The Role Of Women In The Cyrus Legend Of Cyrus

As historians observe the Near Eastern empires of the Iron Age, records and stories pave the way for further understanding of the values and ideologies of femininity concerning this geographical region. Traditional expectations for Near Eastern women were that they had to be submissive and less authoritative than their male counterparts. "The Legend of Cyrus" depicts this traditional ideology by portraying women as solely daughters and wives of men. However, some male authors began to construct the ideology that women could equally use their resources and violence to resolve political or militaristic conflicts. The tale of "Judith and Holofernes" is a prime example of this counterevidence ideology. Through "The Cyrus Legend" and "Judith and

As opposed to Judith, Mandane was a documented historical figure first introduced in records as King Astyages of the Empire of the Medes' daughter. Often daughters of political leaders in the Near East found themselves betrothed and married to neighboring realms' leaders. Traditional ideologies on femininity stressed the importance of this duty of marriage for upper-class women as a means to secure alliances and trade relations. In Mandane's case, her father Astyages marries her to the Persian King Cambyses to prevent the prophecy of her son taking over the Empire of Medes. Her status of a dutiful daughter then would have shifted to the requirement of being a dedicated wife by providing a male heir. After a year of marriage, Mandane of Media would complete this role by giving birth to Cambyses and her son Cyrus the Great. Cyrus' birth would become the proponent that legitimized Mandane's role as a dutiful wife to Cambyses in Iron Age Persia. Essentially, as a result of her actions as a daughter and wife, Mandane of Media gives historians a glimpse into the traditional values and ideologies of Near Eastern femininity for upper-class