43 THE ASSYRIAN AND PERSIAN EMPIRES. 



descendants were called Kings of Judah, from 

 whence the name of Jews was derived, and the 

 successors of Jeroboam were called Kings of 

 Israel. Several powerful nations arose in their 

 neighbourhood, which all in time became sub- 

 ject to the empire of Assyria, to which formi- 

 dable power the descendants of Abraham were an 

 easy conquest. Ten tribes of Israel were carried 

 into captivity, and their name no more heard of a? 

 mong the nations. The chief persons among the 

 Jews were also carried to Babylon, the capital of 

 Assyria, but the people were permitted to re- 

 main at home, under the dominion of their con- 

 querors : thus we see that proud and imperious peo- 

 ple humbled and reduced to slavery. Soon after 

 this a new power arose the King of Assyria turned 

 his arms against the Medes and Persians : Cambyses, 

 King of Persia, had married Mandana, daughter of 

 Astyages, King of Media, against which the As- 

 syrians made their tirst attack. The Persians sent 

 Cyrus, son of Cambyses, at the head of an army to 

 the assistance of his uncle Cyaxares, who was their 

 King. The invader was repelled ; he was invaded 

 in his turn ; the King of Assyria was killed at the 

 taking of Babylon, and the whole empire reduced 

 under the dominion of the Medes and Persians : thus 

 was the Persian empire founded. 



The Persian empire extended overall the known 

 parts of Asia, and the ambition of Darius, a succes- 

 sor though not a descendant of Cyrus, induced him, 

 to attempt the conquest of part of Europe ; but 

 here he met with a severe repulse from the Grecian 

 republic. 



