Cyrus the Great, 559-530 BCE

OK. Cyrus. He was great, apparently. Let's start at the start of his life.

According to Herodotus, this stuff happened. Let's be honest, it probably didn't happen.

So! His grandfather, Astyages dreamed that his daughter, Mandane, would have a son who would become king. Astyages didn't like this. So he married his daughter off to Cambyses I. Obviously, once you're married, there's no chance of getting pregnant... (the logic here is LACKING, to say the least).

Well, Mandane got pregnant and THEN Astyages had a dream that this kid (a son, obviously. it's always the firstborn who is an overthrowing male-) would overthrow him.

BEcause this is ancient times and all made up anyway, astyages takes this WAY TOO SERIOUSLY and actually believes him. (hey, classics kids? this giving you perseus vibes? 'cause it's giving ME perseus vibes)

and astyages gets his 'trusted advisor' Harpagus (think a less evil Jafar or Hunter from snow white and aladdin) to to kill the baby in a forest (yes the baby was a boy.) and harpagus didn't have the heart to do it (I think there's a possible joke opportunity with words like 'heart' and 'harp' and 'harpagus', don't you?) so he makes a herdsman do it but the herdsman doesn't have the heart to do it either and raised the baby himself with his wife. (later in this course, you might do Romulus. if you're lucky and don't do the punic wars. if you do, this will give you Romulus vibes)

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EVEN MORE ROMULUS VIBES COMIN' RIGHT UP! --->

Cyrus (he was named cyrus) was very talented and got into a fight with the son of a median noble (this is…