Weekly Reading Analysis I_ Cyrus Cylinder (1)

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Oct 30, 2023

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Weekly Writing Analysis I: The Ancient World Reading: Cyrus Cylinder The selected weekly reading “Cyrus Cylinder” (The British Museum, 2014) begins with the introduction of the Babylonian God Marduk, the primary babylonian deity of creation, justice, judgment, and earthly necessities namely water and agriculture, as his primary attributes as divine. Marduk is described as the “king of the whole heaven and earth,” revealing that he is the ultimate deity in Babylonian mythological lore. The bulk of the excerpt covers Marduk’s rule over his country and lands, the four “quarters of the world.” The Cylinder is characterized by the blasphemous rule of his first born Belshazzar, a harsh, judgemental response from Marduk towards the Babylonian population because of this, and then turns to his appointment of a human king, Cyrus, to be his ruler over his lands. The chronicle takes a turn highlighting Cyrus’s journeys and good deeds as ruler, and the favor and esteem that Marduk bestows upon him for his pure actions. Belshazzar dooms his country with frauding the people’s religious practices, setting a counterfeit on their worship by making their offerings to Marduk impure, tarnishing their worship to him and not accepting it, eventually stopping the people from worshiping his name altogether. This proceeds Marduk to believe that the venerating worship for him has ended, and thus desecrates the land without restraint and in the process causes the gods living in the country to leave their shrines. Marduk eventually takes pity on his sanctuaries, seeing the destruction and death he has caused and restrains his hand, checking his country over seeking the rightful ruler to restore order and worship in his name. He chooses Cyrus, who is the king of the city of Anshan, calling him to be king over everything. Cyrus immediately begins to do good for the land, as he instills the military to worship him at his feet, and begins to cultivate a newfound sense of righteousness and justice in the people who once neglected Marduk’s might, and intrinsic values. Cyrus marches into Babylon with soldiers on his side peacefully without fighting, and hands over the blasphemous king of the region Nabonidus to Marduk. Government officials and lords of cities praise him for this action, bowing and kissing his feet. The people acknowledge Cyrus as the savior from their hardships and troubles, namely death and destruction of their cities. Cyrus then addresses the four quarters of Marduk’s world, stating that he is

the new great king appointed by the great lord Marduk, of the entirety of the world, describing his good favor with the creator God, being blessed by him. He describes the many good fortunes he has given to the population, freeing them of their bonds to the prior kings’ tarnished rule, bringing peace and safety with his army, improvements and reinforcement on infrastructure (dams, walls, levees and luxury to be specific), as well as plentiful agriculture and livestock for offerings. He ends the address to his new kingdom by asking that Marduk grant him the gift of long life and fulfillment throughout, because of his stellar deeds in ruling. References The British Museum . (2014, June 29). British Museum - Cyrus Cylinder - Translation . British Museum. Retrieved September 25, 2022, from http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/articles/c/cyrus_cylinder_- _translation.aspx

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