ASS WR/AAVS AAWD BAA YLOAV/AA.S.

27

CHA PTER III.

THE ASSYRIANS AND BABYLONIANS.

1. INTRODUCTION.

49. To Egypt has been accorded the precedence of

possessing the earliest secular historic records, ë. #.
but an actual antiquity hardly later than that ilization.
- =T = of Egypt may
- -
be claimed for
the civilization
which arose in
|
ºil. the Tigro-Eu
phrates basin.
There is a posi
IT - º: tive date in
Chaldaean his
IIIl; tory going back
Iºl. to the 23d cen
T| º tury B. C. (2234
B. C. See T 57,
p. 30), while
|ſimiliſm CHALDAEAN TEMPLE.
authentic Egyp
tian history an
tedates this by
only two centuries (epoch of the Pyramid-builders, fourth
dynasty, B. C. 2450).
MA P S T U D Y.

See map of Ancient Oriental Monarchies, opposite p. 8.

1. In what country do the Tigris and the Euphrates rise? 2. Where
is Mount Ararat? 3. What mountain chain betweef, the Tigro-Euphrates
basin and the plateau of Media and Persia? 4. ſº.
the course of
the Tigris. 5. Of the Euphrates. 6. Where déº they unite? 7. Into
what gulf do they empty? 8. Locale Nineveh ; Babylon; Ur.
*...*
28 A.VC/EAV7" OA&AEAV7A/ MOAVAA’C///E.S.

50. If, however, leaving profane records we take the guid.

The scripture claim
record.
ance ofantheeven
Hebrew Scriptures,
greater this The
antiquity. regionBible
will

places the commencement of the history of mankind in the

Tigro-Euphrates basin. “And it came to pass,” says the
Book of Genesis, “as they journeyed from the east, that they
found a plain in the land of Shi'nar;” and they dwelt there.”
7%ere the Scriptures place the building of Babel, the first
great city founded after the Deluge, and there occurred the
confusion of tongues and the dispersion of races. It is an
interesting fact that the record of this event is preserved in
the Babylonian tradition, as well as in the Mosaic narra
tive. -

51. Two great rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates, take
sketch ef geog- their rise in the highlands of Armenia, and
raphy. unite near the head of the Persian Gulf, which
receives their waters after the Euphrates has flowed about
1780 miles and the Tigris about 1150. The valleys of
these streams interpose as a belt of fertility in the midst of
the great desert zone that extends from the western coast
of Africa almost to the northeastern shores of Asia.
52. The Tigro-Euphrates basin comprises a number of
Geographical
divisions.
territorial
not always and
easy political
to mark bydivisions
definite which
lines. itThe
is

region between the two great rivers was called by the Greeks *
Mesopotamia, and by the Hebrews Shinar. Chaldaea was
the name applied to the region south of the lower course of
the Euphrates, and to the head of the Persian Gulf. These
we may call territorial divisions; but Babylonia, on the other
hand, was a political division which took in the alluvial
plain between the lower waters of the Tigris and Euphra
tes (Southern Mesopotamia or Shinar), and also Chaldaea
southward to the Arabian desert. Again, the territorial di
* Shinar, that is, Mesopotamia. See Map of Ancient Oriental Mon
archies, opposite p. 8.
 ASSYRIAAWS AAWD B.A.B YZOMIAAVS. 29

vision of Assyria Proper lay east of the Tigris and west of

the Zagros Mountains, and must not be confounded with
Assyria as a political power, that is, the Assyrian Empire,
which varied in extent, and the name of which was often
applied to the whole territory between the Mediterranean
Sea and the table-land of Media and Persia. Susiana lay
along the Tigris, southeast of Assyria, and was a territorial,
not a national, designation.
53. The Tigro-Euphrates basin was the seat of three
successive kingdoms: — 1. The early Babylo- The three na
nian, or Chaldaean, Kingdom; 2. The Assyrian “”
Empire; 3. The later Babylonian Kingdom.
54. As in the case of Egypt, our knowledge of the an
cient history of these countries has been very Modern re
greatly enlarged through modern research. *
By the industry of explorers, beginning with Layard thirty
years ago, Nineveh and Babylon and the buried cities of
the plain have been unearthed; their palaces and temples
have been exposed to view; the mysterious inscriptions
in the wedge-shaped or cu-ne'i form character, which were
found covering the slabs that lined the interiors of the
palaces and temples, have, by a triumph of modern schol
arship, been translated ; and thus a flood of light has been
cast on the darkness of the primeval world.

2. EARLY BABYLONIAN, OR 'cHALDAEAN, KINGDOM.

55. The earliest of the three kingdoms was the Chaldaean,

or Early Babylonian, which arose in the lower Physical de
part of the rich alluvial plain lying above the *P*
Persian Gulf. Chaldaea by its natural fertility was calcu
lated to be one of the first seats of human society. It
is the only country in which wheat is known to be indi
genous. Other cereals grew plentifully; groves of the
magnificent date-palm fringed the banks of the rivers ; the
3O AAVC/EAVZ OA’AAAW ZAZ /OAWAA’ CA//ES.

vine and other fruits abounded, while the rivers teemed

with fish.
56. Authentic history in the Tigro-Euphrates basin, as
Earliest his in the Nile Valley, commences only with the
tory. formation in Chaldaea and Babylonia of one
united kingdom, including previously disunited tribes under
its authority. The Hebrew records name Nimrod, the son
of Cush, as the founder of this kingdom ; and the Book of
Genesis also reveals to us the existence of a Tetrapolis, or
confederation of four cities, that ruled over the Empire
established by Nimrod; namely, I. Babylon; 2. Erech; 3.
Accad; 4. Cal'neh, – all of which places have been iden
tified in modern times.
57. The primitive Chaldaeans practiced the worship of the
Astronomy.
heavenly bodies. Their religion, combined
with the facilities afforded by their climate
and their level horizon, led them from the earliest times to
the study of astronomy, in which they made very consider
able progress. When Alexander the Great took possession
of Babylon, 331 B. C., he found a series of astronomical ob
servations taken by the Chaldaeans for an unbroken period
of 1903 years. These observations would therefore date
from 2234 B. C. (331 + 1903).
58. The Chaldaeans showed from the first an architect
Architecture. ural tendency. The attempt to build a tower
“which should reach to heaven,” made here
(Genesis xi. 4), was in accordance with the general spirit
of the people. Out of such simple and rude material as
brick and bitumen vast edifices, the ruins of which have re
cently been found, were constructed, pyramidal in design,
but built in steps or stages of considerable altitude.
59. Other arts also flourished. Letters in the cuneiform,
Arts. or wedge-shaped, characters were in use ; and
the baked bricks employed by the royal build
ers had commonly a legend stamped in their center. Gems
 A.S.SYRIAAVS AAWD BABYLO/W/AAM.S. 31

were cut, polished, and engraved. Metals of many kinds

were worked and fashioned into arms, ornaments, and im

#His

X- <<
BABYLoNIAN BRIck.

plements. Delicate fabrics were manufactured by their

looms. Commerce was carried on with other countries,
and the “ships of Ur" traded along the shores of the
Persian Gulf.
60. The site of Ur is believed to have been identified
with certain mounds and ruins on the banks of
the lower Euphrates. This place is interesting
In connection with Abraham, who was born at “Ur of the
Chaldees.” The period of Abraham is usually put at about
two thousand years before the Christian era. The belief is
that Chaldaea contained at this time a Semitic population
which professed a pure form of religion, in the midst of the
idolatrous Chaldaeans ; and hence Abraham, who was a
Semite, emigrated with his family and flocks and herds to
the land of Canaan.
61. The Chaldaean monarchy continued for several cen
turies; but about the 13th century B. C. it took Decline of
a secondary position, and the newly arisen As- Chaldea.
syrian nation became the dominant power of Mesopotamia.
32 4 AVC//ZAVZ O/C/AAVZAZ MOMAACHIES.

Nº
-v

|
= – ". º º

3. ASSYRIA.

62. The Assyrians are believed to have been a Semitic

Early history.
population who originally lived in Chaldaea, but
who at an early period removed to the upper
course of the Tigris. Here there grew up a kingdom which
at first was subject to the Chaldaean ruler at Babylon, but
which finally, about 1250 B. C., became independent. As
syria advanced rapidly and completely overshadowed Baby
lonia; and for six centuries, down to the fall of Nineveh.
625 B. C., was the great imperia/ power of Western Asia.
63. The six centuries of Assyrian history may be divid.
Two periods ed into two periods. The first period is from
*** the independence of Assyria (about 1250 B. c.) i
to the foundation of the New Assyrian Empire under
Tiglath-pi-le'ser II., 745 B. C. ; the second is from the ac
cession of Tiglath-pileser II. to the fall of Nineveh, 625 B. c.
 A.S.SYRAAWS AAWD EAAE YZOAV/AAVS. 33

64. Among the famous monarchs of the first period were

Tiglath-pileser I. ( 130 p. c.), a conquering Chief events.
prince, and Asshur-idanni-pal (the original of
Sardanapalus, but wholly unlike that mythic king), to whose
time belong the winged bulls and lions and the sculptured
palace-walls which have been dug from the ruins of Calah.
Towards the end of this period Nabonas'sar, the ruler of
Babylon, not only made himself independent, but gained a
Certain supremacy over Assyria. The date of this event, 747
B. C., is known as the “era of Nabonassar.” In 745 B. C.,
however, the authority of Assyria was revived by Tiglath
pileser II., with whose accession begins the second period
of Assyrian history. This monarch was a great conqueror,
as were also his successors, Sargon and Shalmaneser IV. ;
but the most splendid reign during the second period was that
of Sennach'erib (705-681 B. C.), who made extensive con
quests, and was the builder of magnificent structures at Nine
veh. This second period was the golden age of Assyrian art.
65. The countries included within the limits of Assyria,
at the height of its glory, were Babylonia (cov- Extent of the
ering all the territory of the early Chaldaean Empire.
Kingdom), Mesopotamia, Media, Syria, Phoenicia, a large
part of Palestine, Arabia, and Egypt. Under the Assyrian
rule the subject states were generally allowed to retain their
own government, but their kings were compelled to do hom
age and pay tribute to the Assyrian monarch as the “king
of kings.”
66. The vast empire of Assyria was never more than a
loosely tied bundle of petty states. The rec Cause of decay.
ords of the kings, engraved on slabs and cylin
ders, reveal a constant succession of revolts, wars, subjuga
tions, and deportations of whole populations. Thus Assyria
had no inherent strength, and after culminating in the 7th
century it began rapidly to fall in pieces.
67. In the 7th century Babylon made a successful rebel
2* C
34 AAVC/EAV7' ORIEAV7'AZ Al/OMARCHIES.

lion; and when the Median conqueror Cyaxares led a force

Closing events.
from beyond the Zagros chain to attack As
syria, he was joined by the Babylonians under
Nabopolas'sar, the Assyrians were overthrown, Nineveh was
captured, its splendid palaces and temples were given to the
flames, and Assyria fell, never to rise again, 625 B. c.
68. Nineveh was rather an assemblage of fortified pal
Nineveh de- aces and temples, interspersed with clusters of
scribed. meaner dwellings built of sun-dried bricks, than
what is now understood by a city. For about sixty miles
mounds of ruins dot the banks of the Tigris: these doubtless
formed part of Nineveh ; but the heart of the vanished city
seems to be represented by the mounds that are opposite
the modern town of Mosul. So complete was its demolition,
that even in the 4th century B. C., - time of Alexander the
Great, — almost every vestige of it had disappeared.
69. Summing up what the Assyrian people contributed
Assyrian
lization.
civil mainly
to civilization,
the formweoffind that manufactures.
art and their genius took
In
letters and in science
they were behind both
the Chaldaeans and the
Egyptians. Architec
ture was their chief
glory, and the palaces
of Nineveh must have
been of extraordinary
splendor. Their sculp
ture, too, though never
attaining Grecian purity
and perfection, was far
in advance of Egyptian
stiffness and conven
tionalism: it displays a
Wonderful grandeur, dignity, boldness, and strength.
 ASS PRA A/S AAWD BAAP PZOAVIAAVS. 35

70. In the useful and mechanical arts, they had reached

great skill. They not only had transparent The arts.
glass, but even lenses; they were well ac
quainted with the principle of the arch, and constructed
tunnels, aqueducts, and drains; they knew the use of the
pulley, the lever, and the roller; they understood the arts of
inlaying, enameling, and overlaying with metals; they cut
gems with the greatest skill and finish, and in the ordinary
arts of life they were, twenty-five centuries ago, nearly on
a par with the boasted achievements of the moderns.

4. LATER BABYLONIAN KINGDOM.

7I. During the six centuries of Assyrian dominion, —

1250 to 625 B. C., - Babylon had been par- i.e.:
tially eclipsed; but the ancient Chaldaean or ion.
Babylonian nation never entirely lost its spirit of indepen
dence. When Assyria was overthrown by the Medes, 625
B. C., Nabopolassar, who had aided the Medes, received as
his share of the spoil the undisputed possession of Baby
lonia.
72. This later Babylonian Kingdom lasted for 87 years
(625-538 B. C.), till overthrown by the new extent of his.
conquering power of Persia. tory.

73. Nabopolassar, the first monarch of the new Babylo

nian Kingdom, was succeeded by his son Nebu- Nebuchadnez
chadnezzar, under whom the empire reached ”
its height of glory. Having in early life proved the sharp
ness of his sword upon Egypt, this king, during his long
reign of forty-three years, undertook other wars, in which
the siege of Tyre and the siege of Jerusalem stand out as
conspicuous achievements. Besides his conquests, Nebu
chadnezzar distinguished himself by almost entirely rebuild
ing the city of Babylon. With his “unbounded command
of naked human strength,” he applied himself to those
36 AAVC/A2AVZ OFI EAV ZAZ MOAWA RCA///2.S.

works which afterwards called forth his celebrated boast:

“Is not this Great Babylon, that I have built for the house
of the Kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the
honor of my majesty’”
74. Babylon was a square city at least five times as
Babylon.
large as London, and traversed diagonally by
the Euphrates. Its walls — 338 feet high and
85 feet thick—were studded with towers and pierced with
brazen gates. Its palaces and its hanging gardens—a
system of terraces in imitation of mountain scenery, formed
to please Nebuchadnezzar's Median queen — were among
the wonders of the world.
75. Nebuchadnezzar was followed by four kings, the
last of whom was Nabona'dius. This mon
Later kings.
arch had made his son Belshaz'zar the partner
of his throne, and it is the name of Belshazzar that appears
in the Scriptures in connection with the capture of Babylon.
76. At this time a new power appeared from beyond the
Persian con- Zagros Mountains. This power was the con
quest. quering army of the newly risen dominion of
Persia. Under the command of the great Cyrus the Per
sians had gained ascendency over the Medes and begun
a career of conquest. Appearing in Mesopotamia, they
laid siege to Babylon, which was entered by diverting the
course of the Euphrates, 538 B. C. Herodotus states that
Babylon was taken “amid revelries,” — thus confirming
the account given in the Scriptures of the circumstances of
the capture. The fearful handwriting on the palace wall,
and the terrible denunciation of the prophet, form a scene
too deeply impressed on our memories to need repetition
here.
77. In the fall of Babylonia the last of the three Meso
potamian kingdoms disappears from the stage
Later history.
of history. Conquered by the Persians in the
6th century, Assyria and Babylonia became, two centuries
 ASSYRIANS AND BABYLowIAMs. 37

later, a part of the vast possessions of Alexander the Great.

Alexander designed Babylon to be the capital of his empire,
and was preparing to restore its ancient splendor when he
was prematurely cut off. Thenceforth its decay was rapid,
and it is now a vast heap of ruins, tenanted only by the
beasts and birds that love to haunt solitary places.
78. The Babylonians were a mixed race, partly Hamites
and partly Semites, and in Some of their traits Babylonian
they differed from the Assyrians. Their “wis. *
dom and learning” are celebrated both by the Jewish writers
and by the Greek historians. They were careful observers
of astronomical phenomena, and they had made considerable
advance in mathematics. In science the Greeks confessed
themselves the disciples of Babylonian teachers.
79. They were eminently a commercial people: their
land was a “land of traffic” and their city a Commerce.
“city of merchants.” The looms of Babylon
were famous for the production of textile fabrics, especially
carpets and muslins; and these were exchanged for the
frankincense of Arabia, for the pearls and gems of India,
for tin and copper from Phoenicia, and for the fine wool,
lapis lazuli, silk, gold, and ivory of the far East.

CH R O N O L O GIC SU M M A. R.Y.
B. C.
First authentic date in Chaldaean history . - - • • 2234

Chaldaean subjection and Assyrian independence . . . 1250

Age of Tiglath-pileser I. - e - - - • - • II 30
Era of Nabonassar . . . . . . . 747
Assyrian revival under Tiglath-pileser II. . - e • • 745
Overthrow of Assyria by the Medes under Cyaxares • e 625
Later Babylonian kingdom established . . . . . . 625
Accession of Nebuchadnezzar . e e º • o - 604
Capture of Babylon by Cyrus • . . . . . . 538