The story of Assyria from the rise of the Empire to the fall of Nineveh (continued from "The story of Chaldea")

Front matter

D | iiii

THE STORY OF THE NATIONS

I2MO, ILLUSTRATED. PER VOL., $1.50

II. The First Empire. — Tiglath Pileser I. . 40-66

§ 1. Lakes Van and Urumieh and the Dead Sea. — § 2. The " Lands of Nairi."— § 3. The rock sculpture of Tiglath-Pileser I. by the sources of the Tigris. — § 4. The cylinder of

iii iv CLASSIFIED CONTENTS.

Tiglath-Pileser I. used for. a test of Assyriology.— §§ 5, 6, 7. Tiglath-Pileser's campaigns to Na'i'ri, as narrated on the cylinder.^ 8. His expeditions to the west. First mention of ■ the Aramaeans. Beginning of this race's long political career.^ 9. Tiglath-Pileser's summing up of his military achievements.— § 10. His wise home-rule.— § 11. His hunting exploits and love of sport.— § 12. His flying visit to the sea-coast.— § 13. His last years troubled with disasters. Unfortunate expedition to Babylonia.— § 14. Blank in the history of Assyria after Tiglath-Pileser, and for the space of 200 years.— § 15. Tiglath-Pileser the real founder of Assyria's greatness.

III. The Sons of Canaan ; Their Migrations

The Phoenicians .... 67-102 § 1. Wealth and greatness of the Phoenicians about 1100 B.C.— §. 2. The Canaanitic races. The "Pount" or "Puna."— §3. Conjectures about their early migrations — § 4. Pre-Canaanitic inhabitants of Syria and Palestine.— § 5. Conjectures as to " who were these people ? " — § 6. Th Phoenicians and their narrow sea-coast home.— § 7. Rise of their trade and wealth.— § 8. The purple dye. What a small shell-fish did for a nation.— § 9. It promotes maritime discoveries and colonization. — § 10. Voyages for tin. — § 11. Tarshish.— § 12. The " Cassiterides." Land route across France and sea route to the English ' Tin Islands."— § 13. The Pillars of Melkarth. Gades. Tales about Tarshish. § 14. Trade with amber. Land route across Germany. — § 15. Land routes across Western Asia. — § 16. Great wealth and splendor of Tyre.— § 17. Money-making the key to the Phoenician character and historical mission. — § 18. They are wanting in literary gifts, and lack inventiveness and originality.—§ 19. Their great importance as the agents for spreading material civilization and establishing intercourse between distant countries.— They may be called the Peddlers of the Ancient World. Low moral standard of such a mission.

CLASSIFIED CONTENTS.

IV

The Sons of Canaan. Their Religion. — Sacrifice as an Institution. — Human Sacrifices .... 103-144

§ 1. Materialism and sensuality distinctive features of the Hamitic races. — § 2. Materialistic character of their religions, yet with a certain tendency towards monotheism. — § 3. Dualism of Canaanitic religions. Baal, Moloch and Ashtoreth. — § 4. Melkarth, the Baal of Tyre. — § 5. Obscurity of Phoenician myths. — § 6. Ashtoreth and her different forms. — § 7. High places, sacred groves and the Ashera. — §§ 8, 9. Baal and his different forms. — §§ 10, 11. Self-torture and human sacrifice features of ancient worship. — §§ 12, 13. The nature of ancient sacrifice. — § 14. Consecration a form of sacrifice. Sacrifice, to be perfect, demands destruction of the object offered. — § 15. Victims or offerings, to be acceptable, must be perfect of their kind. — § 16. Human sacrifices a logical sequence and culmination of the idea of sacrifice ; sacrifices of children the most valuable, hence the most perfect of all. — § 17. The sacrifice of the first born a primeval institution ; consecration and ransom substituted at a more advanced and milder stage of culture. — § 18. Human sacrifices supposed to be of divine institution. Phoenician legend on the subject. — § 19. The legend illustrated by the sacrifice offered by Mesha, king of Moab. — § 20. Hindu legends. — § 21. Greek legend. — §§ 22-24. Intense emotional nature of the Orientals. — Orgiastic religions. — § 25. Human sacrifices the special due of Baal Moloch, the Destroyer, in times of public calamity.— :§§ 26-28. Child-sacrifices at Carthage and among the Jews. — § 29. Vows. The Jewish " Kherem." — § 30. Sanchoniatho and the garbled account of Phoenician Cosmogony. — § 31. The myth and worship of Adonis-Thammuz. — § 32. The Kabirim. — § 33. The Phoenicians carry their religion and worship to their colonies.

Vl CLASSIFIED CONTENTS.

V. Page

The Neighbors of Asshur. — Revival of the

§ 1. Revival of Assyria. — § 2. The "Limmu" and the Eponym Canon. — § 3. State of affairs in Syria. — § 4. Along the sea-coast. — § 5. Growth of Israel. The Hebrew monarchy.— § 6. Idolatry long tolerated. The centre of national worship established at Jerusalem. — § 7. Solomon's despotism.— § 8. The division of Israel a consequence of Solomon's harsh rule. § 9. The revival of Assyria favored by the dissensions in Syria. — § 10. Renewal of Assyrian conquests in the North. — § 11. King Asshurnazirpal. His campaign in Nai'ri. — § 12. His atrocious cruelty. He collects tribute from the Phoenician cities. — § 13. His constructions. Rebuilds Kalah and makes it his residence. — § 14. The sculptures of his time. — § 15. His hunts. — § 16. The rise of the Kaldu (Chaldeans proper). — § 17. The princes of Chaldea. Their policy and ambition.

VI. Shalmaneser II. — Asshur and Israel . 175

§ I. Character of Shalmaneser II. 's reign. — § 2. Summary of his military career. — § 3. First campaigns. — § 4. First Syrian expedition. The Syrian League. — § 5. Alliance between Ahab of Israel and Benhadad of Damascus. — § 6. Battle of Karkar. — § 7. Second Syrian campaign. — § 8. Third Syrian campaign. Submission of Jehu of Israel. — § 9. The Black Obelisk. — § 10. Jehu's submission not mentioned in the Bible. — § 11. The gates of Balawat. — § 12. Shalmaneser's retirement. Rebellion of his eldest son. Accession of his other son, Shamshi-Raman III. — § 13. Raman-Nirari III.— §§ 14-16. The Story of Semiramis.— § 17. Utter historical worthlessness of the story. — § 18. Urartu and the Alarodians. — § 19. Rise of the kingdom of Van. Its cult-

CLASSIFIED CONTENTS. vjj

ure and writing borrowed from Assyria. — § 20. Second Decline of Assyria. Accession of Tiglath-Pileser II. — § 21. His double name : Phul or Pul and Tiglath-Pileser. — § 22. The mission of the prophet Jonah not mentioned on the monuments. Suggested explanation of the whale story. — § 23. Foundation of Carthage.

Appendix to Chapter VI 212-217

The Stele of Mesha the Moabite.

VII. The Second Empire. — Siege of Samaria . 218-246

§ 1. Assyria's greatness under Tiglath-Pileser II. — § 2. Political Character of the Second Empire.— § 3. Annexations. Wholesale deportations. — § 4. Generals in command. — §5. Plan of operations in the West. — § 6. First Campaigns : in Kaldu, the Zagros and Nairi. — § 7. Syrian Campaign of 738 B.C. Menahem of Samaria pays tribute. — § 8. Syria and Israel against Judah. — § 9. Approaching dissolution of Israel. Ahaz of Judah's embassy to Tiglath- Pileser, entreating aid. — § 10. Syrian Campaign of 734 B.C. — § 11. Taking of Damascus. — § 12. Chaldean Campaign. — § 13. Merodach Baladan of Bit-Yakin pays homage. — § 14. End of Tigiath-Pileser's reign. — § 15. Shalmaneser IV. — § 16. Renewed hopes and revolts in the West. — § 17. Revival of Egvpt under Shabaka the Ethiopian. — § 18. His readiness to support the Asiatic cities and kingdoms. His powerlessness and Isaiah's warning. — § 19. Revolt of Tyre. Siege of Tyre by the Assyrian's. — § 20. Revolt of Israel. Siege of Samaria.

VIII. The Pride of Asshur. — Sargon . . . 247-294

§ 1. Fall of Samaria and transportation of the people of Israel. — §. 2. Sargon's parentage unknown. — § 3. His vigorous policy at home and abroad. — § 4. Discontent in the West and intrigues with Egypt. — § 5. Disastrous rising in Syria. — § 6. Battle of Raphia. — § 7. Submission of Tyre. — § 8. Great rising in Nairi. Merodach Baladan, king of Babylon.— § 9. General conspiracies and repressions. — § 10 Capture of Karkhemish, the final blow to the Hittite nationvi{{ CLASSIFIED CONTENTS.

ality. — § ii. Campaign against Urartu.— § 12. Expedition into Media.— §§ 13, 14. Popular rising quelled in Ashdod.— §15. Merodach Baladan prepares for war.— §§ 16-17. His " embassy " to Hezekiah, king of Judah.— § 18. Sargon invades Chaldea.— § 19. Merodach Baladan flies to Elam.— §20. Sargon invited to enter Babylon. — § 21. His consummate generalship and the capture of Dur-Yakin.— § 22. He conciliates the cities of Babylonia.— § 23. He receives the homage of seven kings of Cyprus.— § 24. His last military and political acts.— §§ 25-27. Construction of Dur-Sharrukin.— § 28. Marvellous wealth of Sculptures in Sargon's palace. — §29. Summary way of peopling the new city. — §30. Sargon's wise and beneficent home rule. — 31. His invocations for prosperity and long life. — 32. His assassination.

IX. The SarCxOnides. — Sennacherib. (Sin-Akhi

§ 1. Sennacherib's name long familiar from the Bible. — §§ 2, 3. General character of his reign. — § 4. His first successes in Chaldea. — § 5. Merodach Baladan's flight. — § 6. Campaign against the Kasshi and Ellip. — § 7. Preparations for a campaign against the West and Egypt. — § 8. Hezekiah of Judah revolts. — §§ 9, 10. Siege of Lakhish and submission of Hezekiah. — §§ 11, 12. Messengers sent by Sennacherib to Hezekiah. — § 13. The King of Judah comforted by the prophet Isaiah. — § 14. Battle of Altaku. — § 15. Sennacherib compelled to retreat by the plague breaking out in his army. — § 16. Second campaign to Chaldea; disappearance of Merodach Baladan. — § 17. Campaign into Nai'ri.— § 18. Maritime expedition across the Gulf into Elam. — §19. Unsuccessful expedition into the Zagros. — §20. Third campaign against Babylonia. Advance of the forces of Elam and Babylon.— § 21. Battle of Khaluli.— § 22. The Bavian rock inscription. — §§ 23, 24. Sack and destruction of Babylon.— § 25. Last scanty notice of Sennacherib's military career. — § 26. His assassination by two of his sons. — § 27. Reconstruction of Nineveh. — § 28. Sennacherib's palace at Nineveh.

CLASSIFIED CONTENTS. {x

X

The Sargonides : Esarhaddon (Asshur-akhi-

§ 1. Scarcity of monuments of this king's reign. — § 2. His "addresses" to Ishtar, and Ishtar's "messages." — §3. Esarhaddon's brief war against his brothers. — § 4. Troubles in Bit-Yakin. — § 5. Reconstruction of Babylon. — § 6. Expedition against the " distant Medes " in the east and against the Gimirrai (Cimmerians), in the North. — § 7. Arabian campaign. — § 8. Rising in Sidon repressed. — § 9. Esarhaddon receives the homage of twenty-two kings. — § 10. Construction and inauguration of his palace at Nineveh. — § n. Troubles in Syria. — § 12. Rising in Tyre repressed. — § 13. Egyptian campaign. — § 14. Esarhaddon's abdication and death. — § 15. Appointment of Shamash-Shumukin to the viceroyalty of Babylon.

XI. The Gathering of the Storm. — The last

Comer among the Great Races . . 347-370

§§ 1-3. Appearance on the scene of the Aryan race, the last among the four great races. — § 4. Migrations of the Aryan or Indo-European race. — § 5. Its great qualities. — § 6.Ariana.— § 7. Eran and Turan.— § 8. The Medes. § 9. Their early social conditions. — § 10. Their advance towards the West. — § n. They supplant nations of other, especially Turanian, stock. — § 12. Aryan migrations into and across Russia. — § 13. — The Cimmerians. — § 14. Their migration into Thrace, driven before the Scythians. — § 15. Asia Minor early peopled by Hittites.— § 16. Hittite sculptures in Lydia. — § 17, in Cilicia. — § 18, in Cappadocia. — § 19. Lydia and its early traditions. — § 20. The Phrygo-Thracian family of nations. — § 21. The Cimmerians cross the Bosphorus and invade Asia Minor.

CLASSIFIED CONTENTS.

XII. The Decline of Asshur. — Asshurbanipal

(Asshur-bani-habal) . . • 37I-4

§ i. Brilliant beginnings of Asshurbanipal's reign.— §§ 2-4. Egyptian campaign and sack of Thebes.— § 5. Rising and submission of Tyre and Arvad.— §§ 6-8. Incident with Gyges, King of Lydia.— § 9. Uncertain chronology of this reign. — § 10. Assyria threatened from several points. — § 11. Danger from the Scythians south of the Caucasus.— § 12. Defeat of Gog the Scythian king.— § 13. First war with Elam : Urtaki, King of Elam, opens hostilities and is defeated.— § 14. His brother Teumman succeeds. Second war.— § 15. The Ishtar vision.— § 16. Battle on the Ulai and death of Teumman.— § 17. Tortures and executions.— § 18. Revolt of Shamash-Shumukin. — § 19. Encouraging dream of a seer. — § 20. Revolutions in Elam. — § 21. Siege of Babylon and end of Shamash-Shumukin. — § 22. Nabu-bel-zikri of Bit-Yakin goes over to Elam. — § 23. More revolutions in Elam. — § 24. Third great war with Elam. Sack of Shushan. — § 25. Tragic end of Nabu-bel-zikri. — § 26. Pacification of Bit-Yakin. — § 27. Last troubles in Elam. — § 28. Arabian campaign. — § 29. Asshurbanipal's triumph. His chariot drawn by four captive kings. — § 30. Uncertainty about the last years of this reign. Asshurbanipal's palace and library. — § 31. The sculptures. — § 32. Asshurbanipal — the Sardanapalus of the Greeks.

XIII. The Fall of Asshur 417-432

§ 1. Entire lack of Assyrian monuments for the last years of the Empire. — § 2. Uncertainty about the last kings of Assyria.— § 3. Assyria rapidly loses alj the conquered provinces.— § 4. Story of Daokes and the Medes. — § 5. Probable explanation of the story. — § 6. Median invasion of Assyria under Phraortes. — §§ 7-8. Kyaxares and the invasion

CLASSIFIED CONTENTS. xj

of the Scythians. — § 9. Descent of the Scythians into Syria. — § 10. Description of the Scythians by the prophet Jeremiah— § 11. Another, by the prophet Ezekiel. — § 12. The Scythians probably overrun Assyria. — § 13. Kyaxares rids Media of the Scythians. — § 14. Alliance between Kyaxares and Nabopolassar, the new King of Babylon. — § 15. Siege and fall of Nineveh. — § 16. Nahum's prophecy. — § 17. The prophet Ezekiel's lament over Asshur. — § 18. Immediate causes that hastened the fall of Asshur.

PRINCIPAL WORKS READ OR CON- SULTED IN THE PREPARATION OF THE PRESENT VOLUME.

Babelon, Ernest. Les Assyriens et les Chaldeens. Quatri-

eme volume de 1' " Histoire Ancienne de 1' Orient," de Francois

Lenormant, 9me edit. Paris, A. Levy. 1885. (Continued from

Lenormant by Mr. Babelon. ) Baudissin, W. G. Jahve et Moloch. Sive de ratione inter Deum

Lipsiae : 1874.

Budge, E. A. Wallis. History of Esarhaddon. London : 1880.

1 vol.

Cory. Ancient Fragments. London : 1876. 1 vol. Delattre, A. Le Peuple et l' Empire des Medes, jusqu' a la

fin du regne de Cyaxare. Bruxelles : 1883. 1 vol. Les Chaldeens, jusqu' a la formation de 1' Empire de Nabu-

chodonozor. (Extrait de la " Revue des Questions Historiques.")

Paris, 1877.

des Questions Scientifiques). Paris : 1883. 55 pages. Les Inscriptions historiques de Ninive et de Babylone.

Eine

Duncker, Max. Geschichte des Alterthums. 5th edition. Leipzig : 1878. Vols. 1 and 2.

Hommel, Dr. Fritz. Geschichte Babyloniens und Assyriens. (1st and 2d instalments, 320 pages.) (Allgemeine Geschichte in einzelnen Darstellungen, edited by Wm. Oncken. Lieferungen 95 and 117.) Berlin, 1885 and 1886.

Horning, R. Das sechsseitige Prisma des Sanherib, in

XIV PRINCIPAL WORKS CONSULTED.

Entdeckungen. Freiburg : 1885. 1 vol. Layard, Austen H. Nineveh and its Remains. London : 1849.

2 vol.

Discoveries among the ruins of Nineveh and Babylon.

(American Edition.) New York : 1853. 1 vol. Lenormant, Francois. Les Premieres Civilisations, Etudes

2 vol.

Les Origines de l'Histoire, d'apres la Bible et les traditions

des peuples Orientaux. Paris Maisonneuve et Cie., 3 vol. 1st

vol. 1880; 2d vol. 1882; 3d vol. 1884. La Legende de Semiramis, premier memoire de mythologic comparee. Paris : 1873.

und erklart. (Inaugural-Dissertation.) Munchen : 1885. Lotz, Dr. Wilhelm. Die Inschriften Tiglath-Pileser's I. in

Kommentar. Leipzig : 1880. 1 vol.

Lyon, Dr. D. G. Keilschrifttexte Sargon's, konigs von Assyrien.

Leipzig.

Maspero, G. Histoire Ancienne des Peuples de l'Orient. 4c

edit. Paris : 1877. 1 vol.

Meyer, Edward. Geschichte des Alterthums. Stuttgart.

1884. vol. 1st.

Munter, D. Friedrich. Religion der Karthager, 2te. Auflage.

Kopenhagen. 182 1. 1 vol.

MDrdter F. Kurzgefasste Geschichte Babyloniens und

Assyriens, mit besonderer Beriicksichtigung des alten Testaments. Mit Vorwort und Beigaben von Friedrich Delitzsch.

Stuttgart. 1882. 1 vol.

Perrot et Chipiez. Histoire de l'Art dans l'Antiquite.