Page:Light and truth.djvu/46

44 Nineveh, and married Semiramis, a female conqueror and able sovereign, who could assemble 200,000 men; and by her had a son, named Ninyas. Semiramis assumed the sovereign power during the minority of her son. She swayed the sceptre with great dignity, for the space of forty years. She enlarged her empire, and visited every part of her vast domains. She built cities in various districts of the Assyrian kingdom, and cut roads through mountains, in order to make the intercourse between the provinces easy.—[Assyrian Chronology.]

The early history of Assyria is involved in obscurity. We know from the sacred history that it was a powerful nation. (Num. xxiv. 22.) And its capital was one of the most renowned of the eastern world.—[See Nineveh.] It fell into the hands of the Medes; the monarchy was divided between them and the Babylonians, and the very name of Assyria was thenceforth forgotten.—[See, page 24.]

. (Gen. x. 10.) A city in Shinar, built by Nimrod. Modern travellers have intimated the probability that the ruins of this ancient city are to be seen about six miles from the present Bagdad.

The present city of stands upon the site of Seleucia. It was founded A.D. 762,. by the Saracens, and continued to be the seat of their Caliphs for 500 years. It then experienced various changes, till A.D. 1638, when it fell into the hands of the Turks, who still retain it. Though greatly reduced from the splendor and size it had when under the Saracens, it still enjoys a great trade, especially to Persia; and has a population of 20,000 inhabitants.

The great city of was founded by the descendants of Ham. [Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath, the great.]—(Gen. xi. 18; Amos v. 2; 2 Kings xvii. 24; 2 Chron. viii. 4.)

The city of, in the land of Hamath, where Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, gave judgment against Zedekiah, king of Judah, and slew Zedekiah's sons before his eyes. Also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah in Riblah, and bound Zedekiah with chains, and carried him to Babylon.—Jer. xxxix. 5-7)

, (Gen. x. 10; Amos vi. 2.) One of the cities