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'''Cyrus''' ({{pron-en|ˈsaɪrəs}}) is the given name of a number of Persian kings. Most notably it refers to [[Cyrus the Great]]. Cyrus is also the name of [[Cyrus I of Anshan]] (ca. 650 BC), King of Persia the grandfather of Cyrus the Great; and [[Cyrus the Younger]] (died 401 BC), brother to the Persian King [[Artaxerxes II of Persia]].
'''Cyrus''' ({{pron-en|ˈsaɪrəs}}) is the given name of a number of Persian kings. Most notably it refers to [[Cyrus the Great]]. Cyrus is also the name of [[Cyrus I of Anshan]] (ca. 650 BC), King of Persia the grandfather of Cyrus the Great; and [[Cyrus the Younger]] (died 401 BC), brother to the Persian King [[Artaxerxes II of Persia]].


Cyrus, as a word in English, is derived, via [[Latin]], from [[Ancient Greek]]: ''κνρος'', from [[Old Persian]]:''𐎤𐎢𐎽𐎢𐏁'' ({{IPA2|kʰuːrʰuʃ}}, {{unicode|Kūruš}})<ref name=cyrusthename>[[#refIranicaCyrus|Rüdiger Schmitt]] (i. The name).</ref>. which in turn seems to be the remodeled form of Elamite ''Kurash''.<ref name=Tavernier>[[#refjtavernier|Iranica in the Achaemenid Period]] p. 528</ref> According to inscriptions the name is reflected in [[Elamite]] ''Kuraš'', [[Babylonian]] ''Ku(r)-raš/-ra-áš'' and [[Aramaic_language#Imperial_Aramaic|Imperial Aramaic]] ''kwrš''
Cyrus, as a word in English, is derived, via [[Latin]], from [[Ancient Greek]]: ''κνρος'', from [[Old Persian]]:''𐎤𐎢𐎽𐎢𐏁'' ({{IPA2|kʰuːrʰuʃ}}, {{unicode|Kūruš}})<ref name=cyrusthename>[[#refIranicaCyrus|Rüdiger Schmitt]] (i. The name).</ref>, which in turn seems to be the remodeled form of Elamite ''Kurash''.<ref name=Tavernier>[[#refjtavernier|Iranica in the Achaemenid Period]] p. 528</ref> According to inscriptions the name is reflected in [[Elamite]] ''Kuraš'', [[Babylonian]] ''Ku(r)-raš/-ra-áš'' and [[Aramaic_language#Imperial_Aramaic|Imperial Aramaic]] ''kwrš''


Etymology of Cyrus has been and continues to be a topic of discussion amongst [[historians]], [[linguists]], and scholars of [[Iranology]]. The name has been interpreted in various forms from "the sun", "like sun", "young", "hero" "humiliator of the enemy in verbal contest" to "he who bestows care".
Etymology of Cyrus has been and continues to be a topic of discussion amongst [[historians]], [[linguists]], and scholars of [[Iranology]]. The name has been interpreted in various forms from "the sun", "like sun", "young", "hero" "humiliator of the enemy in verbal contest" to "he who bestows care".

Revision as of 11:47, 5 January 2010

File:German cyrus relief sketch.jpg
"The four winged guardian figure" of Cyrus the Great at Pasargadae on top of which inscribed in three languages the sentence "I am Cyrus the king an Achaemenian"

Cyrus (Template:Pron-en) is the given name of a number of Persian kings. Most notably it refers to Cyrus the Great. Cyrus is also the name of Cyrus I of Anshan (ca. 650 BC), King of Persia the grandfather of Cyrus the Great; and Cyrus the Younger (died 401 BC), brother to the Persian King Artaxerxes II of Persia.

Cyrus, as a word in English, is derived, via Latin, from Ancient Greek: κνρος, from Old Persian:𐎤𐎢𐎽𐎢𐏁 (IPA: [kʰuːrʰuʃ], Kūruš)[1], which in turn seems to be the remodeled form of Elamite Kurash.[2] According to inscriptions the name is reflected in Elamite Kuraš, Babylonian Ku(r)-raš/-ra-áš and Imperial Aramaic kwrš

Etymology of Cyrus has been and continues to be a topic of discussion amongst historians, linguists, and scholars of Iranology. The name has been interpreted in various forms from "the sun", "like sun", "young", "hero" "humiliator of the enemy in verbal contest" to "he who bestows care".

The name has appeared on many monuments and inscriptions in old Persian.[3] There is also the record of a small inscription in Morghab (southwestern Iran) on which there is the sentence (adam kūruš xšāyaƟiya haxāmanišiya) in Old Persian meaning (I am Cyrus the Achaemenian King)[4]. After a questionable[5] proposal by the German linguist F. H. Weissbach that Darius the Great was the first to inscribe in Persian, it had previously been concluded by some scholars that the inscription in Morghab refers to Cyrus the Younger. This proposal was the result of a false interpretation of a passage in paragraph 70 of Behistun inscription by Darius the Great.[6] Based on many arguments[7], the accepted theory among modern scholars is that the inscription does refer to Cyrus the Great.[8], but engraved by Darius.

There are interpretations of name of Cyrus by classical authors identifying with or referring to the Persian word for “sun”. The Historian Plutarch (46 - 120) states that "the sun, which, in the Persian language, is called Cyrus"[9] Also the Physician Ctesias who served in the court of the Persian king Artaxerxes II of Persia writes in his book Persica as summarized by Photios that the name Cyrus is from Persian word "Khur" (the sun).[10] These are however not accepted by modern scholars.[1]

Etymology

Regarding the etymology of OP kuruš, linguists have proposed various etymologies based on Iranian languages as well as non-Indo-European ones. [2] According to Tavernier, the name kuraš, attested in Elamite texts, is likely "the orginal form" as there is no Elamite or Babylonian spelling ku-ru-uš in the transcriptions of OP ku-u-r(u)-u-š. That is, according to Tavernier, kuraš is an Elamite name and means "to bestow care".[2] Others, such as Schmitt, Hoffmann maintain that the Persian Kuruš, which according to Skalmowsky, may be connected to (or a borrowing from) the IE Kúru- from Old Indic can give an etymology of the Elamite kuraš.[1][2] In this regard the OP kuruš is considered with the following etymologies: One proposal is discussed by the linguist Janos Harmatta that refers to the common Iranian root "kur-" (be born) of many words in Old, middle, and new Iranian languages (e.g. Kurdish). Accordingly the name Kūruš means "young, youth,..". [11] Other Iranian etymologies have been proposed. The Indian proposal of Skalmowsky goes down to "to do, accomplish". Another theory is the suggestion of Karl Hoffmann that kuruš goes down to a -ru derivation from the IE root *(s)kau meaning "to humiliate"[2] and accordingly 'kuruš (hence "Cyrus") means "humiliator (of the enemy in verbal contest)"[1].

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Rüdiger Schmitt (i. The name).
  2. ^ a b c d e Iranica in the Achaemenid Period p. 528
  3. ^ Max Mallowan (chapter 7, Cyrus the Great)
  4. ^ Tolam p. 55.
  5. ^ Tolam p. 82.
  6. ^ Max Mallowan (chapter 7, Cyrus the Great), p. 395.
  7. ^ for example Ghirshman p. 246
  8. ^ Rüdiger Schmitt (vi. Cyrus the Younger)
  9. ^ Plutarch, Artoxerxes in (Parallel lives).
  10. ^ Epitome of Ctesias' Persica 52.
  11. ^ J. Harmatta pp. 5-6

References

  • Template:Cite article
  • Schmitt, Rüdiger; Shahbazi, A. Shapur; Dandamayev, Muhammad A.; Zournatzi, Antigoni. "Cyrus". Encyclopaedia Iranica. Vol. Vol. 6. ISBN 0939214784. {{cite encyclopedia}}: |volume= has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameters: |accessyear=, |month=, |accessmonth=, and |coauthors= (help)
  • Tavernier, Jan (2007). Iranica in the Achaemenid Period (ca. 550-330 B.C.): Linguistic Study of Old Iranian Proper Names and Loanwords, Attested in Non-Iranian Texts. Peeters Publishers. ISBN 9042918330.
  • Tolman, Herbert Cushing (1908). Ancient Persian Lexicon. American Book Company. ISBN 0790526131.
  • Cambridge History of Iran: Vol. 2 ; The Median and Achaemenian periods. Cambridge University Press. 1985. ISBN 0521200911.
  • Harmatta, János (1971). "The Rise of the Old Persian Empire — Cyrus the Great". Acta Antiqua Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae. 19: 1–15. {{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |month= and |coauthors= (help)
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