=36.= The THIRD PERIOD was the Golden Age of Assyrian Art. The sculptured marbles which have been brought from the palaces of Sargon, Sennacherib, and Asshur-bani-pal, show a skill and genius in the carving which remind us of the Greeks. A few may be seen in collections of colleges and other learned societies in this country. The most magnificent specimens are in the British Museum, the Louvre at Paris, and the Oriental Museum at Berlin. During the same period the sciences of geography and astronomy were cultivated with great diligence; studies in language and history occupied multitudes of learned men; and modern scholars, as they decipher the long-buried memorials, are filled with admiration of the mental activity which characterized the times of the Lower Empire of Assyria. KINGS OF ASSYRIA. For the First and more than half the Second Period, the names are discontinuous and dates unknown. We begin, therefore, with the era of ascertained chronology. _Kings of the Second Period._ Asshur-danin-il I died B. C. 909. Hu-likh-khus III reigned ” 909-889. Tiglathi-nin II ” ” 889-886. Asshur-nasir-pal I ” ” 886-858. Shalmaneser II ” ” 858-823. Shamas-iva ” ” 823-810. Hu-likh-khus IV ” ” 810-781. Shalmaneser III ” ” 781-771. Asshur-danin-il II ” ” 771-753. Asshur-likh-khus ” ” 753-745. _Kings of the Third Period._ Tiglath-pileser II, usurper,[7] B. C. 745-727. Shalmaneser IV, ” 727-721. Sargon, usurper, ” 721-705. Sennacherib, ” 705-680. Esarhaddon, ” 680-667. Asshur-bani-pal, about ” 667-647. Asshur-emid-ilin, ” 647-625. RECAPITULATION. A kingdom of mighty hunters and great builders is founded by Nimrod, B. C. 2000. Chaldæa becomes subject, first to Arabian, then to Assyrian invaders, but is made independent by Pul, B. C. 772. The Assyrian monarchy absorbs the Chaldæan, and extends itself from Syria to the Persian mountains. After two hundred years’ depression, its records become authentic B. C. 909. Iva-lush and Sammuramit reign jointly over greatly increased territories. The Lower Empire is established by Tiglath-pileser II, whose dominion reaches the Mediterranean. Sargon records many conquests in his palace at Khorsabad. Sennacherib recaptures Babylon and gains victories over Egypt and Palestine. The Assyrian Empire is increased by Esarhaddon, and culminates under Asshur-bani-pal, only to be overthrown in the next reign by a Scythian invasion and a revolt of Media and Babylonia. MEDIAN MONARCHY.