The empire over which Cyrus ruled was the largest the Ancient World had ever seen and may be to this day the largest empire ever. The image of Cyrus has survived throughout history as more than a great man who founded an empire, but as a conqueror that was tolerant, benevolent and magnanimous.
Perhaps some of the positive sentiments that we have for this king were seeded when he ended the Babylonian Exile and let the Jews return to their conquered home land.
Today Persia is no longer the crown jewel of the world, but its leadership is still striving to hold influence over the entire region. It does so by supporting militias in Lebanon and Palestine, by providing oil to Russia, strengthening relations with Syria, Turkey and of late Colombia and it is aggressively pursuing nuclear capabilities.
Whether their endeavor will bare fruit is still unknown. But the interesting question is what type of Middle East is Iran promoting. What cultural contribution will they have? what would be inscribed in history as Iran's cultural legacy?
Women in chādors (a cloak covering the body and head) , totalitarian government systems, fundamentalist religious rule and persecution, weapons of mass destruction (like those used in the 80's during the Iran-Iraq War).
Perhaps Iran would be forgotten but its leader remembered for eternity as a heroic figure who threw a stone over a fence at his enemy?
Tolerance, Benevolence… these attributes belong to Ancient Persia and have been lost in the sands of time. I doubt King Cyrus would have condoned a petty symbolic action such as that of Ahmadinejad, because King Cyrus was indeed a great leader. His greatness as a ruler was an extension of his character as a man, a great man to be favorably remembered over millennia.
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