Assyria from the Earliest Times to the Fall of Nineveh

Front matter

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Preface

The following history of Assyria is designed to give some of the results attained from the translations of the Cuneiform inscriptions, which contain the records of the Assyrian empire. Prominence has been given to the incidents of the period when Assyria came in contact with Palestine, and the bearing of some of these is pointed out ; but it is rather intended that the reader should compare for himself the history here given from the Assyrian with the parallel account of the Books of Kings. Beside the direct account of persons and events given in the Bible, there is a mass of evidence and illustration on manners and customs, language and literature, tending to throw light on the earlier books of the Bible, which renders the study of Assyrian so important and desirable.

An examination of the dates in this history will show that many of them do not agree with the authorized system of chronology in the margins of the Bible. Here I must note that, although there is a striking agreement in the order and substance of the events mentioned in both histories, there sometimes appears to be considerable difference as to the dates. As this is an Assyrian history, i have taken the dates as they appear to stand in the Assyrian records ; but it must be remembered that many of the Assyrian chronological documents are mutilated and incomplete, and that the Assyrians are not always correct in the statements of their histories.

It will be seen by this work that there are great and important periods of Assyrian history of which we know nothing or next to nothing; the reason of which is, that sufficient excavations and researches have not been made on the sites of the Assyrian cities. When Assyria is properly explored, there will no longer be the inequality and uncertainty which even now hangs over so much of her history.

LIST OF THE ASSYRIAN KINGS WITH THEIR APPROXIMATE DATES.

Ilu-ba Iritak

. Bel-kapkapu Adas!

Bel-bani Assur-zaldr-esir Ninip-tugul-as'ri Iriba-vul Assur-Nadin-ahi Assur-nirari I Nabu-dan Assur-bel-nisisu Buzur-assur Assur-ubalid Bel-nirari BudU

Vul-nirari I Shalmaneser I Tugulti-ninip I Bel-kudur-uzur Ninip-pal-esar Assur-dan I Mutaggil-ntisku Assur-risilim Tiglath-Pileser I Asser-bel-kala Samsi-vul III Assur-rab-amar ") or \

Assur-rabbur J Assur-nimati about B.C. 1750. about B.C. 1700. about B.C. 1650.

" 1400-1370.

" 1370-1350.

" 1350-1330.

" 1330-1300.

" 1300-1271.

" 1271-1240.

" 1200-1170.

" 1170-1150.

** 1150-1120.

" 1 1 20-1 100.

" 1 100-1080.

Assur-dan II B.C. 930-913.

Vul-nirari II " 913-891.

Tugulti-ninip II " 891-885.

Assur-nazir-pal " 885-860.

Shalmaneser II " 860-825.

Assur^dain-pal (rebel ki'g) B.C. 827.

Samsi-vul IV B.C. 825-812.

Vul-nirari III " 812-783.

Shalmaneser III " 783-773.

Assur-dan III " 773-755.

Assur-nirari II " 755-745«

Tiglath-Pileser II " 745-727.

Shalmaneser IV " 727-722.

Sennacherib " 705-681.

Esarhaddon *' 681-668.

Assur-bani-pal " 668-626.

Bel-zakir-iskum " 626-620.

Assur-ebil-ili " 620-607.

List ofKvn^i ofltrad mentioned in the Oaneiform InecripHons,

Humri

Ahabbu

Yahua

Minihimmu

Paqaha

Husia

Omri.

Ahab.

Jehu.

Menahem.

Pekah.

Hoshea.

Liet ofKinps ofJudah mentioned in the Cuneiform Inscriptions, Azriyahu Azariah.

Yahuhad Ahaz.

Hazaqiyahu Ilezekiah.

Minase Manasseh.

HISTORY OF ASSYRIA.

Chapter I. Country And People

The extent of Assyria varied from time to time according to the power of the various monarchs, in general increasing from age to age, and reaching its greatest limit about b. c. 650. The original seat of the Assyrians when they migrated from Babylonia,* was a tract on the river Tigris between latitudes 35° ^^d 37°, a space about 100 miles from north to south, and about seventy miles from east to west. During the best period of the empire, Assyria Proper extended from latitude 35° to 38°, and longitude 40° to 45°, embracing the country on the east of the Tigris to the Median mountains, reaching on the south to below the junction of the rivers Tigris and Zab, on the west extending to the rivpr Khabour and on the north to the mountains of Jebel Djudi. During the seventh century B.C., the subject districts included Lydia, Cyprus, and Egypt on the west, Elam and part of Media on the east. Babylonia and part of Arabia on the south, but in these distant regions the limits of the empire were uncertain, and the hold upon the provinces only slight.

♦ Genesis x. 11,

HISTORY OF ASSYRIA.

Assyria Proper is in general flat or with undulating

plains, rising only here and there into mountain ranges.

The principal rivers in Assyria, all of which have

Tigris near Nineveh.

a general tendency to run from North to South, are — the Tigris, which passes right through the country and forms the main artery of the district ; this river is about 200 yards wide in Assyria, but in the spring during the flood season is very much greater.

The Eastern Khabour, a tributary entering the Tigris on the East, in Northern Assyria ; the Great pr Upper Zab, which joins the Tigris on the same side below Calah* or Nimroud ; and the Lower or Lesser Zab, which also joins that river below Assur the old capital of Assyria, are the principal eastern streams.

On the west most of the rivers are small, there being only one of great size, the Western Khabour, formed from the junction of several streams, rising in Mount Masius and flowing southward to its junction with the Euphrates.

Over a considerable part of Assyria the soil is very fertile, and the ground is well adapted for cultivation ; there is excellent clay for brickmaking and pottery, and good building stone ; while the numerous streams give good positions for towns and villages.

The principal cities of Assyria are the following : Nineveh, for a long time the capital of the country, situated on the eastern bank of the Tigris opposite the modern town of Mosul ; Nineveh, which is often mentioned in the Bible, was a city about eight miles round, well fortified and containing a large population.

Kalahf or Calah, a large city 'about twenty miles south of Nineveh, now represented by the mounds of Nimroud Reson a city laying between Calah and NinevehJ, supposed to be represented by the modem Selamiyeh.

Assur, probably the Rehobothair of Genesis, § the old capital of the country, represented by the ruins of Kalah Shergat, about sixty miles below Mosul.

Arbela, modern Ervil, near the eastern mountains, a great centre of Assyrian worship.

lO HISTORY OF ASSYRIA.

The Assyrians who inhabited this region were a race of what we call the Semitic stock, and in character and language allied to the Jews, Syrians, and Arabs. This fact, discovered through the reading of the Assyrian inscriptions, confirms the Scripture genealogies in Genesis x. 21 — 31, and i Chronicles i. 17 — 23, where the Assyrians, as Shemites, are given as related to the progenitors of the Syrians (Aram), the Hebrews (Eber), and the Arabs (Joktan), all in the Bible called sons of Shem.

The Assyrians had a strength of limb and character, a vigor of mind and body, greater than the other tribes of Semitic descent, and eminently calculated to ensure their ascendency over their weaker neighbors.

The religion of the Assyrians was derived from Babylonia, and very similar to that of the latter country. Both countries worshipped the same deities, but the Assyrians made some changes in the system to give a national character to their pantheon. The principal change made by the Assyrians was the introduction of the worship of Assur, whom they placed at the head of their religion.

Assur, the great god of the Assyrians, was the presiding deity of the city of Assur (Kalah Shergat), and when the Babylonian colonists made that city their capital, its god rose to the position of head of the pantheon. Assur was worshipped as the great god, king of the gods, and father of the gods, and as the Assyrians conceived of him as superior to the other deities they would not introduce him into the genealogy of the gods, but called him ** The god who created himself.** Assur had a femous temple at the city of Assur called Sadi-matati or " the

Assyrian Mythological Figure.

mountain of the world.** This temple was a great place of Assyrian worship, through the whole period of their history.

Among the other principal gods of the Ass)rrians were — Nebo, whose worship was imported from Borsippa near Babylon. Nebo had a consort named Urmitu; they were the divinities of writing and learning, and are sometimes said to have instructed the Assyrian king like a father and mother. Nebo had a temple at Calah, and another in conjunction with Merodach at Nineveh.

Sin, the moon god, was another deity, and he is generally associated with Shamas or Samas, the sun god. The kings, when under divine protection, are said to have the moon god on the right hand, and the sun god on the left. There was a celebrated temple of Sin at the city of Harran, and one of Shamas at Nineveh.

Merodach, generally worshipped under the name of Bel, is often a companion deity to Nebo. His wife Zirrat-banit is the Succoth Benoth whose worship was set up by the Babylonians transported to Samaria by the king of Assyria.*

Ishtar or Venus was a favorite object of worship, and had temples at Nineveh and Arbela; in time the Assyrians began to consider the deity worshipped in each of these temples as distinct from the other, and the goddess of Arbela was invested with the character of goddess of war and battle.

Nergal and Ninip, gods of hunting and war ; Vul the storm god ; Anu king of heaven ; and Hea the

♦ See 2 Kings xvii. 30.

Digitized by VjOOQ IC lord of hell, together with a multitude of minor deities, helped to fill up the Assyrian pantheon.

The government of Assyria was monarchical, and the power of the king absolute. He was head of the army, supreme judge, and viceroy or high-priest of Assur ; but in practice his rule was tempered by the advice of counsellors, while each department of the state was directed by competent officers, and there was a regular code of laws for the administration of the country.

The commander-in-chief of the army was the Tartan,* and there was also a high officer or general named the rabshakeh.f The judges were called dayan ; they decided cases in the gate of the temple or palace ; and there was an appeal from them to the governor or king. The governors of the various towns were called sanat or sanuti, they were required to collect and send up the taxes to the capital, and to furnish every year the required contingent for the army. The priesthood formed a privileged class; they lived on the revenues of the temples and the offerings of worshippers, while they were directly interested in war, as a portion of the spoil was dedicated to the temples. J The priests used enchantments for removing diseases and driving away evil spirits, and divination and astrology were practiced before undertaking any important work.

Various feasts were appointed, but the most remarkable were the ''sabbaths,** which were in use in Assyria as well as among the Jews. The Assyrian

X See Numbers xxxi. for a similar custom.

months were lunar, and these were divided into four parts corresponding with the four quarters of the moon, the seventh, fourteenth, twenty-first, and twenty-eighth days, being the sabbaths. On these sabbath days, extra work and even missions of mercy were forbidden, certain foods were not to be eaten, and the monarch himself was not to ride in his chariot. The enactments were similar in character to those of the Jewish Code.

The laws of the Assyrians were arranged and written, and in many respects resembled those of the Israelites and other Oriental nations ; a father was supreme in his household, he could expel a child and cut him off from his property, and a similar power was possessed by the wife. If the son or daughter disowned his father he was sold as a slave, and if he disowned his mother he was outlawed. A husband had the power of divorcing his wife on pa)nnent of half a manch of silver, and adultery in the woman was punished with drowning.

Slavery was in force among the Assyrians, and whole families were sometimes sold together. There was property in land which in many instances remained in the same family. The Assyrians had a system of leases, so that the land sold returned to its original owners,* and provisions were made in the leases for alternate crops, in order that the groimd might not be impoverished.

The soil of Assyria was generally fertile, and abundant crops of grain were raised ; fruit growing ♦ See Leviticus xxv.

and cultivation of flowers were also attended to with success. It was customary for the husbandman to hire a field and give as payment one-third of the produce of the ground.

The Assyrian army was composed of contingents sent up from the various provincial governors, each government furnishing about 4000 men. These troops met at the capital or at the point of departure for the annual expedition to the number of from 100,000 to 200,000 men, and were composed of swordsmen, spearmen, archers, cavalry, charioteers, &c.

The officers were called "saki,** and superior officers **rab-saki'* (rabshakeh), another rank of commander was called tugalu, and the commander in chief "tartan.''

Various trades were practiced in Assyria., including weaving, which reached a high state of perfection, dyeing, manufacture of iron, copper, and bronze goods, sculpture and building, ornamental work in stone, metal, wood, &c.

There was a large carrying trade through Assyria, much of which was in the hands of Tyrian merchants,* and in consideration of the assistance of the king of Tyre, Esarhaddon granted to him a considerable portion of the coast of Palestine. This trade was carried as far as India on the East, and Spain on the West ; it passed through Babylon, Nineveh, Carchemesh, and Tyre.

The arts best known from our Assyrian remains are — painting, which was much used in wall decora-

♦ Ezekiel xxvii.

tion ; the Assyrian colors being brilliant and wellharmonized, and the effects produced good ; sculpture, which was also extensively practiced, and reached a high state of perfection ; carving in ivory and precious stones ; embossing ; and ornamental pottery.

Among the pleasures of the people we must give to hunting the first place ; the chase of the lion, buffalo, gazelle, wild ass, hare, and other animals, formed a chief amusement of the people, and royal hunts were organized on an extensive scale. Shows and pageants were arranged for the people, and always after a successful war the spoil and ghastly trophies of the victory were paraded through the capital.

The most remarkable feature of Assyrian civilization was their literature and libraries of clay tablets, and it is to these that we owe most of our present knowledge of this great people. The principal Ass)rrian library was at the capital of Nineveh, and the monarch who did most for Assyrian literature was Assur-bani-pal, the Sardanapalus of the Greeks ; to whose time the majority of the tablets belong. As a specimen of Assyrian writing, and at the same time an example of the superstitions of the country, I have translated one of the tablets from Assur-bani-pal* s library. This tablet is on the charms to expel evil curses and spells. It is supposed in it that a man was under a curse, and Merodach, one of the gods, seeing him, went to the god Hea his father and inquired how to cure him. Hea, the god of Wisdom, in answer related the ceremonies and incantations, for effecting his recovery, and these are recorded in the tablet for the benefit of the faithful in after times.

HISTORY OF ASSYRIA.

Translation of Tablet.

X The evil curse like a demon fixes on a man 3 a raging voice over him is fixed

3 an evil voice over him is fixed

4 the evil curse is a great calamity

5 That man the evil curse slaughters like a lamb

6 his god from over him departs

7 his goddess stands angry at his side

8 the raging voice like a cloak covers him and bears him away

9 The god Merodach saw him and

10 to his father Hea into the house he entered and said

11 My father, the evil curse like a demon fixes on a man

12 and a second time he spake to him

13 To cure that man I am not able, explain to me how to do it

14 Hea to his son Merodach answered

15 My son, thou knowest not how, I will recount to thee how to

doit,

16 Merodach thou knowest not how, I will reveal to thee how to

doit,

17 what I know, thou shalt know.

18 Go my son Merodach

19 pure carry to him

20 that spell break, and that spell remove

21 From the curse of his father

22 from the curse of his mother

23 firom the curse of his elder brother

24 from the curse of the incantation which the man does not know

25 the spell in the words of the lips of the god Hea

26 Like a plant break

27 like a fruit crash

28 like a branch split.

29 For the spell the invocation of heaven may he repeat the invo-

cation of earth may he repeat

30 Thus : Like unto this plant which is broken may be the spell,

31 in the burning flames it bums

32 in fragments it shall not be collected

33 together or divided it shall not be used

34 its fragments the earth shall not take

35 its seeds shall not produce and the sun shall not raise them

36 for the festival of God and king it shall not be used 37

38 the evil invocation, the finger pointing, the marking, the cursing, the sinning.

40 like this plant may it be broken and

41 in this day may the burning flames consume, 43 may it drive out the spell and I shall be free

43 Thus : Like unto this fruit which is crushed may be the spell,

44 in the burning flames it bums

45 to its severed stalk it shall not return

46 for the banquet of god and king it shall not be used 47

48 the evil invocation, the finger pointing, the marking, the curs-

ing, the sinning,

50 like this fruit may it be crushed and

51 in this day may the burning flames consume, 5a may it drive out the spell and I shall be free

53 Thus : Like unto this branch which is split may be the spell,

54 in the burning flames it bums

55 its fibres to the trunk shall not return

56 to satisfy a wish it shall not come 57

58 the evil invocation, the finger pointing, the marking, the cursing,

the sinning,

60 like this branch may it be split and

61 in this day may the burning flames consume 63 may it drive out the spell and I shall be fi%e.

63 Thus : Like unto this wool which is torn may be the spell,

64 in the burning flames it bums

65 to the back of the sheep it shall not return

66 for the clothing of god and king it shall not be used

68 the evil invocation, the finger pointing, the marking, the cursing,

the sinning

70 like this wool may it be torn and

71 in this day may the buming flames consume

72 may it drive out the spell and I shall be free

73 Thus : Like unto this flag which is torn may be the spell,

74 in the buming flames it bums

75 onto its mast it shall not return

76 to satisfy a wish it shall not come

78 the evil invocation, the finger pointing, the marking, the cursing,

the sinning

80 like this flag may it be torn and

81 in this da^ may the burning flames consume 8a may it drive out the spell and I shall be free

83 Thus : Like unto this thread which is broken may be the spell,

84 in ihe burning flames it bums

85 the weaver into a cloak shall not weave it

86 for the clothing of god and king it shall not be used

88 the evil invocation, the finger pointing, the marking, the curs-

ing, the sinning

90 like this thread may it be broken and

91 in this da^ may the burning flames consume

92 may it dnve out the spell and I shall be free

The clay tablets on which these texts are inscribed are of all sizes from one inch to over a foot long, they are generally covered with Cuneiform characters on both sides, the writing being sometimes so minute that it requires a magnifying glass to read it. Of these there were at least 30,000 in the royal library at Nineveh.

Chapter II

EARLY HISTORY OF THE COUNTRY DOWN TO THE REIGN OF TIGLATH-PILESER I, B.C. It20.

According to the tenth chapter of Genesis, the Assyrians were a colony from Babylonia, and first founded the cities of Nineveh, Calah, Rehobothair, and Resen.

In the inscriptions known to us, no account of the origin of Assyria has yet been discovered ; but the religion, literature, method of writing, and science, of Assyria, are evidently Babylonian in origin, and agree with the statement of Genesis.

The capital of Assyria in the earliest times was the city of Assur, situated on the western bank of the Tigris, between latitude 35*^ and 36*^ and longitude 43^ and 44''.

This city was the centre of the worship of the god Assur, after whom the city itself and the country were named, and it is now represented by the mounds of Kalah Shergat.

The government of Assur was at first by patesis or vicero)rs of Assur, who were subject to Babylonia; but these, becoming strong, threw off the yoke of the Chaldeans and founded the Ass3rriah empire.

No details of the earliest period of Assyrian history are known, and we first gain certain knowledge of the country in the nineteenth century B.C., when it was governed by a ruler named Ismi-dagan, and afterwards by his son Samsi-vul, whose date was about B.C. 1820. Samsi-vul built at Assur a temple to the deities Anu and Vul, which was restored 700 years later by Tiglath-Pileser I. Two other rulers of this period are Igur-kapkapu and his son Samsi-vul II. This Samsi-vul built the great national temple to Assur at the capital, and his bricks have been found on the site. A third pair of rulers with similar titles, Ilu-ba and Iritak his son, are known from the inscriptions. Iritak built a temple called ^'the house of salvation," in memory of some escape of himself and his city. There is no certain information as to the state or power of Assyria at this period, and we only know that the stretch of country governed by them extended from the Lower Zab to above Nineveh, or from about latitude 35** to 37*^, for one of the rulers named Samsi-vul repaired a temple at Nineveh, showing that that city was already in existence. It is probable that the territory of Assyria at this time embraced the plain of the Tigris and its tributary streams the Great and Little Zab, and the coimtry already had some importance.

Later Assyrian inscriptions state that the monarchy was founded by Bel-kapkapu, but there is no information as to his age or the extent of his rule.

One of his successors, named Bel-bani, son of Adasi, is said to have been a conqueror, and from him the family of Sargon, the last Assyrian dynasty, claim descent.

The inscriptions supply one or two other doubtful names, but still no real history, until the time of Assur-zakir-esir, who bore the title Lord of countries, and was engaged in some discussions with Babylonia. The discussions between the two countries broke out into war itf the time of his successor Ninip-tugulassuri. This was probably in the sixteenth century B.C., and from this time the country steadily rose in power and importance.

About B.C. 1450 there ruled in Assyria a king named Assur-bel-nisi-su, under whom we begin to know more of the history of the country. The Assyrian and Babylonian monarchs were at this time engaged in treaty as to the boundaries of their respective kingdoms. This discussion was continued under the next king of Assyria, Buzur-assur, about B.C. 1420, and in the reign of Assur-ubalid, king of Assyria about B.C. 1400, the relations between the two countries were cemented by a royal marriage.

- Assur-ubalid was a monarch of great renown, his alliance was eagerly sought by surrounding potentates, and he extended the bounds of the empire by war, adding to his territories Subari, on the north of Assyria.

The dominion of the Assyrians now reached to about latitude 38® or higher, extending nearly to Lake Van, on the south to below the lesser Zab, and on the east to about longitude 45*^. The western frontier is unknown ; but the rule of Assyria probably did not extend to the Khabour at this time. The condition of the countries around Assyria was now favorable to the growth of a large empire, there being no considerable state near Assyria except Babylonia. All the country west of Assyria was open to the inroads of the Egyptians, now in the height of their power. The armies of the Phariohs in the fifteenth and fourteenth centuries B.C. repeatedly crossed Upper Syria, and sometimes advanced to Nineveh, and although some of the small states occasionally combined against them, there was no power or confederacy in Western Asia able to withstand them. Assyria itself was gradually absorbing the various small states to the north and west, and Assur-ubalid, who enlarged the empire, decorated Nineveh, a city more in the centre of the coimtry than the old capital Assur, which lay too close to the Babylonian frontier. The temple of Ishtar, the goddess of Nineveh, which had been restored by Samsi-vul, had fallen into decay, and was now rebuilt with splendor by Assur-ubalid.

On the death of Assur-ubalid he was succeeded by his son Bel-nirari, who, on the occurrence of a revolution at Babylon, marched into that country and defeated the new party.

Budil, son of Bel-nirari, succeeded his father about B.C. 1350; he was a conqueror, and subdued many peoples in the forest and mountain regions east of Assyria, among these he made tributary the Turuki, Niri, Quti or Goim, Gunuhlami, and Suti. At the capital city, Assur, Budil built a palace, which is the earliest known royal residence in Assyria.

The next monarch was Vul-nirari I., son of Budil, B.C. 1330, a great ruler, under whom Ass3nria became the most powerful state of the time. He defeated the Babylonians and extended the empire on the south to Lubdi near the Tigris ; and overrunning the district of the Khabour, conquered the Shuites to Rapiqu, a Babylonian city on the Euphrates. On the north he reduced the Subari, who had been previously attacked by Assur-ubalid, and on the east he conquered the Quti and Lulumi. Vul-nirari enlarged the palace at Assur, and restored the causeway to the temple of Assur.

The empire now already included nearly all Assyria Proper and part of Mesopotamia, extending from about longitude 40° to 45 ^^ and latitude 35*^ to

38°.

Shalmaneser I. succeeded his father Vul-nirari about B.C. 1300, and continued his conquests ; he defeated the Muzri, by whom we may perhaps understand the Egyptians, who were then powerful in Asia, and he conquered the region at the head waters of the Tigris, where he settled an Assyrian colony^ The fame of Shalmaneser rests more on his buildings than his conquests ; at Assur, the old capital, he enlarged the palace, and restored the great temple called *'the mountain of the world." He, however, gave a great blow to the importance of Assur, by founding a palace at Nineveh and making that city a royal residence, and by building a new city about eighteen miles south of Nineveh, which was- called Calah. Shalmaneser also restored the temple of

Ishtar at Nineveh, and dedicated some votive dishes to the goddess.

On the death of Shalmaneser his son Tugulti-ninip ascended the throne, about B.C. 1271. Under this monarch the Assyrian dominion continued to increase, and war breaking out with Babylonia, the Assyrian king conquered that country and ruled over all the valley of the Euphrates and Tigris, from the Armenian mountains to the Persian Gulf, taking the titles " king of nations, king of Sumir and Akkad, and conqueror of Karduniyas." Tugulti-ninip resided at Nineveh, and further adorned the temple of Ishtar there.