in the Cyrus Cylinder; other sources confirm this as well.

One key text that recounts events from the time of Cyrus is the Nabonidus Chronicle. The section concerning the seventeenth year describes Cyrus’s peaceful treatment of the people of Babylon:

"When Cyrus spoke to Babylon with greetings, the city was in peace and security."
(Nabonidus Chronicle, Column III, Line 19)

The Greek historian Xenophon, although his writings differ in some respects from archaeological findings—and he seems to have blended multiple historical events, some unrelated to Cyrus the Great—still mentions Cyrus’s fair treatment of the people. He refers to Cyrus’s remarks about treating the Babylonians well and more generally emphasizes Cyrus’s kindness toward people. (See: Xenophon, Cyropaedia, Book 7, Section 5:47; Book 7, Section 5:76; Book 8, Section 7:37–38.)

Jewish sources also describe Cyrus in ways that are consistent with these reports. (See: The Book of Isaiah, end of Chapter 44 and beginning of Chapter 45.)

This consistency across sources from different cultures shows that Cyrus’s just and humane behavior was so well known in the ancient world that it was recorded in various traditions.

Administrative and Commercial Records Supporting the Cyrus Cylinder

Perhaps the most compelling evidence for historians is found in records related to daily life—documents that were not written to glorify rulers but to record transactions, contracts, and other practical matters. These sources are highly credible because their authors had no reason to distort reality—they were simply documenting everyday affairs such as sales and agreements. When such records show that life continued normally, it indicates peace and stability.

Dr. Shahrokh Razmjou, researcher at the British Museum and professor at the University of Tehran, who translated the original Babylonian text of the Cyrus Cylinder into Persian, highlighted this point during the Third Commemoration Conference of the Cyrus Cylinder:

"We have other documents from Babylon—tablets and clay inscriptions."
(Razmjou, 2013)

Displaying one of these tablets, Dr. Razmjou explained:

"This tablet dates to just two days after the conquest of Babylon, when Cyrus himself had not yet entered the city, but the Persian army had taken control. It describes a transaction involving the exchange of sheep for payment."
(Ibid.)

This shows that even while Cyrus’s troops were present in Babylon, the city’s administrative system continued to operate normally. Dr. Razmjou added:

"This tells us... that people were engaged in their normal lives. There is no sign of massacres or plundering. These documents had to be prepared in administrative offices, with witnesses present to confirm and sign them. We have a collection of such tablets from the days following the fall of Babylon, showing that everything was functioning as usual."
(Ibid.)

Conclusion

Considering the evidence, we can conclude that not only do diverse historical sources from different cultures confirm the Cyrus Cylinder, but contemporary archaeological artifacts related to everyday life also support its claims. Such corroboration is rare for many historical events across the ages, which are often known only through written texts.