Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 01.djvu/388

LEFT ASSYBIA 310 ASSYRIA pileser carried the Assyrian arms from Lake Van on the N. to the Persian Gulf on the S., and from the confines of Susiana on the E. to the Nile on the W. He was, however, driven from his throne by Shalmaneser IV. (727), who blockaded Tyre for five years, invaded Israel, and besieged Samaria, but died before the city was reduced. Conquests under Sargon. — His suc- cessor, Sargon (722-705), a usurper, claimed descent from the ancient Assyrian kings. After taking Samaria and leading over 27,000 people captive, he overthrew the combined forces of soldiers in the new palace, in 705 B. c. Sennacher-ib at once had to take up arms against Merodach-baladan, who had again obtained possession of Babylon. In 701 fresh outbreaks in Syria led him in that direction. He captured Sidon and Askelon, defeated Hezekiah and his Egyptian and Ethiopian allies, and forced him to pay tribute, after which he re- turned to Assyria to overawe the Baby- lonians, Elamites, and the northern hill tribes. On Dec. 20, 681, he was murdered by his two sons, Adrammelech and Sharezer, but they were defeated by their brother Esar-haddon, who then mounted ASHUB-BANIPAL, CONQUEROR OP EGYPT. FROM AN ASSYRIAN RELIEF TABLET Elam (Susiana) and Babylon. He de- feated the King of Hamath, who, with other princes, had revolted, took him prisoner, and flayed him alive; advanced through Philistia, and captured Ashdod; then, pushing southward, totally defeated the forces of Egypt p.vi '^aza, at Raphia (719). The revolted Armenians had al- so more than once to be put down. In 710 Merodach-baladan was driven out of Babylonia by Sargon, after holding it for 12 years as an independent king, and being supported by the Kings of Egypt and Palestine; his allies were also crushed, Judah was overrun, and Ashdod leveled to the ground. Sargon afterward crossed over and took Cyprus, where he left an inscription telling of his expedi- tion. He spent the latter years of his reign in building, in the midst of which he was murdered during a revolt of the the throne. Esar-haddon took the title King of Sumer and Akhad. The most important event of this reign was the conquest of Egypt, about 670. It was reduced to a state of vassalage, the Ethiopian ruler, Tirhakah, was driven out and the land was divided into 20 separate kingdoms, the rulers of which were the vassals of Esar-haddon. He associated the eldest of his four sons, Asshur-banipal, with him in the govern- ment of the kingdom (669), and, one year later, this prince (the Sardanapalus of the Greeks) became king. Beginning of the Decli^ie. — In 652 a general insurrection broke out. Egypt declared her independence, Syria was in revolt, Elam and the N. E. provinces re- fused tribute, and Kandalanu, the new Viceroy of Babylon, proclaimed himself King, while his successor, Nabopolassar,