12. Queen Tomri’s Vengeance Upon This Empire’s Founder Has Resonated Throughout the Ages
Cyrus the Great won an initial victory against nomads commanded by Queen Tomri’s son, after a ruse in which he “forgot” a huge stock of wine in an abandoned camp. The Massagetae captured the wine, and unused to it, got rip roaring drunk. Cyrus then turned around and fell upon the inebriated nomads, killing many, including Tomri’s son. She sent him a message, challenging him to a second battle, which the overconfident Cyrus accepted. She personally led her army this time, and as described by Herodoutus: “Tomri mustered all her forces and engaged Cyrus in battle. I consider this to have been the fiercest battle between non-Greeks that there has ever been….
They fought at close quarters for a long time, and neither side would give way, until eventually the Massagetae gained the upper hand. Most of the Persian army was wiped out there, and Cyrus himself died too”. The Persian army was virtually wiped out. After the battle, Tomri had Cyrus’ corpse beheaded and crucified. She then threw his severed head into a vessel filled with human blood. According to Herodotus, she addressed Cyrus the Great’s head as it bobbed in the blood: “I warned you that I would quench your thirst for blood, and so I shall“.
