Who did the Spartan Defeat?

The Persians ruled over the Greeks over 150 years…the Greeks were inspired and influenced in every aspects of their lives by the Persian..from politics , architecture and even democracy.

Some of you may know that Zoroastrianism, the first monotheistic world religion, was the official religion & philosophy of Iran prior to first Arab-Isam invasion of Iran in the 7th Century, with the second Islamic invasion occurring during 1979 ill-conceived revolution. Zoroastrianism was once the dominant religion of much of the Greater Iran but as of 2007 practiced only by fewer than 200,000 worldwide,[3] with its largest centers in India and Iran.

Zoroaster – the philosopher & teacher – more than 3000 years ago, advocated the concept of duality being Good vs. Evil (Ahura Mazda & Ahriman). The main motto for Zoroastrians is Good Thoughts, Good Words, & Good Deeds. It was under the influence of Zoroastrianism that Cyrus the Great set out his policies and carried out his noble acts (freeing the Jews from slavery and giving them permission to build their temple). When Cyrus the Great mentions (Ahura) Mazda, in the first declaration of human rights, he is referring to the Zoroaster’s God (Goodness).

“The charter of Cyrus the Great, a baked-clay Aryan language (Old Persian) cuneiform cylinder, was discovered in 1878 in excavation of the site of Babylon. In it, Cyrus the Great described his humane treatment of the inhabitants of Babylonia after its conquest by the Iranians.

The document has been hailed as the first charter of human rights, and in 1971 the United Nations published translation of it in all the official U.N. languages. “May Ahura Mazda protect this land, this nation, from rancor, from foes, from falsehood, and from drought”. Selected from the book “The Eternal Land”.”




The following is a translation of the cuneiform script written on the original cylinder. Although sections of the cylinder have been destroyed through time, the principal message of Cyrus’ Declaration is readily apparent. The cylinder is currently housed in the British Museum & a replica of the cylinder is kept at United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

First Declaration of Human Rights by Cyrus the Great, inscribed in cuneiform on a clay cylinder discovered in 1879, now on display in the British Museum.Cyrus the Great (585-529 BC), the Iranian emperor, defined the First Declaration of Human Rights on this cylinder. Cyrus is admired more as liberator than a conqueror of his vast empire because of his respect for human rights and the humane treatment of those he ruled. He is "anointed" in the Bible (Is. 45:4) as a liberator of God's people (Is.45:15) and the chosen one (Is. 48:15-15). Professor Richard Frye of Harvard University said; "Surely the concept of One World, the fusion of Peoples and Cultures into oneness was one of his important legacies".The following from this ancient cylinder are a rendition of the spirit of his message in modern English:

The Declaration:

I am Kourosh (Cyrus), King of the world, great king, mighty king, king of Babylon, king of the land of Sumer and Akkad, king of the four quarters, son of Camboujiyah (Cambyases), great king, king of Anshân, grandson of Kourosh (Cyrus), great king, king of Anshân, descendant of Chaish-Pesh (Teispes), great king, king of Anshân, progeny of an unending royal line, whose rule Bel and Nabu cherish, whose kingship they desire for their hearts pleasure. When I well-disposed, entered Babylon, I set up a seat of domination in the royal palace amidst jubilation and rejoicing. Marduk the great god, caused the big-hearted inhabitations of Babylon to …. me, I sought daily to worship him...

1. I declare that I will respect the tradition, customs and religion of the nations of my empire and never let any of my governors to look down or insult the inhabitants of my nations.

2. I hereby abolish slavery; my governors are ordered to prohibit exchanging men and women as slaves within their ruling domains. Such a tradition should be exterminated the world over.

3. If anyone opresses others, should it happen, I will take his/her right back and penalize the oppressors.

4. Today I declare Freedom of Religion. All are free to choose any religion, live in all regions and take up any job provided that they never violate other's rights.These proclamations ring true today in our times as they did in 583 BC. House Of Iran.

You're probably asking yourself right about now how did Iran get from Cyrus the Great to Ahmadinejad? The answer in a nutshell:

1. The Islamo/Arabo Conquest of Iran.
2. Too much focus on multi-culturlism.
3. Too much decadence and arrogance

That's how the Persian Civilization and Empire was lost. We should take a page from history and avoid the same fate right here in our country. Persia was undone by their decadence and lack of resolve as much as anything. If America is to take a lesson, it should be taken from the Persians. With a weak will to protect our ideals and democracy, the enemy already feels triumphant.

Update1: Video Clips on the Persian

The following clips were aired on Canada's History Television:
Engineering an Empire - The Persians (Part 1)
Engineering an Empire - The Persians (Part 2)
Engineering an Empire - The Persians (Part 3)
Engineering an Empire - The Persians (Part 4)
Engineering an Empire - The Persians (Part 5)

h/t to Winston

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Happy Purim!

The Tomb (mausoleum )of Esther & Mordecai - Hamadan, Iran

What's Purim ?
In the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on its thirteenth day ... on the day that the enemies of the Jews were expected to prevail over them, it was turned about: the Jews prevailed over their adversaries. - Esther 9:1

And they gained relief on the fourteenth, making it a day of feasting and gladness. - Esther 9:17

[Mordecai instructed them] to observe them as days of feasting and gladness, and sending delicacies to one another, and gifts to the poor. - Esther 9:22

That is Purim in a nut shell– an ancient story of court intrigue, deception, miscommunication, drunken parties, assassination plots, a foolish king, a delinquent queen, villains, a strong hero and one beautiful heroine.

For one little holiday, Purim certainly has it all. It is a one-day, carnival-like celebration in Adar, which occurs in late February or early March in the secular calendar.

Purim commemorates events that took place 2,500 years ago just after King Achashverosh consolidated his rule over the Persian empire. According to Megilat Esther, which is Hebrew for the Scroll of Esther, Achashverosh’s empire stretched from Hodu ad Kush, which on today’s map, would mean from Ethiopia to India.

Purim is one of the most joyous and fun holidays on the Jewish calendar. It commemorates a time when the Jewish people living in Persia were saved from extermination.

The story of Purim is told in the Biblical book of Esther. The heroes of the story are Esther, a beautiful young Jewish woman living in Persia, and her cousin Mordecai, who raised her as if she were his daughter. Esther was taken to the house of Ahasuerus, King of Persia, to become part of his harem. King Ahasuerus loved Esther more than his other women and made Esther queen of Persia, but the king did not know that Esther was a Jew, because Mordecai told her not to reveal her identity.

The villain of the story is Haman, an arrogant, egotistical advisor to the king. Haman hated Mordecai because Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman, so Haman plotted to destroy the Jewish people. In a speech that is all too familiar to Jews, Haman told the king, "There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your realm. Their laws are different from those of every other people's, and they do not observe the king's laws; therefore it is not befitting the king to tolerate them." Esther 3:8. The king gave the fate of the Jewish people to Haman, to do as he pleased to them. Haman planned to exterminate all of the Jews.

Mordecai persuaded Esther to speak to the king on behalf of the Jewish people. This was a dangerous thing for Esther to do, because anyone who came into the king's presence without being summoned could be put to death, and she had not been summoned. Esther fasted for three days to prepare herself, then went into the king. He welcomed her. Later, she told him of Haman's plot against her people. The Jewish people were saved, and Haman was hanged on the gallows that had been prepared for Mordecai.

The book of Esther is unusual in that it is the only book of the Bible that does not contain the name of G-d. In fact, it includes virtually no reference to G-d. Mordecai makes a vague reference to the fact that the Jews will be saved by someone else, if not by Esther, but that is the closest the book comes to mentioning G-d. Thus, one important message that can be gained from the story is that G-d often works in ways that are not apparent, in ways that appear to be chance, coincidence or ordinary good luck.

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