Season 3: Episode 112
Why the Bible Loves Cyrus the Great
Date Aired: 5/19/2025
Cyrus II was the founder of the Persian Empire, arguably the greatest empire of the ancient Near East. Cyrus wasn’t only a hero to the Persians. In the Hebrew Bible, Cyrus is the only non-Jew that God calls His “anointed one” or “messiah.” But does Cyrus really deserve his reputation as the liberator of the Jews from Babylon or is it all a piece of ancient propaganda? The incomparable Lloyd Llewelyn-Jones joins Helen and Dave to discuss the glory of the Persian Empire and how Cyrus was interpreted by biblical authors.
Listen to the episode on the Biblical Time Machine website or wherever you get your podcasts.
Disclaimer: The Society of Biblical Literature is not responsible for the content of this podcast. The opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Society of Biblical Literature, its members, or its staff.
