According to the good folk at Wikipedia, it was on this day five hundred, and thirty-nine years before our common era that Cyrus the Great and his army entered Babylon. He was a pivotal figure in the development of many things, not the least of which was Judaism as the religion we know.
With his Edict(s) of Restoration, he both allowed the Jews to return to their homeland and assisted in the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. Hence the title messiah, the only non-Jew to be called by that title. If, as I certainly understand, Judaism really takes shape during that Babylonian captivity, the next critical step, not the last one, but pivotal, was the return. Which Cyrus allowed.
A very interesting person, remembered for many things, many of them good. After his critical role in the history of Judaism, probably most notably for a declaration of human rights, the first to appear in human history. Maybe, maybe even more important. And, for my money making him continue to be worthy of that anointed title, or, at least, a claim to some part of it…
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