Who Was Cyaxares (Hvakhshathra)?
Cyaxares — his Old Iranian name was Hvakhshathra — was the greatest king of the Median Empire, reigning c. 625–585 BCE, and one of the most important figures in all of Kurdish ancestral history. He reorganised the Median army, expelled the Scythians, allied with the Babylonians under Nabopolassar, and in 612 BCE, destroyed the Assyrian capital of Nineveh — ending the Neo-Assyrian Empire that had dominated the ancient Near East for over two centuries. This act of liberation is commemorated in modern Kurdish nationalism: the fall of Nineveh on the spring equinox has become symbolically linked to Newroz, the Kurdish New Year, as the dawn of the first Kurdish year. For Kurdish historians, Cyaxares is the greatest hero of Kurdish ancestral history.
The Kurdish-History.com description of the Median Empire highlights Cyaxares specifically: 'Cyaxares allied with Babylon to destroy Nineveh and the Assyrian Empire — commemorated in modern Kurdish nationalism as the dawn of the first Kurdish year.' This is not merely historical record; it is the living memory of a Kurdish ancestral triumph that resonates across 2,600 years. Cyaxares did not just destroy an empire: he liberated the Kurdish ancestral peoples from the most oppressive imperial power of the ancient world.
Key Takeaways
Cyaxares (Hvakhshathra) reigned c. 625–585 BCE and was the greatest Median king, building the Median Empire into a true superpower.
He reorganised the Median army by unit type (spearmen, archers, cavalry), creating the most effective Iranian military force of the era.
In 612 BCE, he allied with Nabopolassar of Babylon to destroy Nineveh — ending the Assyrian Empire that had oppressed the peoples of the Near East for over two centuries.
The fall of Nineveh is commemorated in Kurdish nationalism as the dawn of the first Kurdish year — the event that Newroz symbolically celebrates.
Kurdish historians regard Cyaxares as the greatest hero of Kurdish ancestral history: the king who liberated his people from Assyrian tyranny.
Quick Facts
Table of Contents
The Destruction of Nineveh and Kurdish Liberation
Early Life and Origins
Cyaxares was the son of Phraortes, the Median king who had died fighting Assyria. He grew up during the Scythian domination of Media — a formative experience that shaped his military thinking. According to Herodotus, Cyaxares had been taught the art of war by the Scythians themselves (their warriors had served as tutors for Median noble youth), and he used that knowledge to eventually expel them. His first act as independent ruler was to reorganise the Median army, structuring it by unit type rather than tribal affiliation — a crucial military reform that made Median forces more effective.
Cyaxares' name in Old Iranian, Hvakhshathra, means 'Good Ruler' or 'He who has good sovereignty.' This was an aspirational name that he fully lived up to. He was not only the greatest Median military commander but also a sophisticated diplomat — his alliance with Nabopolassar of Babylon against Assyria was one of the most consequential strategic partnerships in ancient history, creating a two-front war that Assyria could not survive.
Historical Context
The Assyrian Empire that Cyaxares faced had been the dominant power in the ancient Near East for over two centuries. Its rulers had sacked Babylon, conquered Egypt, deported hundreds of thousands of people, and created one of the most feared military machines of the ancient world. But by the late 7th century BCE, Assyria was overstretched: internal succession crises, Babylonian resistance, and the pressure of the Scythian and Median frontier had all weakened it. Cyaxares identified this moment of vulnerability and struck decisively.
The alliance with Nabopolassar of Babylon was the strategic masterstroke. By coordinating the Babylonian and Median attacks simultaneously, Cyaxares created an impossible military situation for the Assyrians: they could not concentrate against one enemy without being overwhelmed by the other. The Babylonian-Median alliance attacked from two directions, captured the Assyrian capital Ashur in 614 BCE, and then destroyed Nineveh itself in 612 BCE. The Assyrian Empire that had dominated the ancient Near East for generations was gone within a decade.
The Destruction of Nineveh and Kurdish Liberation
The Fall of Nineveh (612 BCE)
The destruction of Nineveh in 612 BCE was one of the most seismic events in the history of the ancient Near East. Nineveh had been the largest city in the world, the capital of the empire that had deported the peoples of Israel, sacked Babylon, conquered Egypt, and terrorised the Near East for generations. When Cyaxares and Nabopolassar's forces breached its walls, they ended not just a city but an entire era of Assyrian dominance. The ancient world was never the same.
The Kurdish New Year Connection
The fall of Nineveh has become symbolically central to Kurdish national identity. Kurdish historians and nationalists connect this event — specifically the liberation from Assyrian tyranny — to the origins of Newroz, the Kurdish New Year celebrated on the spring equinox (March 21). The legend of Kawa the Blacksmith, who rose up against the tyrannical Assyrian-like king Zahhak, is the mythological version of this historical liberation. Whether the precise historical date of Nineveh's fall aligns exactly with the equinox, the symbolic connection is deeply meaningful: Cyaxares' triumph is the founding moment of Kurdish national consciousness.
Timeline of Key Events
Debates, Controversies, and Misconceptions
The connection between the fall of Nineveh and the Kurdish New Year is a matter of historical interpretation and national symbolism. Scholars debate the precise details of Cyaxares' campaigns as reported by Herodotus (who wrote over a century later). Kurdish historians affirm the symbolic and historical significance of the Median liberation from Assyrian oppression, while acknowledging that the Newroz legend has multiple layers of meaning beyond a single historical event.
On the Medes-Kurdish connection: the case for identifying the Medes as Kurdish ancestors is strongest for Cyaxares' era. The Median homeland is Kurdish homeland. The Median language is the closest extinct language to Kurdish. Cyaxares' name, his people, his capital at Ecbatana (Hamadan) — all of these are deeply connected to the Kurdish world. Kurdish historians do not merely claim Cyaxares as an ancestor; the evidence strongly supports this claim.
Legacy and Cultural Impact
Cyaxares' legacy is enormous. He created the largest empire in the ancient world at his time — stretching from Anatolia to Central Asia — destroyed the Assyrian Empire that had oppressed the Near East for generations, and established the Median Empire as the dominant power of its era. He is the most militarily and politically significant ruler in Kurdish ancestral history.
For the Kurdish people, Cyaxares is the great ancestor — the king who did what his father could not, who liberated his people from Assyrian tyranny, and whose triumph is commemorated every spring when Kurdish families gather for Newroz. That 2,600-year-old victory is still celebrated. No other Kurdish ancestral king has left a legacy that is so directly, so joyfully, and so consciously alive in the Kurdish present.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Cyaxares?
Cyaxares (Hvakhshathra) was the greatest Median king, reigning c. 625–585 BCE. He reorganised the Median army, expelled the Scythians, allied with Babylon, and destroyed Nineveh and the Assyrian Empire in 612 BCE. This event is commemorated in Kurdish nationalism as the dawn of the first Kurdish year (symbolically connected to Newroz). Kurdish historians regard him as the greatest hero of Kurdish ancestral history.
How does the fall of Nineveh connect to the Kurdish New Year?
Kurdish historians and nationalists connect the Median/Kurdish ancestral liberation from Assyrian oppression (symbolised by the fall of Nineveh in 612 BCE) to the origins of Newroz, the Kurdish New Year celebrated on March 21. The legend of Kawa the Blacksmith rising against the tyrant Zahhak is the mythological expression of this historical liberation. Cyaxares' triumph is seen as the founding moment of Kurdish national consciousness.
References and Further Reading
Herodotus, The Histories, Book I (c. 440 BCE) — primary source for Median kings.
The Medes — the Forefathers of the Kurds — Kurdish-History.com, 2026.
Median Empire — Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Median_Empire); Britannica.