Photograph from Prof. Albert T. Clay 



A WOMAN TAKING A MAN'S PLACE 3,200 YEARS AGO RECEIVED A MAN'S SALARY 



This tablet gives the temple pay-roll for seven months, belonging to the fourteenth 

 century B. C. Another, almost identical, was found written two years later. Three changes 

 had taken place — one man's salary was raised, that of another was reduced, and a woman 

 had taken a man's position, receiving the same salary that he had enjoyed. 



Babylon, once the greatest city of the 

 East, now for long trodden under the 

 heel of Assyria, was stirring for her brief 

 renaissance under a new dynasty. Her 

 king, Nabopolassar, allied himself with 

 Cyaxares, king of the Median highland- 

 ers. who were now descending from their 

 mountains eager for conquest. Sin-shar- 

 ishkun and his Assyrians were hopelessly 

 defeated in the field, and after a des- 

 perate defense of Nineveh, lasting two 

 years, the last Assyrian king shut himself 

 up in his palace, with his wives and chil- 

 dren, and perished in its blazing ruins. 



The whole world held its breath for 

 awhile. The news seemed too good to be 

 true ; and then everywhere one universal 

 paean of joy went up from the nations. 



Babylon's triumph over Egypt 



Then Nabopolassar sent against the 

 Egyptians his son Nebuchadrezzar, better 

 known to us as Nebuchadnezzar, the last 

 outstanding specimen of the great race of 

 fierce and ruthless soldiers that this land 

 produced. 



Jeremiah has left a most vivid picture 

 of the beaten Egyptian army streaming 

 down in rout through Palestine. "Go 



up," he cries (xlvi: n, 12), "into Gilead 

 and take balm, O virgin daughter of 

 Egypt ; in vain shalt thou use many medi- 

 cines ; for thou shalt not be cured. The 

 nations have heard of thy shame, and thy 

 cry hath filled the land ; for the mighty 

 man hath stumbled against the mighty, 

 and they are fallen both together." 



Jerusalem's surrender 



Shortly after his great victory Nebu- 

 chadnezzar succeeded his father as king 

 in Babylon. Jehoiakim of Judah became 

 his vassal, but rebelled after three years. 

 He died before the punishment of his 

 folly had come upon the land, and when 

 Nebuchadnezzar appeared before Jerusa- 

 lem, his successor Jehoiachin surrendered 

 himself to save his people. 



Nebuchadnezzar deported him and 

 10,000 of the chief people of the land 

 Finally, the last king of Judah, Zedekiah, 

 after almost nine years of his reign had 

 passed, tempted, as of old. by the vain 

 promises of the Egyptian Pharaoh Haa- 

 ab-ra (Hophra) : did the most insane act 

 he could, by breaking faith with the great 

 King of Babylon. 



Of course it was sheer madness, and 



157 



