A ministry of the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church

Lee Swor, Pastor

Dr. Joseph Speciale, Instructor

The Revised Roman Empire- Daniel 2:39• Gadatas (who was made a eunuch by Belshazzar) and Gobryas (whose only son was

murdered by Belshazzar) lead the way into the city and advised they advance as quickly as possible to the palace

• Gobryas and his men pretended to be fellow-revelers as they entered the city and went to the royal palace

• Gadatas and his men were the first to rush in when the palace doors were opened and they found the king (i.e.- Belshazzar) with a dagger in his hand, and proceeded to kill him and those around him (Cyropaedia, 7.5.24-30)

• Cyrus gave the order to cut down everyone out doors, and directed those who could speak Assyrian to tell the people to shelter in place because anyone found outside would be killed (Cyropaedia, 7.5.31)

• By dawn, Cyrus had take over all the citadels; so 10 years after he had conquered Lydia (i.e.- 547 BC), Cyrus officially conquered Babylon (i.e.- 537 BC) at the age of 47

• He ordered heralds to issue warning that all arms be brought out and that if any house was found with arms, all within it would be killed

• The Babylonians were allowed to continue to till their land and pay tribute (Cyropaedia, 7.5.33-36)

• Like a king, Cyrus held a royal audience in Babylon and the crowds were so overwhelming that his officers, allies, and friends could not get audience with him even though they waited in line all day (Cyropaedia, 7.5.37-40)

The Revised Roman Empire- Daniel 2:39• The next day, Cyrus arranged for a special audience for all his friends and allies

and Artabazus praises him for making himself accessible to his men (Cyropaedia, 7.5.41-54)

• Cyrus moved into the royal palace and assembled his court, appointing eunuchs as his personal body guards since they have no greater loyalty than to their master

• He appointed Persians to guard the palace and to go with him when he left the city (Cyropaedia, 7.5.57-68)

• Cyrus also set up a garrison in Babylon funded and supplied by the Babylonians, and proposed to replicate Persian government in Babylon (Cyropaedia, 7.5.69-85)

• Cyrus hand picked his officers who would be over various institutions and patterned the organization of his government after his military hierarchy (Cyropaedia, 8.1.7-15)

• Cyrus instituted the college of the magi; and believed that no one had the right to rule who was not better than his subjects (i.e.- he must lead by example)(Cyropaedia, 8.1.23,37)

• Cyrus adopted the Median dress and persuaded his officers to do the same since it would hide personal defects and make them look taller and more handsome

The Revised Roman Empire- Daniel 2:39• He also had inserts in his shoes to appear taller than he was, and encouraged

pencilling the eyes and using cosmetics for the complexion (Cyropaedia, 8.1.40-41)

• Cyrus was secure in his personal safety but knew there were some who had occasional contact with him and his immediate officers that had a lust for power

• Rather than disarm them or refuse to allow them in his presence, he sought to make them better friends to himself than with each another (Cyropaedia, 8.1.45-48)

• Cyrus acquired the “king’s eyes” and “king’s ears” from bestowing gifts and honors upon people, especially those who reported to him

• He gave liberally, more than a father or friend so the benefactors were more than willing to use their eyes and ears to spy for him

• He did not appoint spies, but awarded those who brought him worthy information

• He never wanted to be ashamed of being outdone by anyone in the taking care of his friends (Cyropaedia, 8.2.10-13)

• Cyrus likened a good king to a good shepherd (Cyropaedia, 8.2.14) cf. (Isa 44:28).

The Revised Roman Empire- Daniel 2:39• Croesus told Cyrus that if he didn’t stop giving things away, he would become a poor

man, and wondered how much gold Cyrus would have in store if he hadn’t given it away

• Cyrus responded that if he made his friends rich, his treasures would be in them because none would hesitate to give money to him if he asked for it

• He argued that this was far better than storing treasures in the palace and keeping guard over them, and breeding hatred and resentment among the people

• Cyrus learned that when he obtained more than he needed, and gave the rest to his friends rather than storing it, that this enriched them and this kindness won their friendship and loyalty (Cyropaedia, 8.2.15-22)

• In his first state procession (probably down the Procession Way in Babylon), Cyrus robed his faithful followers including Persians, in Median robes without being adorned himself

• He desires the procession to be splendid in the eyes of his friends but intimidating to others (Cyropaedia, 8.3.1-5)

• The procession is lined with rows of soldiers on each side, the Persians on the right side of the street and the allies on the left

• The gates are opened to release sacrificial bulls (Cont: Jer 50:27), followed by horses, a series of three chariots, and men carrying fire on a great altar (Cyropaedia, 8.3.9-12)

The Revised Roman Empire- Daniel 2:39• Then came Cyrus in a chariot, adorned like a king wearing an upright tiara, a

purple and white tunic (something only the king could wear), and a purple mantle • When the people saw him, they treated him like a king by prostrating themselves,

including the Persians who had never done so with him before • Next came his private horses, spearmen, and cavalry led by Chrysantas, then

came 10,000 Persian horsemen led by Hystaspas, followed by the cavalry of Medes, Armenians, Hyrcanians, Cadusians, and Sacians, a great throng of people (Cyropaedia, 8.3.13-19)

• When they came to the Babylonian temples, they sacrificed the bulls to Zeus (Marduk) and the horses to the Sun

• Then Cyrus commanded the riders of each nation to race their horses to a specific landmark he pointed out

• Artabazus won the race among the Medes, Gadatas among the Armenians, and Tigranes among the Hyrcanians, but the overall winner was a private soldier among the Sacians, whose horse won by half the course

• It was then that Cyrus is supposed to have asked the young man if he would take a kingdom for his horse (hence, the expression “a kingdom for a horse” (Cyropaedia, 8.3.24-26)

The Revised Roman Empire- Daniel 2:39• Cyrus held a banquet for his most loyal men and seated them in proximity to him

based on their merit (Cyropaedia, 8.4.1-3) • He divided the spoils of Sardis with them and told them that the only reason he has

collected any treasures was to be able to freely reward his men when they merited it (Cyropaedia, 8.4.29-32)

• Cyrus left Babylon for Persia once he deemed things stable enough (Cyropaedia, 8.5.1)

• As Cyrus and his camp neared Media, he turned aside to meet up with Cyaxares • Cyrus presented Cyaxares with many splendid gifts and conveyed to him that a

palace and official headquarters had been selected and prepared for him, so that he might occupy a residence of his own whenever he came there

• Cyaxares accepted the gifts and introduced Cyrus to his daughter, who brought him a golden crown, bracelets, a necklace, and a beautiful Median robe

• As the princess placed the crown on Cyrus’ head, Cyaxares pledged her in marriage to Cyrus (this implies Cyrus’ first wife, Cassandane, had died while he was in Babylon) with all of Media as her dowry since he had no legitimate male issue

• Cyrus responded that he heartily approved of Cyaxares’ family, his daughter, and his gifts and, with the approval of his father and mother, he accepted his offer (Cyropaedia, 8.5.17-20)

The Revised Roman Empire- Daniel 2:39• When Cyrus arrived at Anshan, he brought gifts for his father and mother, animals

to offer in sacrifice, and gifts for all Persians • His father Cambyses I assembled the elders with Cyrus and called upon both to

make a covenant that if any hostile forces set foot in Persia or attempt to subvert the Persian constitution, that Cyrus will come to her aid with all his strength, and that if any one attempted to revolt or put an end to Cyrus’ reign, the Persians would come to Cyrus’ defense

• Cambyses further stated that the Persian throne was his for as long as he lived, but would become Cyrus’ upon his death, if he survived him (thus confirming Cyrus as the crown prince of Persia) (Cyropaedia, 8.5.21-27)

• When Cyrus left Persia and came back to Media, he married the daughter of Cyaxares (and became the crown prince of the entire kingdom of the Medes and Persians), and then left with her for Babylon (Cyropaedia, 8.5.28)

• Cyrus returned to Babylon and appointed satraps (i.e.- governors; princes) to govern the nations he conquered

• The satraps were given lands and residences in their provinces and were instructed to follow Cyrus’ leadership example in everything they did

• Among the appointed satraps were Artabatas over Cappadocia and Chrysantas over Lydia and Ionia (Cyropaedia, 8.6.1-10)

Please visit our website at:www.kjbstudy.com

for access to over 1,500 audio lessonsas well as outlines, study guides, and presentations