The Cyrus Cylinder. Achaemenid, after 539 B.C. Found in Babylon, Iraq
Terracotta. Length: 22.5 cm. Image courtesy of and copyright The Trustees of the British Museum (2013). All rights reserved.
The Cyrus Cylinder, a proclamation by the Persian king Cyrus the Great, gives rare historical insight into ancient Persian culture. These guides can be used to explore the Cyrus Cylinder and related objects in the Getty Villa's collection to learn about Persian culture and Persian interactions with the Greeks. Each guide contains information for teachers as well activities for students that can be carried out in the Villa's galleries or in the classroom.



Find additional resources about Cyrus, the Cyrus Cylinder, and the Persians on the Asian Art Museum's website.