Cyrus the Great Coloring Page

Cyrus started out as the king of a small kingdom in Persia and ended up ruling an empire that stretched from the Mediterranean toward India. When he captured Babylon in 539 BC, he let people keep their own gods and customs, which was unusual for a conqueror.

A small clay barrel covered in cuneiform, now in the British Museum, records his rule. It is called the Cyrus Cylinder, and some people describe it as an early statement about people’s rights. The Bible also praises him for letting exiles return to Jerusalem.