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236 Assumptio Mosis

THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA

Assyria

per Servire al Progressi della Patologia e della Terapia," 1842; (9) " Annotiazioni Anatomo, Patologichc e Pratiche Intorno le Chirurgiclie Malattie," Venice, 1843-44 (10) " Considerazioni Anatoniiche, Fisiologiche, Patologiche e Chirurgiclie Intorno la Milza, " in " Giornale Veneto di Scienze Mediclie," Venice, 1848 (11) "Sulla Pratturadel Collo del Femure," ib. 1855; (12) "SuLT Ernia dell' Intestino Cieco," ib. 1860; " Casi Pratici ed Osservazioni di Clinica Chirurgica, in " Atti del Reale Istituto Veneto, " vii. viii. Venice, 1862-65; "Sulla Piemia," in "Giornale Veneto di Scienze Mediclie," Venice, 1867-68. In addition to his medical studies and practise he devoted himself to classic literature, and at times published essays, especially on Horace and Dante.

,

,

Bibliography:

Minicn, In Giornale Veneto di Scienze Mediclie, Venice, 1878, series 3, xxlx. 318-359 Cantani, In Hirsch, Biographischea J,exttcon dcr Hervorragenden Aerzte Aller Zeitenund Vulker, s.v., Vienna, 1884; Pagel, Biographisches Lexicon Hervorragender Aerzte des Neunzehnten Jahrhunderts, s.v., Vienna, 1901.

F. T. H.

s.

But the subjection of Syria and Palestine to cus. an Eastern power was only a question of time. From about 1100 b.c. Assyria's superiority became evident, and for nearly five centuries Babylonia ceased to be a power in Asia. Assyria, however, was not in a position to subdue Syria completely till the middle of the ninth century; and then the conquest was not permanent. Palestine proper was not invaded till 738b.c. Thehistory of Assyria may accordingly be treated for the present purpose under the following periods: A. To 1500 B.C., period of quiescence. B. To 745, period of extension. C. To 607, period The first period was of no signifiof supremacy. cance for Israel the second was of much direct importance; the third was of supreme importance, direct and indirect. This division should be supplemented by one having special regard to the history of Israel, as that history was affected by the policy of Assyria, and dealing only with the latter part of

Band

with C. These divisions arc: (1) Epoch of the Syrian wars (2) decline and fall of the northern kingdom; (3) vassalage of the kingdom of Judah.

ASSUMPTIO MOSIS.

See Apocalyptic Lit-

ERATDBE, §4.

ASSYRIA

236

Ahab, son of Omri, while usually subject Damascus, gains some relief through an Assyrian invasion under Shalmaneser II. about Epoch. 854 b.c, which causes a temporary of Syrian league among the western states, Ahab Wars. and Ben-hadad II. of Damascus fighting side by side against the invader. b. Jehu, the usurper, submits to Assyrian suzerainty about 842, but gains only a brief advantage for Assyria, which has been pressing Damascus, after 839 retires for a time, and gives Hazael of that kingdom opportunity to ravage most of Palestine, c. Joash of Samaria (799) is successful against Damascus because the Assyrians have reappeared. They take Damascus in 797, and receive the homage of Phenid. The proscians, Philistines, and northern Israel, tration of Damascus is followed by the quiescence of Assyria for forty years, during which time both Israel and Judah expand under Jeroboam II. and (1) a.

The name

"

Assyria

"

the Greek form of the native " Asshur," the city on the west of the Tigris, near its confluence with the Lower Zab, from which the kingdom, and finally the empire, of Assyria was named. Assyria's relaName tions to the people of Israel are of chief and Origin, concern in this article yet a brief statement is necessary regarding its position among the nations of the ancient East, in whose history it is such an important factor. After the city of Asshub had been founded at an

is



unknown early date, perhaps by colonists from Babylonia, the settlement gradually spread till it extended to the mountains of Kurdistan forming the

boundary of the kingdom, which stretched along both sides of the Tigris. During the long period when Babylonia controlled the whole of the region from the Persian gulf to the Mediterranean sea, Assyria was its dependent. But about the sixteenth century b.c. it rose into independence as a rival of Babylonia; and thenceforth Syria and Palestine were left free from the aggressions of either historical eastern

power. Thus Egypt was given opportunity to secure a footing in Asia, which she maintained for the greater part of three centuries, though toward the end of the fourteenth century she had to relinquish Syria to the Hittites. At length the dominion of both Egyptians and Hittites in western Asia was ended, partly through invasion from the northern coastlands of the MediRise of Assyria, terranean but, on account of mutual hostility, neither Assyria nor Baby;

was in a position to occupy the country. In " consequence, the Arameans " from over the river made a permanent settlement in Syria and the Hebrews, having escaped from Egypt, reclaimed their old tribal seats in Palestine, and at last became masAfter the ters of most of the Canaanite territory. settlement, Israel was not disturbed by any power greater than the small countries of the neighborhood, whose attacks mark the period of the Judges. Thus arose the possibility of the Hebrew monarchy, as well as of the powerful Aramean kingdom of Damaslonia



to



Uzziah. Tiglath-pileser III.

(2) a.

(Pul) reorganizes the

Assyrian empire, and carries out the policy of proSubject states gressive reduction of western Asia. arc spared complete extinction only on condition of submitting to severe terms of probation to test their Northern and middle fidelity to Assyria's rule. Syria are annexed (743-738 B.C.). Uzziah of Judah, their ally, is humbled while Menahem of Israel buys In 734 Ahaz off Tiglath-pileser with a heavy price. seeks help from Tiglath-pileser against Fall of Samaria and Damascus, and becomes Kingdom of an Assyrian vassal. Galilee is annexed Israel. and some of its people are deported. Pekah of Samaria is dethroned and slain

in 733,

and Hosea

is

made

Damascus

vassal king.

taken in 732. b. Hosea, instigated by Egypt, now under the Ethiopic dynasty, rebels in 724 against Shalmaneser IV. of Assyria. Sargon II. who comes to the throne at the end of 722, takes Samaria and deports 27,290 of the people to Mesopotamia and Media.

is

,

(3) a.

Sargon

II.

(722-705 B.C.) consolidates the

Assyrian power. In 711, when Ashdod revolts (Isa. xx.), Judah is threatened for intriguing with Egypt