Discovering Cyrus: The Persian Conqueror Astride the Ancient World

British-born, American-Iranian attorney Zarghamee puts on his scholarly cap to profile Cyrus the Great, the famed sixth-century B.C.E. Persian conqueror and founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Acclaimed for ruling with a light hand in an “efficient and benign” fashion and “introducing chivalry to warfare,” the sovereign forged a vast realm that “surpassed all previous Near Eastern kingdoms in its cosmopolitan makeup.” Relying heavily on Persian archaeological and Greek literary sources, Zarghamee deftly examines Cyrus’s religion, military (including the 10,000 Immortals), and extensive network of highways that facilitated trade. While this lengthy tome is well researched and thorough, it abounds in speculation and tangential evidence, as the author concedes, as well as an urge to predate Zoroastrianism and overstate its influence on Judaism, and utilizes anachronistic or imprecise terminology (“Palestine” instead of Israel/Judah, “Old Testament” instead of Hebrew Bible, etc.) that will needlessly confuse readers. Still, the work is fair, incisive, and detailed, and merits the attention of a broad readership interested in ancient history, religion, and imperialism. (Nov.)