Cyropaedia: The Education of Cyrus (Forgotten Books)

Cyropaedia (from Greek Kurou paideia "The education of Cyrus") is a "partly fictional biography" of Cyrus the Great, written by the Athenian gentleman-soldier Xenophon.

In substance, the Cyropaedia is "a political romance, describing the education of the ideal ruler, trained to rule as a benevolent despot over his admiring and willing subjects."

Although it is "generally agreed" that Xenophon "did not intend Cyropaedia as history," what other literary genre the work may belong to remains unclear. Its validity as a source of Achaemenid history has been repeatedly questioned, and numerous descriptions of events or personae have been determined to be in error. Other issues have been noted to be anachronistic and/or have a historic bias.

Xenophon (ca. 431 - 355 BC) was not a contemporary of Cyrus (ca. 580 - 530 BC) and it is likely that at least some of the historiographer's observations were based on events that occurred at the later Achaemenid court. It is also probable that stories of the great King were recounted (and embellished) by court society and that these are the basis of Xenophon's text. (Quote from wikipedia.org)

About the Author

Xenophon (431BC - 355BC)
Xenophon, son of Gryllus, of the deme Erchia of Athens, was a soldier, mercenary and a contemporary and admirer of Socrates. He is known for his writings on the history of his own times, the sayings of Socrates, and the life of Greece.

Xenophon's birth date is uncertain, but most scholars agree that he was born in 431 BC around Athens, Greece. Xenophon was born the son of an Athenian knight, thus granting him access to certain privileges of the aristocracy of Ancient Greece. While a young man, Xenophon participated in the expedition led by Cyrus the Y