The Cyrus Cylinder: 2600 Years of History

Historians often refer to the Cyrus Cylinder as the first bill of human rights. The Persian King Cyrus declared freedom of religion within the Persian Empire on this cylinder, written in cuneiform after Cyrus captured the kingdom of Babylon in 539 BC.

The Cyrus Cylinder was rediscovered in 1879 by British archaeologists and has been displayed in the British Museum for 130 years. The Cylinder, symbolic of religious respect and tolerance, is highly valued by people all over the world -- there is even a copy in the United Nations headquarters!

View the 20-minute TED Talk by Neil MacGregor, director of the British Museum, on the Cyrus Cylinder and its importance in today's world. While you are watching the TED Talk, please answer the questions that follow in complete sentences in your notebook. They will be the basis for a class discussion.

If the video doesn't load for you, click here to watch the Talk on youtube. This should work on your ipad.

Questions:

1. The Cyrus Cylinder is about the size of what sports equipment?
2. What does the cylinder proclaim?
3. What is the link between the Cyrus Cylinder and the Jewish people?
4. What was the first great world empire, according to Neil MacGregor?
5. How is the Cylinder linked to the politics of the modern Middle East?
6. What symbol pulls together all Iranians?
7. How many people came to view the Cylinder while it was on display in Tehran?
8. What is the debate surrounding the Cylinder today?

The Road to Thermopylae

It’s hard to avoid the Battle of Thermopylae when discussing ancient Greece and Persia. Interest in this battle between a Greek alliance (led by the Spartans) and the Persians (led by their king, Xerxes I) has risen in recent years because of the movie “300.” But was this movie historically accurate?  Want to explore the real history behind the movie “300?” Here are several links to get you started! 

• The Road to Thermopylae is a blow-by-blow account (complete with primary sources from Herodotus) of what led up to Thermopylae and what happened during and after the battle. There’s also an interactive game where you can decide what military strategies to take.
• You can also read this short article titled “300 — Fact or Fiction?”.
• Finally, for comparison’s sake, you can find some trailers for the movie “300” here.

What do you think? Are movies like “300” useful because they promote the further study of historical events? Or should they be seen purely as entertainment?