[52] “Ervil is the site of the Assyrian city of Arbela, and in the plains outside it was fought the great battle between Alexander and Darius. I had no time to examine the place, but I saw in passing that there were mounds rivalling in size those of the Assyrian capital. Over the principal mound a Turkish fortress is built, which would make it difficult to excavate here; but as Arbela was a great city, much may be expected here whenever it is explored.” GEORGE SMITH, _Assyrian Discoveries_, p. 67. [53] See the article by Mr. Rassam quoted on the last page. The plan (p. 52) he gives does not tell us much. [54] See LAYARD, _Nineveh_, vol. ii. pp. 45–63; and _Discoveries_, p. 581. [55] See PLACE, _Ninive_, vol. ii. p. 169. [56] It is in chapters xi. to xiv. of his second work (_Discoveries_, &c.) that LAYARD tells the story of his discoveries in that valley of the Chaboras from which the writings of Ezekiel were dated. [57] See page 145. [58] We have noticed at pages 176 and 177 of our first volume the two passages in which Strabo discusses the houses of Susiana and Chaldæa. As to the villages in the Euphrates valley, in which domes are still used, see OPPERT, _Expédition scientifique_, vol. i. p. 46. [59] HERODOTUS, i. 180. [60] DIODORUS, ii. viii. 4, 5. [61] G. SMITH, _Assyrian Discoveries_, pp. 55, 56. M. OPPERT also admits that this is the only city that has left traces that cannot easily be mistaken. (_Expedition scientifique_, vol. i. pp. 194, 195.) [62] HERODOTUS, i. 178. [63] DIODORUS, ii. vii. 3. The following passage has been quoted from ARISTOTLE’S _Politics_ (iii. 1), as supporting the assertion of Diodorus: “It is obvious that a town is not made by a wall; one might, if that were so, make the Peloponnesus into a town, Babylon, perhaps, and some other towns belong to this class, their _enceinte_ inclosing towns rather than cities.” The text of Aristotle seems to me to prove nothing more than that the philosopher was acquainted with the descriptions of Diodorus and Ctesias. He says nothing as to their exactness; he merely borrows an illustration from them, by which he attempts to make his thought more clear, and to explain the difference between a real city with an organic life of its own, and a mere space surrounded by walls, in which men might live in close neighbourhood with each other, but with nothing that could be called civic life. All the texts relating to the ancient boundaries of Babylon will be found united in M. OPPERT’S examination of this question. [64] Even now the wall of the Royal City stands up more than thirty feet above the level of the plain. [65] HERODOTUS says nothing of the tunnel; DIODORUS alone mentions it (ii. ix. 2). See OPPERT on this subject. He believes in its existence (_Expédition scientifique_, vol. i. p. 193).