THE ASSYRIANS--Assyria--Origins--Ancient accounts--Modern discoveries-- Inscriptions on bricks--Cuneiform writing--The Assyrian people--The king--Fall of the Assyrian Empire. THE BABYLONIANS. The second Chaldean empire--Babylon--The Tower of Babylon. CUSTOMS AND RELIGION. Customs--Religion--The gods--Astrology-- Sorcery--The sciences. THE ARTS. Architecture--Palaces--Sculpture. CHAPTER V THE ARYANS OF INDIA. The Aryans--Aryan languages--The Aryan people. PRIMITIVE RELIGION OF THE HINDOOS. The Aryans on the Indus--The Vedas--The gods--Indra--Agni--The cult--Worship of ancestors. BRAHMANIC SOCIETY. The Hindoos on the Ganges--Castes--The Impure--The Brahmans--The new religion of Brahma--Transmigration of souls-- Character of this religion--The rites--Purity--Penances--The monks. BUDDHISM. Buddha--Nirvana--Charity--Fraternity--Tolerance--Later history of Buddhism--Changes in Buddhism--Buddha transformed into a god--Mechanical prayer--Amelioration of manners. CHAPTER VI THE PERSIANS. The religion of Zoroaster--Iran--The Iranians-- Zoroaster--The Zend-Avesta--Ormuzd and Ahriman--Angels and demons-- Creatures of Ormuzd and Ahriman--The cult--Morality--Funerals-- Destiny of the soul--Character of Mazdeism. THE PERSIAN EMPIRE. The Medes--The Persians--Cyrus--The inscription of Behistun--The Persian empire--The satrapies--Revenues of the empire--The Great King--Services rendered by the Persians--Susa and Persepolis--Persian architecture. CHAPTER VII THE PHŒNICIANS. The Phœnician people--The land--The cities--Phœnician ruins--Organization of the Phœnician--Tyre--Carthage--Carthaginian army--The Carthaginians--The Phœnician religion. PHŒNICIAN COMMERCE. Occupations of the Phœnicians--Caravans--Marine commerce--Commodities--Secret kept by the Phœnicians--Colonies-- Influence of the Phœnicians--The alphabet. CHAPTER VIII THE HEBREWS. Origin of the Hebrew people--The Bible--The Hebrews--The patriarchs--The Israelites--The call of Moses--Israel in the desert--The Promised Land. THE RELIGION OF ISRAEL. One God--The people of God--The covenant--The Ten Commandments--The Law--Religion constituted the Jewish people. THE EMPIRE OF ISRAEL. The Judges--The Hangs--Jerusalem--The tabernacle--The temple. THE PROPHETS. Disasters of Israel--Sentiments of the Israelites--The prophets--The new teaching--The Messiah. THE JEWISH PEOPLE. Return to Jerusalem--The Jews--The synagogues-- Destruction of the temple--The Jews after the dispersion. CHAPTER IX GREECE AND THE GREEKS. The country--The sea--The climate--Simplicity of Greek life--The people--Origin of the Greeks--Legends--The Trojan War--The Homeric Poems--The Greeks at the time of Homer--The Dorians--The Ionians--The Hellenes--The cities. THE HELLENES BEYOND THE SEA. Colonization--Character of the colonies-- Traditions touching the colonies--Importance of the Greek colonies.