In theory, a Near Eastern emperor was an absolute ruler whose will was not to be questioned and whose every command was to be obeyed. In reality, the emperor who wanted to hold his empire together, and keep himself securely on the throne, did not take his position or his subjects’ belief in his merits for granted. Instead, he used every opportunity to articulate the connection between his deeds and his fitness to rule. The two Near Eastern rulers featured here, Ashur-Nasir-Pal II of Assyria and Cyrus the Great of Persia, understood the importance of imperial propaganda. Their approaches to this task, however, could not have been more different. As you read their accounts of their achievements, note the aspects of their rule on which they chose to focus. What light do these documents shed on Assyrian and Persian ideas about what made a good ruler?