Such an amazing story concerning humanity and a teaching from so long ago by the Achaemenian Persian King, Cyrus! I had no idea how far reaching and involved this particular artifact was and how impactful it was then and even now in affairs spanning the Ancient Persian Empire, The Israeli Peoples and Jewish faith, the United States and affairs over all in the Middle East concerning present day Iran, Iraq. The scope of how Cyrus and the Cyrus Cylinder has affected the entire Middle East and all players concerned is nothing less than monumental and relevant in this astounding presentation! Thank you Dr. MacGregor of the British Museum and thank you TED!
Such a brilliant speaker, and such an enlightened and fascinating speech. It's a shame most of the people making comments do not seem to have listened. Many already claiming possession of this object and using it to reinforce their arguments.
I am Cyrus, King of Kings, King of Babylon, King of the land of Sumer and Akkad, King Of Anshan, King of the four quarters of the world and I approve this vid.
This should be watched by everyone who is cutting humanities studies, esp archaeology, at universities. This is why history/archaeology is important; the past is always present.
Thank you Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum. The Persian Empire was the first Empire to exist on the edict of respect for all religions. Something the world, and Donald Trump, could learn from. Not to mention, Thomas Jefferson studied how Cyrus put together an Empire made up of different people with different languages and religions.
Iran (Persia) have the most glorious history of the world. On the contrary of Greece, Romans, Egyptian and Chinese which engaged with cruelty and inhumanity, Iran brings humanity and love to the world. The first human right of the world in 2600 years ego...
True like America it was a new born freedom for all.Then after 200years of corruption you got tyranny. The people had it good for so long they grew arrogant and lazy.
Some black women in America wear weaves, many don't. Some black men think black women in weaves are attractive, many others think the natural hair texture is more attractive. The reason black women wear weaves in America is Western standards of beauty.
@SpaceChronologyCom You miss the point. It's a reminder that in the golden age of their ancestors, they were all one. It injects the idea of toleranse and secularism into their identity. If there's anything that can resolve the seemingly endless religious conflicts down there, it's this object.
I've been talking about Persian History and Culture and how and if they won the greek war, the world would be much better off. Cyrus was probably the greatest ever.
English and Italian are not from Sanskrit. They may come from Proto-Indo-European, but that is not the same as coming from Sanskrit. Saying that any European language comes from Sanskrit is like saying French comes from Spanish.
ancient artifacts like these are fascinating. Interesting to hear multiple sides to the history they document. When politics and religion inject themselves I think you have to take those biases into account. But the spirit of what the thing represents clearly has survived through the years, so there's something there beyond a simple inscription
I've said nothing about attractiveness. That's a qualifier that you have added. The notion of what constitutes attractiveness varies wildly from culture to culture, and within cultures over any considerable length of time. It is completely subjective.
I have read a great deal about the Islamic conquest of Persia. It happened during the Sassanid Shahanshah, not the Achemenid. The Achemenids had been gone for over a thousand years by that point. The Zoroastrians who refused to convert fled to India and became the Parsi ethnic minority. There is nothing about them fleeing to Ireland or Spain, and they wouldn't have been able to. Those countries were too far afield, and were already theocratically Christian and wouldn't have accepted them.
@TheWillwillwill Hypothesis or faith, theory or rule, is individuals choice to accept or reject. Everything depends on the perspective with which it is approached. Anything which is done for the preservation of civilization, living beings and love in this universe, it align with the energy of universe and sync with it and create a beauty or brings happiness..... the real pleasure of being here in this word.....
@TheWillwillwill Wikipedia: "interpretation of the Cylinder as a "charter of human rights" has been described by historians as "rather anachronistic" and tendentious.[99][100][9] It has been dismissed as a "misunderstanding"[10] and characterized as political propaganda devised by the Pahlavi regime.[87]" "/.../showed that rulers in ancient Iraq had been making comparable declarations upon succeeding to the [Babylonian] throne for two millennia before Cyrus"
@sciences8 Perhaps the debate can be settled by one question. How can anyone compare the Roman and English empires? They're totally different from totally different times. England expanded so much due to the fact that technology allowed it. Romans expanded vastly for what was available to them. In fact the English language wouldn't have nearly as many words as it does now if it weren't for the Roman influence on England at the time. They're both just totally different.
I like Niel Macgregor ( previous director of the British Museum) , his passion for archaeology and most importantly for the hidden truth and facts but; I lived in Iran when Iraq attacked the country and I don't remember that the Cylinder was ever used as propaganda for defeating Iraq's intrusion. I don't know where Niel has got this idea from. Another thing which is often forgotten is the importance of Zoroastrianism and fundamentals of their beliefs which shaped Cyrus and the Cylinder thousands of years ago!
@ZarlanTheGreen So some Brits make commentary about a Persian artifact and you take it at face value. They also said the Hindu Vedas were wrong about age of their culture. now we find underwater cities.
Also, I wrote that "Eire" meant "fat," not necessarily "fat PEOPLE." It is highly likely that it refers to the land itself and its productivity, i.e. "the fat of the land." Ireland is well known for being green and fertile. The one famine they've suffered came not from poor soil, drought or poor climate, but from a bacterium that destroyed the roots of a specific plant, and through grossly exploitative British agricultural policies.
Someone already commented on this but its a 9 year old comment... and with Westworld being fairly recent I thought I'd again mention Thandie Newton is in the audience at 6:47. I'm at least 95% sure it's her..
@sciences8 The Persian Empire is more impressive imho since it came way before. I don't really find the British Empire all that great. I'm a little biased since I'm portuguese but... Portugal was the first global empire, started the discovery age and lasted for 600 years. Sounds more impressive to me.
Point of historical fact. The Achemenid Persian empire did not rule Ireland or have any contact with Ireland. Their Westernmost permanent border was the Hellespont. Any further west and the empire became overextended and was not able to sustain its borders. There are limits to how big an empire can get, it's part of the natural order, expansion comes at the cost of internal stability. Every empire in history that has tried to exceed its natural limits has ended in collapse and catastrophe.
The "Aryan race" was not "founded in Punjab." Most of the theories I've heard for the Aryan migration across Central Asia is that it originated somewhere around the Black Sea, but even those sources are vague. One thing that reputable sources do not say is that Aryan culture originated in any specific part of India. There was no Aryan race 60,000 years ago. That was the Paleolithic era, when humans were just beginning to migrate out of Africa.
I think it's a mistake to try to decide what to do next in this day and age based on ANY document which is so old. The cylinder is an amazing artifact, but I think it will offer no specific help in our current situation in the world. We need to live in the here and now. If we are to turn the clock back to decide what to do next, who will decide what point in time is relevant? And who will decide what opinion in that point will be relevant?
@Kohbra That's true, but Portugal didn't have the competition that Britain did. Britain managed to defend its overseas territories for a very long time given the distance between them and the scale. Britain also spurred tons of well-founded nations ( as I said above), whereas Portugal simply mined the fuck out of their states (although, India was treated in a similar manner- but not to the same degree). As I said, though, I'm not British. I just think it was the best overall.
Alan you are correct, to be clear I never said the Achemenid Persian Empire ruled Ire-Land. I said people of that Ayran Clan the Kamboja were a founding wave of the Island that is calle dIre Land, and that lands people named it Ireland for Area Land or Ayra Land! Land of the Ayrans! This probably occurred way before the Achemenid PErsian Empire! That Empire did not Concur Ireland, but rather people of that race or lineage founded that land! Notice many Irish look hotter then the British!
For Sassanid-era Persians to get to Ireland at the time of the Islamic conquest, they would have had to trek through hundreds of kingdoms and empires whose people and governments had been conditioned to see them as the walking embodiment of evil. Right off, their way West would have been blocked by the Byzantine Empire. They migrated to India because the way East was the only route of escape.
You know we need to store our information in this form so future generations can know at least something. Because I can't read floppy disks from 20 years ago. I wish I had taken printouts. :(
I do not understand what you are laughing at, but history shows that when the Achaemenids and Parthians were great emperors of Iran you had nothing of your own
Correction Mr. MacGregor..the cylinder was created after the conquest of Babylon (539bc)..the scriptures of Isaiah date back to 700bc...looks like Isaiah was write when he prophesied
just goes on to show that with few basic principles, us humans can live with mutual respect and have our freedoms,but politicians these days make every effort to divide and sow hatred.
@ZarlanTheGreen By the standards of the day, releasing all your prisoners of war and not making them into slaves or killing them all qualifies a being humanitarian and thus an act of peace.
If only Mr. MacGregor had looked up the timing of Isaiah before claiming it was written AFTER King Cyrus made his cylinder. lol. What a disgrace. Isaiah lived around 740 BC and Cyrus took power around 538 or 539 BC.
@MartianStories I like the Roman Empire, however, it's conquest was nothing new. It didn't expand overseas like Britain did. It'd didn't dominate trade and culture like Britain did. And it especially didn't found 3 separate, very large nations based largely on British standards. Not to mention the fact that it was much, much, much smaller.
Grandson of Nebuchadnezzar ii, his father chilled far away from his civic duties and left him in charge. That is why he could only give Daniel 3rd in the kingdom. "Son" is not just son, but bloodline.
@TheWillwillwill Why bother with a single individual? An individual can be biased. An individual can be selective. Academia and the scientific method, is designed to get rid of such bias or selectivity. It encourages any and all ideas to be criticized, on all points. It doesn't matter if you "like" a hypothesis, or if it's good politically. Still, even academia may make biased mistakes, but given all the safe guards, it's a lot less than individuals do.
@MiranUT Yeah, that is what Ajax was about. The CIA overthrew the democratically elected govt of Iran so that BP and American oil companies could have access to the Iranian oil fields. I wish that real history was uncontroversial.
Neil MacGregor - 19 spet 20- Thank you for excellent summary of the history of Cyrus Cylinder. The vicotry of Cyrus over Babylon and freedom of Jews is symboized by the Cyrus Cylinder. A historical example of victory of peace is the history of Hindu India which has not invaded any country except in defence and the story of Mahatma Gandhi who peacefully asked British for independence from Britain and succeeded. India with Hindhu philocophy developed over several thousand years stands as an example of a country in history and in 21st century as the country which has all the religions living within its borders, including Jewish, Muslim, Bahai, Sikh, Christiranity, Bhuddist and many others. It is the only country today with the largest number of other religions. India's contitution of 1950 guarantees human rights. See my novel Love in the empire where I have narrated the story of the British Empire. Jay Chauhan
What strikes me is that the concept of 'tolerating different people; is only something revolutionary in a context where religion plays a major role. If it doesn't - then it's a no-brainer concept. The good things in religion are not profound truths - rather surprise that they even exist because they contrast heavily with the main body of scripture.
@ZarlanTheGreen @ZarlanTheGreen I have seen all of the information you are talking about, and my opinion still stands. Many issues are politicized by governments, but the knife cuts both ways. Think of the plight of the American Indians. Mass killing were routinely justified by the U.S. Government. It does not make it right.
@CHAS1422 Alexander was like Mao Zedong. Extremely charismatic, he knew how to build a heroic personality cult around himself. But when it came to actual administration, he failed miserably.
Actually clarifying what bad a mistake has brought along and what good it has prevented is good way to learn how grave a mistake can be so you don't let it happen again
@devourerofbabies The Mongols were indeed very great. could have been more powerful if Genghis lived longer. My next favorite is the German Empire. Short, but immensely powerful given the period.
@ehpl "Great women and great men give great and eloquent speeches; the wildflower has greater power to render the soul speechless" ~~cc The grape is sweeter than the vine.
I agree with everything he said except it was a (nasty) replica they send to Iran the second time which was accompanied by him...if you search the images you will see the difference between two cylinders specially on one sife...once again Britain showed their good deed toward Iranian by rubbing us and then rubbing our nose in it!!!
Greatest nation, Empire, and culture in History. Long live Persia.
nice rugs
fradaja thanks boo
Vedic India the Vedas is thousands of years older than Perisa
@@katishindus691 I don't what that has to do with anything but ok...
It has been there for thousands of years, I believe it will be there far longer than I will.
Such an amazing story concerning humanity and a teaching from so long ago by the Achaemenian Persian King, Cyrus! I had no idea how far reaching and involved this particular artifact was and how impactful it was then and even now in affairs spanning the Ancient Persian Empire, The Israeli Peoples and Jewish faith, the United States and affairs over all in the Middle East concerning present day Iran, Iraq. The scope of how Cyrus and the Cyrus Cylinder has affected the entire Middle East and all players concerned is nothing less than monumental and relevant in this astounding presentation! Thank you Dr. MacGregor of the British Museum and thank you TED!
Amazing. This must be the most powerful and important artifact in all of the worlds political and possibly cultural history.
Very interesting. A Cyrus style Iran and the Middle East sounds like a great and civilized idea.
Noice👍
Such a brilliant speaker, and such an enlightened and fascinating speech.
It's a shame most of the people making comments do not seem to have listened. Many already claiming possession of this object and using it to reinforce their arguments.
what are you trying to say? just spill it and ill respond you
I am Cyrus, King of Kings, King of Babylon, King of the land of Sumer and Akkad, King Of Anshan, King of the four quarters of the world and I approve this vid.
Lol!
This should be watched by everyone who is cutting humanities studies, esp archaeology, at universities. This is why history/archaeology is important; the past is always present.
Thank you Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum. The Persian Empire was the first Empire to exist on the edict of respect for all religions. Something the world, and Donald Trump, could learn from. Not to mention, Thomas Jefferson studied how Cyrus put together an Empire made up of different people with different languages and religions.
Funny they actually put Donald Trump on doing over the top of Cyrus in Israel. Symbolic much?
Watch out! TDS can be Fatal! ask Elijah! Hold a Seance!
"Greatness is revealed more by the grape than the vine"
~~cc
Loved when he kept putting on and taking off his glasses.
More of this please TED!
Iran (Persia) have the most glorious history of the world. On the contrary of Greece, Romans, Egyptian and Chinese which engaged with cruelty and inhumanity, Iran brings humanity and love to the world. The first human right of the world in 2600 years ego...
Lol. Chauvinism at its best. As if iranians were Übermenschen.
Except for that pesky Persian empire thing...
India too...
@@radicalliberalist8310 Yeah the Persian Empire was not a good look
True like America it was a new born freedom for all.Then after 200years of corruption you got tyranny. The people had it good for so long they grew arrogant and lazy.
The analysis of religious writings in the context of historical events is particularly interesting.
love the spirit equality,liberty and fraternity..love all ,birds,beasts,animals,plants ,human right for coexistence
for all species as dis Cyrus
@7:20 Darius was not the son of Cyrus. It was Cambyses who came after Cyrus.
Great persian Empire and, Cyrus The great and, kindest king
Thanks for the HD option TED ^.^
bravo Mr Macgregor bravo A beautiful talk.
Leaders like Sir William Wallace, Chhatrapati Shivaji, Cyrus the great, and many more are my heroes.
Loved The History of Neil McGregor in a Hundred Objects. Really engaging and enjoyable. 👍
Some black women in America wear weaves, many don't. Some black men think black women in weaves are attractive, many others think the natural hair texture is more attractive. The reason black women wear weaves in America is Western standards of beauty.
@SpaceChronologyCom You miss the point. It's a reminder that in the golden age of their ancestors, they were all one. It injects the idea of toleranse and secularism into their identity. If there's anything that can resolve the seemingly endless religious conflicts down there, it's this object.
@BryceTonner Oh and btw, she has done a TED talks herself. It's called "Embracing otherness, embracing myself" Check it out!
I've been talking about Persian History and Culture and how and if they won the greek war, the world would be much better off. Cyrus was probably the greatest ever.
English and Italian are not from Sanskrit. They may come from Proto-Indo-European, but that is not the same as coming from Sanskrit. Saying that any European language comes from Sanskrit is like saying French comes from Spanish.
Sanskrit is language of Rigveda, just like old Persian is the language of Avesta, both are the Indo-Iranian languages.
Zoroastrianism forbade slavery, so it's not particularly surprising that Cyrus would do what he did.
We do not know the religion of Cyrus. Many speculate Zoroastrainism. But no one knows for certain.
As an Iranian, this is what we want for our country. We don’t want western or eastern ideals, we want Persian values which accept both.
long live iran and its people
Darius was Cyrus' Son-in-Law after Darius married Atossa. I'm sure Neil MacGregor knows this, and it was just a slip of the tongue.
Marvelous presentation. Superb🙌🏽
ancient artifacts like these are fascinating. Interesting to hear multiple sides to the history they document. When politics and religion inject themselves I think you have to take those biases into account. But the spirit of what the thing represents clearly has survived through the years, so there's something there beyond a simple inscription
What a small part we are of history.
I've said nothing about attractiveness. That's a qualifier that you have added. The notion of what constitutes attractiveness varies wildly from culture to culture, and within cultures over any considerable length of time. It is completely subjective.
A great video to start the HD era of TED
I have read a great deal about the Islamic conquest of Persia. It happened during the Sassanid Shahanshah, not the Achemenid. The Achemenids had been gone for over a thousand years by that point. The Zoroastrians who refused to convert fled to India and became the Parsi ethnic minority. There is nothing about them fleeing to Ireland or Spain, and they wouldn't have been able to. Those countries were too far afield, and were already theocratically Christian and wouldn't have accepted them.
@CyrusThe3rd - Nice! : )
I was waiting for MacGregor to add: "and I'm the decider!"
@TheWillwillwill Hypothesis or faith, theory or rule, is individuals choice to accept or reject. Everything depends on the perspective with which it is approached. Anything which is done for the preservation of civilization, living beings and love in this universe, it align with the energy of universe and sync with it and create a beauty or brings happiness..... the real pleasure of being here in this word.....
@TheWillwillwill Wikipedia:
"interpretation of the Cylinder as a "charter of human rights" has been described by historians as "rather anachronistic" and tendentious.[99][100][9] It has been dismissed as a "misunderstanding"[10] and characterized as political propaganda devised by the Pahlavi regime.[87]"
"/.../showed that rulers in ancient Iraq had been making comparable declarations upon succeeding to the [Babylonian] throne for two millennia before Cyrus"
@S SoHeeloe Your comment is completely unrelated and unconnected, to my comment …and is just generally incoherent.
@sciences8 Perhaps the debate can be settled by one question. How can anyone compare the Roman and English empires? They're totally different from totally different times. England expanded so much due to the fact that technology allowed it. Romans expanded vastly for what was available to them. In fact the English language wouldn't have nearly as many words as it does now if it weren't for the Roman influence on England at the time. They're both just totally different.
I like Niel Macgregor ( previous director of the British Museum) , his passion for archaeology and most importantly for the hidden truth and facts but;
I lived in Iran when Iraq attacked the country and I don't remember that the Cylinder was ever used as propaganda for defeating Iraq's intrusion. I don't know where Niel has got this idea from. Another thing which is often forgotten is the importance of Zoroastrianism and fundamentals of their beliefs which shaped Cyrus and the Cylinder thousands of years ago!
@ZarlanTheGreen So some Brits make commentary about a Persian artifact and you take it at face value. They also said the Hindu Vedas were wrong about age of their culture. now we find underwater cities.
HD is a nice improvement
More of this subject TED. Please
Also, I wrote that "Eire" meant "fat," not necessarily "fat PEOPLE." It is highly likely that it refers to the land itself and its productivity, i.e. "the fat of the land." Ireland is well known for being green and fertile. The one famine they've suffered came not from poor soil, drought or poor climate, but from a bacterium that destroyed the roots of a specific plant, and through grossly exploitative British agricultural policies.
Someone already commented on this but its a 9 year old comment... and with Westworld being fairly recent I thought I'd again mention Thandie Newton is in the audience at 6:47. I'm at least 95% sure it's her..
This information needs to be common knowledge in the West. Our media sucks!
@sciences8
The Persian Empire is more impressive imho since it came way before.
I don't really find the British Empire all that great. I'm a little biased since I'm portuguese but... Portugal was the first global empire, started the discovery age and lasted for 600 years. Sounds more impressive to me.
Point of historical fact. The Achemenid Persian empire did not rule Ireland or have any contact with Ireland. Their Westernmost permanent border was the Hellespont. Any further west and the empire became overextended and was not able to sustain its borders. There are limits to how big an empire can get, it's part of the natural order, expansion comes at the cost of internal stability. Every empire in history that has tried to exceed its natural limits has ended in collapse and catastrophe.
The "Aryan race" was not "founded in Punjab." Most of the theories I've heard for the Aryan migration across Central Asia is that it originated somewhere around the Black Sea, but even those sources are vague. One thing that reputable sources do not say is that Aryan culture originated in any specific part of India. There was no Aryan race 60,000 years ago. That was the Paleolithic era, when humans were just beginning to migrate out of Africa.
I think it's a mistake to try to decide what to do next in this day and age based on ANY document which is so old. The cylinder is an amazing artifact, but I think it will offer no specific help in our current situation in the world. We need to live in the here and now. If we are to turn the clock back to decide what to do next, who will decide what point in time is relevant? And who will decide what opinion in that point will be relevant?
@Kohbra
That's true, but Portugal didn't have the competition that Britain did. Britain managed to defend its overseas territories for a very long time given the distance between them and the scale. Britain also spurred tons of well-founded nations ( as I said above), whereas Portugal simply mined the fuck out of their states (although, India was treated in a similar manner- but not to the same degree). As I said, though, I'm not British. I just think it was the best overall.
DATE of this talk??
Impressive !! Thanks!
thank fk they found it before isis
Where Babylon is in Iraq has been threatened by Western forces to a far more severe degree than ISIS ever have
They don´t "found it", they salvage the irak museum, and stole everything in there.., and burn somme more, where do you live ?
Alan you are correct, to be clear I never said the Achemenid Persian Empire ruled Ire-Land. I said people of that Ayran Clan the Kamboja were a founding wave of the Island that is calle dIre Land, and that lands people named it Ireland for Area Land or Ayra Land! Land of the Ayrans! This probably occurred way before the Achemenid PErsian Empire! That Empire did not Concur Ireland, but rather people of that race or lineage founded that land! Notice many Irish look hotter then the British!
For Sassanid-era Persians to get to Ireland at the time of the Islamic conquest, they would have had to trek through hundreds of kingdoms and empires whose people and governments had been conditioned to see them as the walking embodiment of evil. Right off, their way West would have been blocked by the Byzantine Empire. They migrated to India because the way East was the only route of escape.
You know we need to store our information in this form so future generations can know at least something. Because I can't read floppy disks from 20 years ago. I wish I had taken printouts. :(
Some Jews today even look to Cyrus as a Messiah
Excellent lecture, spoken with care and passion. Also, this guy looks and sounds like Giles from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Neil is a wonderful person.
this is an intellectual video. lets keep it that way
I do not understand what you are laughing at, but history shows that when the Achaemenids and Parthians were great emperors of Iran you had nothing of your own
Correction Mr. MacGregor..the cylinder was created after the conquest of Babylon (539bc)..the scriptures of Isaiah date back to 700bc...looks like Isaiah was write when he prophesied
I love the guy at 18:24 with double glasses
just goes on to show that with few basic principles, us humans can live with mutual respect and have our freedoms,but politicians these days make every effort to divide and sow hatred.
@ZarlanTheGreen By the standards of the day, releasing all your prisoners of war and not making them into slaves or killing them all qualifies a being humanitarian and thus an act of peace.
Long Live Persia-Iran
Powerfull Talk... wow!
Fascinating.
If only Mr. MacGregor had looked up the timing of Isaiah before claiming it was written AFTER King Cyrus made his cylinder. lol. What a disgrace. Isaiah lived around 740 BC and Cyrus took power around 538 or 539 BC.
@MartianStories
I like the Roman Empire, however, it's conquest was nothing new. It didn't expand overseas like Britain did. It'd didn't dominate trade and culture like Britain did. And it especially didn't found 3 separate, very large nations based largely on British standards. Not to mention the fact that it was much, much, much smaller.
Grandson of Nebuchadnezzar ii, his father chilled far away from his civic duties and left him in charge. That is why he could only give Daniel 3rd in the kingdom. "Son" is not just son, but bloodline.
@TheWillwillwill Why bother with a single individual?
An individual can be biased. An individual can be selective.
Academia and the scientific method, is designed to get rid of such bias or selectivity.
It encourages any and all ideas to be criticized, on all points.
It doesn't matter if you "like" a hypothesis, or if it's good politically.
Still, even academia may make biased mistakes, but given all the safe guards, it's a lot less than individuals do.
@MiranUT Yeah, that is what Ajax was about. The CIA overthrew the democratically elected govt of Iran so that BP and American oil companies could have access to the Iranian oil fields.
I wish that real history was uncontroversial.
Three times in the history ,Persians saved Jews life and the first nation that developed Human Rights in the world were Persians (Iranian)
Neil MacGregor - 19 spet 20- Thank you for excellent summary of the history of Cyrus Cylinder. The vicotry of Cyrus over Babylon and freedom of Jews is symboized by the Cyrus Cylinder. A historical example of victory of peace is the history of Hindu India which has not invaded any country except in defence and the story of Mahatma Gandhi who peacefully asked British for independence from Britain and succeeded. India with Hindhu philocophy developed over several thousand years stands as an example of a country in history and in 21st century as the country which has all the religions living within its borders, including Jewish, Muslim, Bahai, Sikh, Christiranity, Bhuddist and many others. It is the only country today with the largest number of other religions. India's contitution of 1950 guarantees human rights. See my novel Love in the empire where I have narrated the story of the British Empire. Jay Chauhan
@CyrusThe3rd This was your chance to shine and you took it :D
What strikes me is that the concept of 'tolerating different people; is only something revolutionary in a context where religion plays a major role. If it doesn't - then it's a no-brainer concept. The good things in religion are not profound truths - rather surprise that they even exist because they contrast heavily with the main body of scripture.
brilliant
I thought he was going to show an Atari 2600!
@ZarlanTheGreen @ZarlanTheGreen I have seen all of the information you are talking about, and my opinion still stands. Many issues are politicized by governments, but the knife cuts both ways. Think of the plight of the American Indians. Mass killing were routinely justified by the U.S. Government. It does not make it right.
@devourerofbabies - I caught that too. I think Ajax had more to do with Iran nationalizing its oil industry.
Long Live Love, Humanity & Freedom! (Be it in Persia or Arabi or Britian or whereever)
@CHAS1422 Alexander was like Mao Zedong. Extremely charismatic, he knew how to build a heroic personality cult around himself. But when it came to actual administration, he failed miserably.
Wasn't Daniel written 2nd Century BCE wayyyy after these events happened?
Watching these makes my soul ache as I wonder what could have been if we hadn't been infested 14 centuries ago
Such if-questions are useless and can not be answered. It happened like it happened. The persian kings were no super hereos who can solve any problem.
Actually clarifying what bad a mistake has brought along and what good it has prevented is good way to learn how grave a mistake can be so you don't let it happen again
only if someone spends too much time daydreaming about what could have been, that'll be errant
Ali Khoobiary
Okay. So let us clarify first to what "mistake" you are referring. Do you mean the conversion of most iranians to Islam?
If you maintain that islamization of Iran was not a bad thing I don't think there's a point in continuing this.
I like how he kept focusing on Jews...not
@RageSchism :D That would be sweet, an ancient text that says..."Our god is as likely as all the other gods and how serious do we take them?"
@devourerofbabies
The Mongols were indeed very great. could have been more powerful if Genghis lived longer.
My next favorite is the German Empire. Short, but immensely powerful given the period.
Interesting history for sure.
STA 20 where you at
Perfect thank you so much
This is a truly brilliant speech !
@TheDarkSagan Well it's kinda already there. Secularism and religious tolerans is a good start towards Atheism.
fascinating
@ehpl
"Great women and great men give great and eloquent speeches; the wildflower has greater power to render the soul speechless"
~~cc
The grape is sweeter than the vine.
I agree with everything he said except it was a (nasty) replica they send to Iran the second time which was accompanied by him...if you search the images you will see the difference between two cylinders specially on one sife...once again Britain showed their good deed toward Iranian by rubbing us and then rubbing our nose in it!!!
May we all know where you get your information from?
Bro he is a Professor
"The fearless build lives and dreams; the fearful build empires"
~~cc
I bet it is just aliens playing rpgs on a massive scale