The Legacy of Cyrus the Great: Rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem

What Persian king allowed the exiled Judeans to return to Judah and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem?

A. Darius the Great

B. Xerxes I

C. Cyrus the Great

Answer

The Persian king who allowed the Judeans to return to Judah and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem was Cyrus the Great.

Explanation: Cyrus the Great, the King of Persia, allowed the exiled Judeans in Babylon to return to their homeland, Judah. This act was part of his legacy of treating the people of his empire with leniency and generosity.

Many Judeans were exiled to Babylon after the fall of Jerusalem. Despite being in Babylon, they were able to retain their cultural and religious beliefs. Cyrus allowed the unassimilated Judeans to return to their homeland in two major waves.

Upon their return, the Judeans started the process of rebuilding their temple in Jerusalem, a significant part of reconstructing their culture. This act of generosity by Cyrus was in stark contrast to the ruling practices of the Assyrians and Neo-Babylonians.

Cyrus' approach of leniency and generosity towards conquered people demonstrated his understanding that maintaining a benevolent image was more effective in ruling over a diverse empire. This marked a departure from the use of terror by previous empires.