Quick Facts
- Akkadian:
- Ishtumegu
- Flourished:
- 6th century bce
- Flourished:
- 600 BCE - 501 BCE
- Title / Office:
- king (585BC-550BC), Media
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Astyages
king of Media
Also known as: Ishtumegu
Astyages (flourished 6th century bce) was the last king of the Median empire (reigned 585–550 bce). According to Herodotus, the Achaemenid Cyrus the Great was Astyages’ grandson through his daughter Mandane, but this relationship is probably legendary. According to Babylonian inscriptions, Cyrus, king of Anshan (in southwestern Iran), began war against Astyages in 553 bce; in 550 the Median troops rebelled, and Astyages was taken prisoner. Then Cyrus occupied and plundered Ecbatana, the Median capital. A somewhat different account of these events is given by the Greek writer Ctesias.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Teagan Wolter.
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