Daniel may not have lived much beyond the third year of Cyrus. If he was a teenager at the time of being brought to Babylon in 617 B.C.E., he would be almost 100 years old when he received that vision recorded in chapters 10 through 12. The angel’s statement to Daniel, “As for you yourself, go toward the end; and you will rest, but you will stand up for your lot at the end of the days,” seems to imply that his life was nearing its close, with assurance of a resurrection for him.​—Da 12:13.

During the third year of Cyrus (536 B.C.E.), Daniel was given a vision by an angel who, in his mission to visit Daniel, had to contend with the prince of Persia. The angel spoke to reveal what was to “befall [Daniel’s] people in the final part of the days, because it is a vision yet for the days to come.” (Da 10:14)

Setting and Time of Writing. The setting of the book is in Babylon, with one of its visions in Shushan by the river Ulai. Whether Daniel was in Shushan in reality or in a visionary way is not clear. The writing was completed in about 536 B.C.E., and the book covers the period from 618 to about 536 B.C.E.​—Da 8:1, 2.