_The Coming of the Aryans_.--The third great branch of the Caucasian people, whose primitive home seems to have been in central Asia, is the Aryan. Somewhere north of the great {168} territory of the Semites, there came gradually down into Nineveh and Babylon and through Armenia a people of different type from the Semites and from the Egyptians. They lived on the great grassy plains of central Asia, wandering with their flocks and herds, and settling down long enough to raise a crop, and then move on. They lived a simple life, but were a vigorous, thrifty, and family-loving people; and while the great civilization of Babylon, Assyria, and Egypt was developing, they were pushing down from the north. They finally developed in Persia a great national life. Subsequently, under Darius I, a great Aryan empire was established in the seats of the old civilization which he had conquered, whose extent was greater than the world had hitherto known. It extended over the old Assyrian and Babylonian empires, Egypt, Asia Minor, and Syria, in Caucasian and Caspian regions; covered Media and Persia, and extended into India as far as the Indus. The old Semitic civilizations were passing away, and the control of the Aryan race was appearing. Later these Persians found themselves at war with the Greeks, who were of the same racial stock. The Persian Empire was no great improvement over the later Babylonian and Assyrian Empires. It had become more specifically a world empire, which set out to conquer and plunder other nations. It might have been enlightened to a certain extent, but it had received the idea of militarism and conquest. It was the first great empire of the Orient to come in contact with a rising Western civilization, then centering in Greece. This Aryan stock, when considered in Europe or Western civilization, is known as the Nordic race. In the consideration of Western civilization further discussion will be given of the origin and dispersion of this race. SUBJECTS FOR FURTHER STUDY 1. Study the economic foundation of Egypt. Babylon. Arabia. 2. Why did Oriental nations go to war? Show by example. 3. What did Egypt and Babylon contribute of lasting value to civilization? {169} 4. What was the Hebrew contribution? 5. Why did these ancient empires decline and disappear? 6. Study the points of difference between the civilization of Babylon and Egypt and Western civilization. 7. Contrast the civilization of India and China with Western civilization. [1] L. W. King, _History of Sumer and Akkad_. _History of Babylon_. {170} CHAPTER X THE ORIENTAL TYPE OF CIVILIZATION