Jews, Assyria, Babylonia and King Cyrus.

This article examines the historical interactions between the Jewish people and the empires of Assyria, Babylonia, and Persia, with a particular focus on the role of King Cyrus the Great of Persia. It details the Assyrian conquest and deportation of Israelites, the Babylonian exile of Judeans, and the subsequent liberation and return of Jewish exiles to Judah under Cyrus's decree, which enabled the rebuilding of the Second Temple around 537 BCE. The article highlights the significant cultural and religious influences between Iranian (notably Zoroastrian) and Jewish traditions, including theological concepts and linguistic borrowings. It also discusses the enduring Jewish appreciation for Persian rulers, exemplified by Cyrus's unique designation as "God's Messiah" in the Hebrew Bible, and traces Jewish resilience through subsequent periods of foreign domination, including the Parthian support during the Maccabean Revolt. The narrative incorporates biblical, archaeological, and historical sources to underscore the longstanding Jewish presence and cultural development in the Iranian Plateau and the broader Near East.