Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 10.djvu/551

Rh which were connected with it. At first little independent kingdoms were formed, which ended by separating into two groups, one at the north and the other at the south. A third intermediary region vacillated from one group to the other. At the south developed commerce and industry. At the north, in contact with the enemy, arose Babylon, the fighting city. Colonization was made from south to north by advancing up the rivers. The north represented the military region, which in accordance with circumstances ended by imposing its domination. The first treaty known in history was that with the prince of Khite, who dominated over the western region of the lower course of the Euphrates, where the Egyptians made invasions into Assyria. There was stipulated a perpetual peace, as in all of the later treaties, and equality and perfect reciprocity between the two peoples. It was at once a defensive and offensive alliance, and a treaty of commerce. The double aspect, at once military and peaceful, indicates the constant role of the intermediate zones, which are the battleground of the enemies whom they separate, and at the same time countries of transit. In the treaty even the extradition of criminals was provided, and also of refugees, particularly of artisans. These latter were obliged to be extradited, but could not be punished by the power to which they belonged. This treaty dates from the twenty-first year of Rameses II.

This state of Khite, established in the mountainous districts of Commagene, expanded more and more for the purpose of protecting itself against Egypt. It was later called a barrier, but this barrier could be maintained only on condition of being powerful, and the rôle of the intermediary zones is not that of conquest and domination within the area of the boundary zones. The latter are the real organs of attack. Accordingly, less than a century after the treaty, the empire of Khite was destroyed by an invasion of "peoples of the sea," i. e., from the eastern coast of the Mediterranean.

Nothing is less immobile than the Orient. Frontiers change continually; states rise, expand, decline, become displaced, and die without ceasing. In any case we do not see any one of the states, in the course of its development, arrested in an absolute manner