Page:Light and truth.djvu/47

Rh of Babylonia, built by Nimrod, and supposed to be the same with Calno, (Isa. x. 9,) Canneh, (Ezek. xxvii. 23,) and the Ctesiphon of more modern times. It was situated on the east bank of the Tigris, opposite to Babylon, and was a place of commercial importance.

. (2 Chron. xxxv. 20.) A town on the eastern bank of the Euphrates, the Chebar, or Khaboor, falls into it. It is now known as Kirkisia. It was taken from the Assyrians by the king of Egypt, (2 Kings xxiii. 29,) who left it in charge of a garrison. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, afterwards took it from the Egyptians, with great slaughter, in fulfilment of the remarkable prophecy of Jeremiah.—(Jer. xlvi. 1-12.)

. (Gen. x. 10.) A city of Chaldea, built by Nimrod, on the Tigris. It was called Erecca and Aracca, by the Greeks and Romans. Some have supposed there were two places of this name; and others, that Erech was the same with Edessa, [now Orfah,] in northern Mesopotamia.

. (2 Kings xvii. 6; xviii. 11.) A province of Assyria, supposed by some, to be the same with Calah, (Gen. x. 12,) and with Holwan, or Cholwan, of the modern Arabs.

. A town standing on a small river of the same name, which flowed into the Euphrates through the north-western part of Mesopotamia. It was called after the eldest brother of Abraham. Near this town occurred the celebrated defeat, by the Parthians, of the Roman army under Crassus, who was slain, with 20,000 of his men, B.C. 53. The place still retains its ancient name, and is peopled by a few Arabs.

The city of, (Jonah iii. 6,) the capital of Assyria, (2 Kings xix. 36,) and rival of Babylon, was situated on the Tigris, north-east of Babylon, probably near the modern village of Nania, opposite to Mosul. It signifies the dwelling of Ninus, and therefore we may presume was founded by Nimrod, also called Ninus, after his son, though some regard Asshur as the founder. According to Diodorus Siculus, Nineveh became one of the largest cities in the world. It was 19 miles in length, and 11 in breadth, and from 48 to 50 miles in circumference, [as may be inferred from Jonah's account, (Jonah