Page:Herodotus and the Empires of the East.djvu/68

62 kings Median expeditions are not mentioned. The mighty conqueror, Tiglath-Pileser III. (745–727), marched against the eastern border provinces in order to reëstablish the Assyrian power. From a short statement in the inscription from Nimrud (1. 19) we learn that the Median people were defeated at the Biknî mountains, and were made tributary. The Median races dwelling to the east of them were assailed by the Assyrian general Ashur-daninani, but their lands were not incorporated in the Assyrian empire. It is remarkable that the Medes, in a passage in this document, which unfortunately is mutilated, are designated "Mighty" (dannûti ). Although this word does not conclusively prove a political union of all Median races, yet it implies that the Medes, contiguous to the Assyrian territory, made a greater resistance to the Assyrians than formerly. This, at least, points to the beginning of a confederation of the Median races that had before been separated, a confederation forced by the need of a stronger defense against a common foe.

Tiglath-Pileser's successor, Shalmaneser IV. (727–722), appears to have waged war only in the west of the empire in Phoenicia and Palestine. Sargon II. (722–705) devoted his attention to making secure the eastern boundaries. In the year 716 a revolution broke out in the east of the empire, at the head of which was Rusâ, the chief of Urardhi, and in which the provinces Karalla and Man took a prominent part. Several neighboring districts, especially those of West Media, also took part in the insurrection. Sargon quickly