Cyrus I

Cyrus I, also known as Cyrus I of Anshan or Cyrus I of Persia, was a king who ruled Anshan in ancient Persia. He lived a very long time ago, from around 600 to 580 BC. Cyrus I was the grandfather of Cyrus the Great, one of the most famous rulers in history.

His name was Kuruš in Old Persian. Today in Modern Persian, his name is written as کوروش, Kūroš. In Greek, he was called Κῦρος, Kȳros. Cyrus I was important because he was part of the royal family that led to the great empire built by his grandson, Cyrus the Great.

Life

Cyrus was an early member of the Achaemenid dynasty. He was a grandson of its founder Achaemenes and the son of Teispes, the king of Anshan. After Teispes passed away, his sons divided the kingdom. Cyrus became the king of Anshan, while his brother Ariaramnes ruled Parsa.

The exact timing of these events is still debated by historians. Cyrus is first mentioned around 652 BC during a time when Shamash-shum-ukin, the king of Babylon, fought against his brother, the king of Assyria, Ashurbanipal. Cyrus was allied with Shamash-shum-ukin during this conflict. Later, in 639 BC, Ashurbanipal defeated Elam and took control of several areas, including where Cyrus lived. Some believe the Gur-e-Dokhtar might be the tomb of Cyrus I, though others think it could belong to other members of the royal family.