Page:Herodotus and the Empires of the East.djvu/17

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In recent years the literature of the Babylonians and Assyrians has been made accessible through numerous explorations in the Tigris and Euphrates valleys, and Assyriology has gained a certain accuracy of interpretation. Therefore scholars are now in a position to determine the worth of classical writers respecting the history of the East. Early investigations of Assyriologists show a strong tendency to undervalue the Greek writings. Whenever the Greek narrative was not confirmed by the cuneiform inscriptions, it was either summarily discarded as mere fable, or at least treated as unreliable. Thoughtful scholars in later times have condemned this treatment. A contribution from A. v. Gutschmid, which appeared in 1876, awakened special interest. To this Eberhard Schrader published a reply in 1818. Since that time, notwithstanding the multiplication of cuneiform documents, Assyriology has attained a well-deserved recognition through the arduous labors of scholars.