Cyaxares II

(reigned 625-585 b.c.)

   The first and greatest king of the Median Empire, which immediately preceded the rise of the Persian Empire in what is now Iran. Cyaxares achieved success partly because he instituted sweeping military reforms, including dividing his spearmen, archers, and cavalry into distinct units and standardizing weapons and uniforms. Many of Cyaxares' soldiers were native Medes, but he also collected troops from minor Iranian peoples that were vassals to the Medes, including the Persians, who lived in the region of Fars.

   Having prepared his army, in about 614 b.c. Cyaxares launched an attack on Assyria, which had declined in strength in recent years. He was wise enough to form an alliance with Babylonia's King Nabopo-lassar, who hated the Assyrians as much as he did. The combined Median-Babylonian forces captured one Assyrian town after another, a campaign that culminated in the destruction of Nineveh in 612.

   After disposing of Assyria, Cyaxares pursued other foreign conquests, subjugating the Cadusii, who lived along the southern border of the Caspian Sea; and the Armenians, centered in Urartu, directly north of Assyria. Then he moved westward into Anatolia and struck at the kingdom of Lydia. The Lydian king, Alyattes, fought back with every soldier he had. But it was a natural rather than a human force that brought the conflict to a sudden and unexpected halt. On May 28, 585 b.c., at the height of a great battle between the opposing forces, a total eclipse of the Sun occurred. "Day was suddenly turned into night," the Greek historian Herodotus records.

   This change from daylight to darkness had been foretold by [the Greek scientist] Thales of Miletus, who fixed the date for it in the year in which it did, in fact, take place. Both Lydians and Medes broke off the engagement when they saw this darkening of the day. (Histories 1.74)

   Viewing the sudden onset of darkness at noon to be an evil omen, Cyaxares hastily led his soldiers out of Lydia and died soon afterward.

   See also: Medes; Median Empire; Nabopolassar