Final answer:
Cyrus the Great was considered a model leader for his commitment to religious tolerance and his fair and strategic governance. This approach to ruling, coupled with his military and administrative successes, made his empire stable and prosperous, influencing future leaders to adopt similar practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cyrus was considered a model leader for future generations primarily because of b) His commitment to religious tolerance and his fair treatment of conquered people. The Persian king's approach differed sharply from the harsher methods of the Assyrians and Neo-Babylonians.
Cyrus allowed his subjects to practice their own religions, use their own languages, and maintain their customs. This contributed to a stable and more content empire, exemplified by his action of allowing the exiled Jews to return to Judah from Babylon.
Alongside this, Cyrus's military conquests expanded the Persian Empire, while his administrative and economic policies, such as the appointment of local governors, helped to organize and manage the vast territories he controlled. His fair and strategic governance kept uprisings to a minimum, securing his legacy as a benevolent and effective ruler.