Cyrus the Great founded the Achaemenid Empire. In 550 he conquered the Medes and united the Iranian people for the first time, becoming the first king of the Persian Empire. Instead of ruling this vast empire as a dictator, he was a well-behaved emperor with humble policies and ethical methods by which he treated the conquered nations, gaining the respect of many nations. He helped the followers of other religions to rebuild their temples and return their gods to their places of worship. His tolerant treatment freeing captive Jews is recorded in the the Old Testament. The result of his benevolence was a golden era in world history and a century of creating lasting arts and cultures.
