The History of Antiquity, Vol. 2 (of 6)Duncker, Max
History
The History of Antiquity, Vol. 2 (of 6)
Duncker, Max
History, Ancient
These are the beginnings of the Assyrian kingdom according to the
indications of the monuments. After the series of kings from
Assur-bil-nisi to Tiglath Adar, whose dates come down from about the
year 1460 to about 1280 B.C., there is a gap in our knowledge of some
decades. After this we hear at first of new struggles with Babylon. In
these Belkudurussur of Assyria (about 1220 B.C.) lost his life. The
Babylonians, led by their king, Binpaliddin, invaded Assyria with a
numerous army in order to take the city of Asshur. But Adarpalbitkur,
the successor of Belkudurussur, succeeded in forcing them to retire to
Babylon.[41] Of Adarpalbitkur his fourth successor proudly declares that
"he was the protector of the might of Asshur, that he put an end to his
weakness in his land, that he arranged well the army of the land of
Assyria."[42] His son, Assur-dayan (about 1180 B.C.) was able to remove
the war again into the land of Babylonia; he claims to have carried the
booty from three places in Babylonia--Zab, Irriya and Agarsalu--to
Assyria.[43] It was he who had carried away the ruins of the fallen
temple which Samsi-Bin had built at Asshur to Anu and Bin, but had not
erected it again. According to the words of his great-grandson, "he
carried the exalted sceptre, and prospered the nation of Bel; the work
of his hands and the gifts of his fingers pleased the great gods; he
attained great age and long life."[44] Of Assur-dayan's son and
successor, Mutakkil-Nebu (about 1160 B.C.), we only find that "Asshur,
the great lord, raised him to the throne, and upheld him in the
constancy of his heart."[45] Mutakkil-Nebu's son, Assur-ris-ilim
(between 1150 and 1130 B.C.) had to undergo severe struggles against the
Babylonians, who repeatedly invaded Assyria under Nebuchadnezzar I. At
length Assur-ris-ilim succeeded in repulsing Nebuchadnezzar, and took
from him 40 (50) chariots of war with a banner. Tiglath Pilesar, the son
of Assur-ris-ilim, says of the deeds of his father, doubtless with
extreme exaggeration, "he conquered the lands of the enemy, and
subjugated all the hostile lands."[46]
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