Title: History of Egypt, Chaldæa, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, Volume 8 (of 12)
Author: G. Maspero
Editor: A. H. Sayce
Translator: M. L. McClure
Release date: December 16, 2005 [eBook #17328]
Most recently updated: December 13, 2020
Language: English
Credits: Produced by David Widger
Character set: ISO-8859-1
THE STRUGGLE OF SENNACHERIB WITH JUDÆA AND EGYPT—DESTRUCTION OF BABYLON
The upheaval of the entire Eastern world on the accession of Sennacherib—Revolt of Babylon: return of Merodach-baladan and his efforts to form a coalition against Assyria; the battle of Kish (703 B.C.)—Belibni, King of Babylon (702-699 B.C.)—Sabaco, King of Egypt, Amenertas and Pionkhi, Shàbî-toku—Tyre and its kings after Ethbaal II.: Phoenician colonisation in Libya and the foundation of Carthage—The Kingdom of Tyre in the time of Tiglath-pileser III. and Sargon: Elulai—Judah and the reforms of Hezekiah; alliance of Judah and Tyre with Egypt, the downfall of the Tyrian kingdom (702 B.C.)—The battle of Altaku and the siege of Jerusalem: Sennacherib encamped before Lachish, his Egyptian expedition, the disaster at Pelusium.
Renewed revolt of Babylon and the Tabal (699 B.C.); flight of the people of Bît-Yakîn into Elamite territory; Sennacherib’s fleet and descent on Nagitu (697-696 B.C.)—Khalludush invades Karduniash (695 B.C.); Nirgal-ushezib and Mushesîb-marduk at Babylon (693-689 B.C.)—Sennacherib invades Elam (693 B.C.): battle of Khalulê (692 B.C.), siege and destruction of Babylon (689 B.C.)—Buildings of Sennacherib at Nineveh: his palace at Kouyunjik; its decoration with battle, hunting, and building scenes.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I—SENNACHERIB (705-681 B.C.)
CHAPTER II—THE POWER OF ASSYRIA AT ITS ZENITH; ESARHADDON AND ASSUR-BANI-PAL
CHAPTER III—THE MEDES AND THE SECOND CHALDÆAN EMPIRE
List of Illustrations
011.jpg Clay Seal With Cartouche of Sabaco
017.jpg a Phoenician Galley With Two Banks of Oars
018.jpg Map of Kingdom Of Tyre, the Campaign Of Sennacherib
023.jpg Map of the Campaign Of Sennacherib in Judea
028.jpg the Pass of Legnia, in Lebanon
028b.jpg Esneh—principal Abyssinian Trading Village
030.jpg Sennacherib Receiving the Submissions of The Jews
042.jpg a Raid Among the Woods and Mountains.
048.jpg Map the Nar-marratum in The Time of Sennacherib
049.jpg the Fleet of Sennacherib on The Nar-marratum
052.jpg a Skirmish in the Marshes
054.jpg the Horse of Nergal-ushezÎb Falling in The Battle
063.jpg the Mounds of Nineveh Seen from The Terrace Of A House in Mosul
065.jpg King Sennacherib Watching the Transport of A Colossal Statue
066.jpg Assyrian Bas-reliefs at Bavian
069.jpg Great Assyrian Stele at BaviaÎt.
073.jpg an Assyrian Cavalry Raid Through the Woods
074.jpg (and 75) Transport of a Winged Bull on A Sledge.
088.jpg View of HamadÂn and Mount Elvend in Winter
090.jpg Asia Minor in the 7th Century
095.jpg Monument Commemorative of Midas
097.jpg the Mother-goddess Between Lions
098.jpg the Mother-goddess and Atys
099.jpg the God Men Associated With The Sun and Other Deities
104.jpg the Steep Banks of The Halys Failed to Arrest Them
105.jpg View Ovek the Plain of Sardes
106.jpg the Axe Borne by Zeus Labraundos
110.jpg a Conflict With Two Griffins.
111.jpg Scythians Armed for War
115.jpg Inhabited Caves on the Banks of The Halys
131.jpg the Town of Kharkhar With Its Triple Rampart
137.jpg Shabitoku, King of Egypt
139.jpg Taharqa and his Queen DikahÎtamanu
142.jpg the Column of Taharqa, at Karnak
143.jpg the Hemispeos Op HÂthor and BÎsÛ, At Gebel-barkal
144.jpg Entrance to the Hemispeos of BÎsÛ (bes), At Gebel-barkal
156.jpg Southern Promontory at the Mouth of The Nahr-el-kelb
157.jpg Stele of Esarhaddon at the Nahr-el-kelb
161.jpg Assyrian Sphinx in Egyptian Style Supporting The Base of a Column
168.jpg Assur-banipal As a Bearer of Offerings
169.jpg Sihamash-shumukin As a Bearer of Offerings
174.jpg MontumihÂÎt, Prince of Thebes
190.jpg Mural Decorations from the Grottoes
191.jpg King Tanuatamanu in Adoration Before the Gods Of Thebes
195.jpg Assyrian Helmet Found at Thebes
198.jpg a Lion Issuing from Its Cage
206.jpg Ituni Breaks his Bow With a Blow of His Sword, And Gives Himself up to the Executioner
209.jpg Urtaku Cousin of TiummÂn, Surrendering to An Assyrian
210.jpg the Last Arrow of TiummÂn and his Son
211.jpg Death of TiummÂn and his Son
212.jpg Khumb.n-igash Proclaimed King
215.jpg the Head of Thumman Sent to Nineveh
216.jpg Assur-bani-pal Banqueting With his Queen
217.jpg Two Elamite Chiefs Flayed Alive After the Battle Of TullÎz
228.jpg the Eastern World in The Reign of Assur-bani-pal
240.jpg Battle of the Cimmerians Against The Greeks Accompanied by Their Dogs
251.jpg Statues of the Gods Carried off by Assyrian Soldiery
260.jpg Prayer in the Desert After Painting by Gerome
268.jpg and 269.jpg Table of Median Dynasty
274.jpg Map of the Lands Created by Ahura-mazda
269.jpg NisÆan Houses Harnessed to a Royal Chariot
282.jpg Scene in the Mountains of Persia.
285.jpg Head of a Persian Archer
290.jpg a Herd of Wild Goats—a Bas-relief Of the Time Of Assur-bani-pal
290b Illustrated Manuscript in Heiroglyphics
294.jpg Remains of Assur-bani-pal’s Wall at Nippur
297.jpg Medic and Persian Foot-soldiers
302.jpg Part of the Fosse at Nineveh
308.jpg Scythians Tending Their Wounded
311.jpg Iranian Soldier Fighting Against the Scythians
330. Map of the Eastern World in The Time Of Nebuchadnezzar
335.jpg Three Hoplites in Action
338.jpg Statue of a Theban Queen
347.jpg the Saite Fortress of Daphne
355.jpg Chamber and Sarcophagus of an Apis
356.jpg the Great Gallery of The Serapeum
358.jpg Chieck Beled—Gizeh Museum
359.jpg Memphite Bas-relief of the Saite Epoch
364.jpg Decorations on the Wrappings of a Mummy.
390.jpga View in the Mountains of The Messogis
396b.jpg the Entrance to The Sanctuary of Pteria
398.jpg One of the Processions in The Ravine Of Pteria
404.jpg an Egyptian Vessel of the Saite Period
405.jpg the Ancient Head of The Red Sea, Now The Northern Extremity of the Bitter Lakes
417.jpg the Façade of The Great Temple Of Abu-simbel
422.jpg Apries, from a Sphinx in the Louvre
423.jpg Stele of Nebuchadrezzar
427.jpg Prisoners Under Torture Having Their Tongues Torn Out
428.jpg a King Putting out the Eyes of A Prisoner
430b.jpg a People Carried Away Into Captivity
430.jpg Table of the Kings Of Judah
436.jpg Bronze Lion of Bohbait
437.jpg the Small Obelisk in The Piazza Della Minerva At Home
440.jpg the Oasis of Amok and The Spring Of The Sun
440b.jpg Portion of the Ruins Of Cyrene
443.jpg Map of Lybia in the Vith Century B.c.
444.jpg Weighing Silphium in Presence of King Arkesilas
456.jpg City Defended by a Triple Wall
457.jpg Probable Section of the Triple Wall Of Babylon
458.jpg Fragment of a Babylonian Bas-relief
The struggle of Sennacherib with Judæa and Egypt—Destruction of Babylon.
Sennacherib either failed to inherit his father’s good fortune, or lacked his ability.* He was not deficient in military genius, nor in the energy necessary to withstand the various enemies who rose against him at widely removed points of his frontier, but he had neither the adaptability of character nor the delicate tact required to manage successfully the heterogeneous elements combined under his sway.
He lacked the wisdom to conciliate the vanquished, or opportunely to check his own repressive measures; he destroyed towns, massacred entire tribes, and laid whole tracts of country waste, and by failing to repeople these with captive exiles from other nations, or to import colonists in sufficient numbers, he found himself towards the end of his reign ruling over a sparsely inhabited desert where his father had bequeathed to him flourishing provinces and populous cities. His was the system of the first Assyrian conquerors, Shalmaneser III. and Assur-nazir-pal, substituted for that of Tiglath-pileser III. and Sargon. The assimilation of the conquered peoples to their conquerors was retarded, tribute was no longer paid regularly, and the loss of revenue under this head was not compensated by the uncertain increase in the spoils obtained by war; the recruiting of the army, rendered more difficult by the depopulation of revolted districts, weighed heavier still on those which remained faithful, and began, as in former times, to exhaust the nation. The news of Sargon’s murder, published throughout the Eastern world, had rekindled hope in the countries recently subjugated by Assyria, as well as in those hostile to her. Phoenicia, Egypt, Media, and Elam roused themselves from their lethargy and anxiously awaited the turn which events should take at Nineveh and Babylon. Sennacherib did not consider it to his interest to assume the crown of Chaldæa, and to treat on a footing of absolute equality a country which had been subdued by force of arms: he relegated it to the rank of a vassal state, and while reserving the suzerainty for himself, sent thither one of his brothers to rule as king.*
The Babylonians were indignant at this slight. Accustomed to see their foreign ruler conform to their national customs, take the hands of Bel, and assume or receive from them a new throne-name, they could not resign themselves to descend to the level of mere tributaries: in less than two years they rebelled, assassinated the king who had been imposed upon them, and proclaimed in his stead Marduk-zâkir-shumu,* who was merely the son of a female slave (704 B.C.).
This was the signal for a general insurrection in Chaldæa and the eastern part of the empire. Merodach-baladan, who had remained in hiding in the valleys on the Elamite frontier since his defeat in 709 B.C., suddenly issued forth with his adherents, and marched at once to Babylon; the very news of his approach caused a sedition, in the midst of which Marduk-zâkir-shumu perished, after having reigned for only one month. Merodach-baladan re-entered his former capital, and as soon as he was once more seated on the throne, he endeavoured to form alliances with all the princes, both small and great, who might create a diversion in his favour. His envoys obtained promises of help from Elam; other emissaries hastened to Syria to solicit the alliance of Hezekiah, and might have even proceeded to Egypt if their sovereign’s good fortune had lasted long enough.* But Sennacherib did not waste his opportunities in lengthy-preparations.
The magnificent army left by Sargon was at his disposal, and summoning it at once into the field, he advanced on the town of Kîsh, where the Kaldâ monarch was entrenched with his Aramæan forces and the Elamite auxiliaries furnished by Shutruk-nakhunta. The battle issued in the complete rout of the confederate forces. Merodach-baladan fled almost unattended, first to Guzum-manu, and then to the marshes of the Tigris, where he found a temporary refuge; the troops who were despatched in pursuit followed him for five days, and then, having failed to secure the fugitive, gave up the search.*
His camp fell into the possession of the victor, with all its contents—chariots, horses, mules, camels, and herds of cattle belonging to the commissariat department of the army: Babylon threw open its gates without resistance, hoping, no doubt, that Sennacherib would at length resolve to imitate the precedent set by his father and retain the royal dignity for himself. He did, indeed, consent to remit the punishment for this first insurrection, and contented himself with pillaging the royal treasury and palace, but he did not deign to assume the crown, conferring it on Belibni, a Babylonian of noble birth, who had been taken, when quite a child, to Nineveh and educated there under the eyes of Sargon.*
While he was thus reorganising the government, his generals were bringing the campaign to a close: they sacked, one after another, eighty-nine strongholds and eight hundred and twenty villages of the Kaldâ; they drove out the Arabian and Aramaean garrisons which Merodach-baladan had placed in the cities of Karduniash, in Urak, Nipur, Kuta, and Kharshag-kalamma, and they re-established Assyrian supremacy over all the tribes on the east of the Tigris up to the frontiers of Elam, the Tumuna, the Ubudu, the Gambulu, and the Khindaru, as also over the Nabataeans and Hagarenes, who wandered over the deserts of Arabia to the west of the mouths of the Euphrates. The booty was enormous: 208,000 prisoners, both male and female, 7200 horses, 11,073 asses, 5230 camels, 80,100 oxen, 800,500 sheep, made their way like a gigantic horde of emigrants to Assyria under the escort of the victorious army. Meanwhile the Khirimmu remained defiant, and showed not the slightest intention to submit: their strongholds had to be attacked and the inhabitants annihilated before order could in any way be restored in the country. The second reign of Merodach-baladan had lasted barely nine months.
The blow which ruined Merodach-baladan broke up the coalition which he had tried to form against Assyria. Babylon was the only rallying-point where states so remote, and such entire strangers to each other as Judah and Elam, could enter into friendly relations and arrange a plan of combined action. Having lost Babylon as a centre, they were once more hopelessly isolated, and had no means of concerting measures against the common foe: they renounced all offensive action, and waited under arms to see how the conqueror would deal with each severally. The most threatening storm, however, was not that which was gathering over Palestine, even were Egypt to be drawn into open war: for a revolt of the western provinces, however serious, was never likely to lead to disastrous complications, and the distance from Pelusium to the Tigris was too great for a victory of the Pharaoh to compromise effectually the safety of the empire. On the other hand, should intervention on the part of Elam in the affairs of Babylon or Media be crowned with success, the most disastrous consequences might ensue: it would mean the loss of Karduniash, or of the frontier districts won with such difficulty by Tiglath-pileser III. and Sargon; it would entail permanent hostilities on the Tigris and the Zab, and perhaps the appearance of barbarian troops under the walls of Calah or of Nineveh. Elam had assisted Merodach-baladan, and its soldiers had fought on the plains of Kish. Months had elapsed since that battle, yet Shutruk-nakhunta showed no disposition to take the initiative: he accepted his defeat at all events for the time, but though he put off the day of reckoning till a more favourable opportunity, it argued neither weakness nor discouragement, and he was ready to give a fierce reception to any Assyrian monarch who should venture within his domain. Sennacherib, knowing both the character and resources of the Elamite king, did not attempt to meet him in the open field, but wreaked his resentment on the frontier tribes who had rebelled at the instigation of the Elamites, on the Cossoans, on Ellipi and its king Ishpabara. He pursued the inhabitants into the narrow valleys and forests of the Khoatras, where his chariots were unable to follow: proceeding with his troops, sometimes on horseback, at other times on foot, he reduced Bît-kilamzak, Khardishpi, and Bît-kubatti to ashes, and annexed the territories of the Cossoans and the Yasubigallâ to the prefecture of Arrapkha. Thence he entered Ellipi, where Ishpabara did not venture to come to close quarters with him in the open field, but led him on from town to town. He destroyed the two royal seats of Marubishti and Akkuddu, and thirty-four of their dependent strongholds; he took possession of Zizirtu, Kummalu, the district of Bitbarru, and the city of Elinzash, to which he gave the name Kar-Sennacherib,—the fortress of Sennacherib,—and annexed them to the government of Kharkhar. The distant Medes, disquieted at his advance, sent him presents, and renewed the assurances of devotion they had given to Sargon, but Sennacherib did not push forward into their territory as his predecessors had done: he was content to have maintained his authority as far as his outlying posts, and to have strengthened the Assyrian empire by acquiring some well-situated positions near the main routes which led from the Iranian table-land to the plains of Mesopotamia. Having accomplished this, he at once turned his attention towards the west, where the spirit of rebellion was still active in the countries bordering on the African frontier. Sabaco, now undisputed master of Egypt, was not content, like Piônkhi, to bring Egypt proper into a position of dependence, and govern it at a distance, by means of his generals. He took up his residence within it, at least during part of every year, and played the rôle of Pharaoh so well that his Egyptian subjects, both at Thebes and in the Delta, were obliged to acknowledge his sovereignty and recognise him as the founder of a new dynasty. He kept a close watch over the vassal princes, placing garrisons in Memphis and the other principal citadels, and throughout the country he took in hand public works which had been almost completely interrupted for more than a century owing to the civil wars: the highways were repaired, the canals cleaned out and enlarged, and the foundations of the towns raised above the level of the inundation. Bubastis especially profited under his rule, and regained the ascendency it had lost ever since the accession of the second Tanite dynasty; but this partiality was not to the detriment of other cities. Several of the temples at Memphis were restored, and the inscriptions effaced by time were re-engraved. Thebes, happy under the government of Amenertas and her husband Piônkhi, profited largely by the liberality of its Ethiopian rulers. At Luxor Sabaco restored the decoration of the principal gateway between the two pylons, and repaired several portions of the temple of Amon at Karnak. History subsequently related that, in order to obtain sufficient workmen, he substituted forced labour for the penalty of death: a policy which, beside being profitable, would win for him a reputation for clemency. Egypt, at length reduced to peace and order, began once more to flourish, and to display that inherent vitality of which she had so often given proof, and her reviving prosperity attracted as of old the attention of foreign powers. At the beginning of his reign, Sabaco had attempted to meddle in the intrigues of Syria, but the ease with which Sargon had quelled the revolt of Ashdod had inspired the Egyptian monarch with salutary distrust in his own power; he had sent presents to the conqueror and received gifts in exchange, which furnished him with a pretext for enrolling the Asiatic peoples among the tributary nations whose names he inscribed on his triumphal lists.* Since then he had had some diplomatic correspondence with his powerful neighbour, and a document bearing his name was laid up in the archives at Calah, where the clay seal once attached to it has been discovered. Peace had lasted for a dozen years, when he died about 703 B.C., and his son Shabîtoku ascended the throne.**
The temporary embarrassments in which the Babylonian revolution had plunged Sennacherib must have offered a tempting opportunity for interference to this inexperienced king. Tyre and Judah alone of all the Syrian states retained a sufficiently independent spirit to cherish any hope of deliverance from the foreign yoke. Tyre still maintained her supremacy over Southern Phoenicia, and her rulers were also kings of Sidon.* The long reign of Eth-baal and his alliance with the kings of Israel had gradually repaired the losses occasioned by civil discord, and had restored Tyre to the high degree of prosperity which it had enjoyed under Hiram. Few actual facts are known which can enlighten us as to the activity which prevailed under Eth-baal: we know, however, that he rebuilt the small town of Botrys, which had been destroyed in the course of some civil war, and that he founded the city of Auza in Libyan territory, at the foot of the mountains of Aures, in one of the richest mineral districts of modern Algeria.**