Toward the end of the 7th century BCE, Babylon managed to break free from the dominant Assyrian rule, which had held sway over Mesopotamia for centuries, and established the Neo-Babylonian Empire. This empire extended from Persia and Media to ancient Egypt. Under the reign of the formidable King Nebuchadnezzar II, the Babylonians conquered the region of Israel, destroying the First Temple around 586 BCE and sending much of the Jewish population into exile in Babylon and Egypt.
However, the Babylonian Empire began to decline after King Nabonidus ascended to the throne in 556 BCE. Around the same time, Cyrus II became king of the neighboring Persian Empire and began a campaign of conquests across modern-day Iran and the Caucasus region.
In 539 BCE, Cyrus invaded Babylon and quickly seized its capital, defeating the Babylonian king with little bloodshed. Cyrus incorporated Babylon’s territories into his growing Persian Empire, which soon expanded into Egypt and Asia Minor, becoming the largest empire the world had seen up to that point.
For the Jews, this was welcome news, as the Persian Empire was known for its religious tolerance. A year later, in 538 BCE, Cyrus issued the “Cyrus Declaration,” allowing the Jews to return to their homeland. Many Jews responded to this declaration, returning to Israel and rebuilding the Second Temple.
