Evolution of Human Rights – From Cyrus to the Modern Times

Human rights are embedded in the teachings of Prophet Zarathustra and Cyrus the Great was arguably its greatest proponent. The Cyrus Cylinder, a mud clay tablet with its 45 lines of cuneiform writing has passed into posterity as an iconic symbol of a great king and a legacy for humankind. Recognized as the world’s first charter of Human Rights, its provisions correspond to the first four Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The individual’s right to freedom of worship remains a key element in the creation of the new republic, acknowledging the fundamental principles as laid down by the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. While some observers question the humane principles in the Cyrus Cylinder, we must concede that this was a political document whose purpose was to make the Persian monarch acceptable to his subjects. Millennia later, the Cyrus Cylinder continues to speak to us as a manual of leadership that emphasizes the need for man’s humanity toward his fellow men.