Is Cyrus the Great considered 'Messiah' by the Ancient Jews?

Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Achaemenid Empire, is indeed mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, particularly in the books of Ezra and Isaiah. In these texts, Cyrus is depicted as an instrument of God's will, who allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem from their exile in Babylon and rebuild their temple.

In Isaiah 45:1, Cyrus is referred to as God's anointed (messiah), although it's important to note that the term "messiah" in this context doesn't carry the same theological significance as it does in later Jewish and Christian traditions. Instead, it signifies someone who is chosen or appointed by God for a specific task, rather than a savior figure in the traditional sense.

So while Cyrus is regarded favorably in these texts and is seen as fulfilling a divine purpose, he is not considered a messiah in the sense of a divine savior figure as later understood in Jewish and Christian theology.