FROM WORLD-DOMINION TO SUBJECTION. 



113 



niziiig that all was lost, Sin-sarra-iskun (Saracos) caused a 

 funeral-pyre to be erected, and having mounted it with his wives 

 and concubines, fire was set thereto, and he perished in the 

 flames. Thus ended the mighty Assyrian Empire, which had 

 had its beginnings at Assur (now Qcda'a-SJiergdt) close upon 

 2000 years before. 



II. — World-Dominion. 



Xabopolassar had now attained the height of his ambition, 

 and perhaps more, as it is very probable that he became not 

 only King of Babylonia, but of Assyria also ; for when Cyrus 

 took Babylonia, Assur was one of the cities of his new domain. 

 Henceforward the centre of political activity was transferred to 

 Babylon. Thougli, doubtless, it was hard for the Assyrians to 

 relinquish their proud position as a world-power, they probably 

 found their conqueror a sufficiently mild ruler. Both Assyria 

 and Babylonia had the bond of understanding which a common 

 language always assures. Eecords of this period from Assyria 

 would naturally be interesting. All that can be said is that, 

 judging from certain names, some, at least, of the Assyrians 

 seem to have migrated to Babylonia, and to have engaged in 

 trade there. It is practically certain that they were at last- 

 identified with the natives of that more southern land, and in 

 this connection it is noteworthy that Xenophon does not use the 

 word " Babylonia " when speaking of it ; the word used is 

 " Assyria," and its ruler is the Assyrian king. 



Having seated himself firmly upon the throne of the dual 

 monarchy of Babylonia and Assyria, Nabopolassar proceeded to 

 assure to himself the western domains over which the Assyrian 

 kings had held sway. To this end he set out to re-establish 

 Babylonian power in Syria, where Sargon of Agade had made 

 his influence felt 2200 years earlier, and Hammu-rabi had 

 warred as overlord. Unfortunately the Bible narrative does not 

 help us here, and we are indebted to Berosus, as quoted by 

 Josephus, for the history of this period. After the division of 

 the territory of Assyria, of which Egypt formed a part, the 

 eastern allies began to quarrel among themselves, and the King 

 of Babylon decided to act on his own account. Syria at that 

 time was in reality a vassal of Egypt, Egypt having taken 

 possession of it on the fall of Assyria. Having received news 

 that the governor whom he had set over Egypt, and over 

 parts of Ccele-Syria and Phoenicia, had revolted from him, he 

 was not able to bear it any longer, and, committing certain parts 



I 



