Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 3.djvu/204

188 sion of the copper -mines on the most remote frontiers of Media. All this part of the country was now in the hands of Aryan settlers, and each small town had its independent  chief, like the states of Greece. In fact, on two sides, on both north and west, the Assyrian empire was in contact with an Aryan population, and among the twenty-two kings who sent materials for Essar-haddon s palace at Nineveh were Cyprian princes with Greek names. But the most important work of Essar-haddon's reign was the conquest of Egypt, which left the ancient world under the rule of a single power for some twenty years, and by fusing the nations of Western Asia together, broke down their differences, spread an equalised civilisation, and first struck out the idea of universal empire. In 672 B.C. the land of the Pharaohs was invaded, Tirhakah, the Ethiopian, driven beyond its borders, and the country divided into twenty governments. Vain efforts to shake off the Assyrian supremacy were made from time to time ; but just as Babylon had to look to the foreign Caldai for the championship of its independence, so Egypt found its leaders in Ethiopian princes. In 6G9 Essar-haddon fell ill, and on the 12th day of lyyar in the following year he associated his son, Assur-bani-pal, with him in the kingdom. On his death at Babylon in 667, Assur-bani-pal was left sole king. One of his first acts was to appoint his brother Savul-sum-yucin (Sammughes) governor of Babylonia. Assur-bani-pal, the Sardanapalus of the Greeks, was the &quot; grand monarque &quot; of ancient Assyria. The empire on his accession was at the height of its glory and magnitude ; the treasures and products of the world flowed into Nineveh, and its name was feared from the frontiers of India to the shores of the AEgean. Constant wars asserted the superiority of the Assyrian troops, though they drained the empire of money and men ; and the luxury, which had come in like a flood, was sapping the foundations of the national strength. Assur-bani-pal, in spite of his victories, his buildings, and his patronage of literature, left a diminished inheritance to his son; and the military expeditious, formerly conducted by the king in person, were now entrusted to his generals. His first work was to check the southward advance of the Cimmerians, who were thus driven upon Asia Minor, and to quell a revolt that had broken out in Egypt. Two campaigns were requisite to effect this, and meanwhile Gyges of Lydia had sent tribute to the formidable Assyrian monarch. War had also broken out with Elam, which ended, after a long and hard struggle, with the complete conquest of the country. It was divided into two states, each ruled by Assyrian vassals. But soon after this (in 652) the first blow vrud struck which eventually led to the downfall of the empire. A general insurrection suddenly took place, headed by Assur-bani-pal s own brother, the viceroy of Babylonia. Elam, Arabia, Egypt, and Palestine made common cause against the oppressor. Egypt alone, however, under the guidance of Psammitichus, and with the help of Gyges, succeeded in recovering her independence; the wandering tribes of Northern Arabia, Kedar, Zobah, Nabathsea, &amp;lt;tc., were chastised, and summary vengeance taken on Babylonia and Elam. Babylon and Cuthah were reduced by famine (649), Sammughes was captured and burnt to death, and fire and sword were carried through Elam. After a protracted war, in which Assur-bani-pal was aided by internal dissensions, Shushan was plundered and razed, and the whole of Susiana reduced to a wilderness. This happened in 643. Assur-bani-pal s buildings were unrivalled for size and grandeur. Assyrian culture reached its culminating point in his reign, and his palaces glittered with the precious metals, and were adorned with the richest sculpture. The library which he formed at Nineveh far surpassed any that had ever existed before ; literary works were collected from all sides; the study of the dead language of Accad was encouraged, grammars and dictionaries were compiled, and learned men of all nations were attracted to the court. Patron of the arts as he was, however, Assur-bani-pal s character was stained by cruelty and sensuality. Under his second name of Sin-inadina-pal, he appears as king of Babylon in Ptolemy s list ; arid the complete amalgamation of Assyria and Babylonia in the later years of his rule is shown by the appearance of a prefect of Babylon among the Assyrian eponyms. He was succeeded in 625 by his son Assur-ebil-ili. His death was the signal for a general revolt. Nabopolassar, the viceroy of Babylonia, made himself independent; and Assyria, shorn of its empire, was left to struggle for bare existence, until, under Sara-cus its last monarch, Nineveh was taken and burnt by the Babylonians and Medes. The seat of empire was now transferred to the southern kingdom. Nabopolassar was followed in 604 by his son Nebuchadnezzar, whose long reign of forty -three years made Babylon the mistress of the world. The whole East was overrun by the armies of Chaldea, Egypt was invaded, and the city of the Euphrates left without a rival. Until systematic explorations are carried on in Babylonia, however, our knowledge of the history of Nebuchadnezzar's empire must be confined to the notices of ancient writers, although we possess numerous inscriptions which record the restoration, or construction of temples, palaces, and other public buildings during its continuance. One of these bears out the boast of Nebuchadnezzar, mentioned by Berosus, that he had built the wall of Babylon in fifteen days. Evil- Merodach succeeded his father in 561, but he was murdered two years after, and the crown seized by his brother-in-law, Nergal-sharezer, who calls himself son of Bel- suma- iscun, &quot; king of Babylon.&quot; Nergal-sharezer reigned four years, and was succeeded by his son, a mere boy, who was put to death after nine months of sovereignty (555 B.C.) The power now passed from the house of Nabopolassar, Nabu-nahid, who was raised to the throne, being of another family. Nebuchadnezzar s empire already began to show signs of decay, and a new enemy threatened it in the person of Cyrus the Persian. The Lydian monarchy, which had extended its sway over Asia Minor and the Greek islands, had some time before come into hostile collision with the Babylonians, but the famous eclipse foretold by Thales had parted the combatants and brought about peace. Croesus of Lydia and Nabu-nahid of Babylonia now formed an alliance against the common foe, who had subjected Media to his rule, and preparations were made for checking the Persian advance. The rashness of Croesus, however, in meeting Cyrus before his allies had joined him, brought about his overthrow; Sardis was taken, and the Persian leader occupied the next fourteen years in consolidating his power in the north. This respite was employed by Nabu-nahid in fortifying Babylon, and in constructing those wonderful walls and hydraulic works which Herodotus ascribes to Queen Nitocris. At last, however, the attack was made; and after spending a winter in draining the Gyndes, Cyrus appeared in the neighbourhood of Babylon. Belshazzar, Nabu-nahid's eldest son, as we learn from an inscription, was left in charge of the city, while his father took the field against the invader. But the Jews, who saw in the Persians monotheists and deliverers, formed a considerable element of the population and army ; and Nabu-nahid found himself defeated and compelled to take refuge in Borsippa. By diverting the channel of the Euphrates the Persians contrived to march along the dry river-bed, and enter the city through an unguarded gate. Babylon was taken, and Nabu-nahid shortly afterwards submitted to the conqueror, receiving in return pardon and a residence in 