[5] Sargon I. of Accad was of Semitic race. He was established as ruler in the city of Accad, and there reigned over a great non-Semitic race, in ancient cuneiform inscriptions styled the _Accadai_ (Accadians). This word, as scholars tell us, carried the meaning of “highlanders,” or “mountaineers.” From this fact it is inferred they were not indigenous to the low plain surrounding the city of Accad, to which they gave their name. Their language contains few words for the productions of the almost tropical climate of Babylonia, but it shows familiarity with those of higher latitudes. At the time when Sargon, either by peaceful or warlike arts, was established as ruler over the Accadians, they were already a very highly civilized people. They possessed a literature of their own, which embraced a wide variety of subjects. The learning of the Accadians was highly esteemed, and translations into the Semitic language were made of important religious and scientific Accadian works. These works, down to the latest days of Babylonian power, were preserved and venerated, and many copies of them were made and preserved in public libraries in Babylonia and Assyria. The Accadian after Sargon’s date gradually dropped out of general use, and became a “learned” language, holding amongst Babylonians and Assyrians much the same position as Latin and Greek amongst Europeans. In these ancient astrological works, the same calendar referred to in the trade documents, and in the late Babylonian almanacs, appears to obtain. We find in them the same year of twelve lunar months, reinforced at intervals by a thirteenth intercalated month, and, which is very important, the order of the months is always the same. Nisan (Accadian Barzig-gar), everywhere appears as “the first month,” and is distinctly stated to be “the beginning of the year.”[6] [6] See _Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archæology_, 1874. Paper entitled, _The Astronomy and Astrology of the Babylonians_, Prof. Sayce, p. 258, W.A.I. iii. 60. As early as the year 1874, Professor Sayce pointed out that there was good reason for supposing that the twelve Babylonian months corresponded to the twelve divisions of the Zodiac. At page 161 of his Paper, _The Astronomy and Astrology of the Babylonians_, we read: “Now a slight inspection of the calendar will show that the Accadian months derived their names from the signs of the Zodiac.” He then proceeds to discuss and compare the meanings of the Accadian and Semitic month names, and to point out those in which a reference to the Zodiac might most clearly be traced.