Mateen Arghandehpour

Lindsay Allen, a Senior Lecturer in Ancient Greek and Near Eastern History, along with Professor Emerita Lynette Mitchell and researcher Mateen Arghandehpour, dive into the captivating life of Cyrus the Great. They discuss his remarkable conquests, including Babylon, and his legacy of tolerance and governance. The Cyrus Cylinder is debated as possibly the first human rights declaration. Ancient narratives and the portrayal of Cyrus in the Hebrew Bible reveal the complexities of his character, as both a conqueror and a benefactor.

In this discussion, Lindsay Allen, a Senior Lecturer in Ancient Greek and Near Eastern History, Lynette Mitchell, a Professor Emerita in Classics, and Mateen Arghandehpour, a researcher at Oxford, delve into the intricate history of Cyrus the Great. They examine the dual nature of his legacy, contrasting his reputation as a liberator with his brutal conquests. The conversation highlights the significance of the Cyrus Cylinder, debates on its status as a human rights document, and how Cyrus's political strategies fostered tolerance and stability within his vast empire.