Tom Holland

And this is Babylon, you know, this fabulous ancient city.

the richest city in the world.

And Cyrus conquers that in 539.

And Herodotus gives a brilliant estimation of just how vast Babylon was.

He writes, according to local tradition, such was the size of the city that those who lived in the center of Babylon had no idea when the Persians broke into the city that the suburbs had fallen, for it was a time of festival and all were dancing and indulging themselves in it.

pleasures.

And for Cyrus, the conquest of Babylon is what sets the seal on his ascent to greatness.

So there's a slightly kind of Trumpian quality to his boasting of his inscriptions.

He proclaims, every king on earth brought me heavy tribute and kissed my feet where I sat in Babylon.

So he's made it.

And also has conquered what would now be Syria and Israel and Lebanon because they were subject to Babylon.

So they come under Cyrus's rule.

And indeed is eyeing up Egypt.

Am I right?

So Cyrus doesn't attack Egypt.

He goes off into Central Asia.

And that's where he reaches the Indus.

He reaches the Hindu Kush.

He goes even further.

And that's where he's killed.