Cyrus

Cyrus the Great

550 - 530 BC

20 years, takes over territory stretching from India to Egypt. Conquers Lydia and makes Croesus his advisor. Two different accounts of conquest of Babylon (Herodotus vs. Cyrus cylinder). Succeeded by son Cambyses

According to Herodotus, he is the grandson of Astyages (Median king), who orders him to be killed because it is prophesied that he will usurp the throne and take over al of Asia. Obviously, things go wrong, he's not killed--later successfully persauds Persians to follow him and overthrows the Median kingdom with the help of man who refused to kill him and had to eat his own son's flesh (Harpagus)