His birth is popularly dated to ca. 600 BCE (usually between 601 to 597 BCE) [1] or some times to 576 BCE [2]. Most ancient historians awarded him a reign of 30 or 29 years. Contemporary Babylonian texts confirm that he died in the last quarter of 530 BCE, most likely in August [4]. The Roman politician Cicero, who lived 5 centuries after Cyrus, gave him a life span of about 70 years although he cited that his source is the Greek historian Dinon of Colophon (4th century BCE) [3]. This bring us to a birth date of ca. 600 BCE. So my question is, when was Cyrus born according to other ancient sources other than Cicero. Also, what is the rationale behind the 576 BCE date.
Refs
[1] Everywhere in the internet and almost every history books on Persia.
[2] Dutch Historian Jona Lendering. http://www.livius.org/as-at/astyages/astyages.htm
[3] Cicero's De Divinatione, 1.23.46
[4] See Dr. Kuhrt's The Persian Empire: A Corpus of Sources of the Achaemenid Period. The last Babylonian administrative text dated in Cyrus's reign is 4 December 530 BCE. It originated from the city Kish. The last text from Babylon is 12 September and from Borsippa is 12 August. The earliest Babylonian text dated in Cambyses' reign is 31 August 530 BCE. Since Cyrus was killed in battle (if Herodotus is correct) it would've have taken some weeks for the news to reach Babylonia and every corner of it.
Edited by allhistory - 06-Aug-2014 at 01:46