ATTRIBUTED TO SALMANESER. 
159 
can be entertained that the great antiquity of this piece extends 
to at least the era of those at Persepolis ; but I should be inclined 
to trace it into still farther time, than even the first establishment 
of the Persian empire. 
The design of this sculpture appears to tally so well with the 
great event of the total conquest over Israel by Salmaneser, king 
of Assyria and the Medes, that I venture to suggest the pos¬ 
sibility of this bas-relief having been made to commemorate that 
final achievement. Certain circumstances attending the entire 
captivity of the ten tribes, which took place in a second attack 
on their nation, when considered, seem to confirm the conjecture 
into a strong probability. The first expedition into Samaria, 
the country of the ten tribes, was led thither by Arbaces, (the 
Tiglath-pileser of the Scriptures,) twenty years anterior to the 
one to which I would refer this bas-relief. Arbaces undertook 
* 
the first invasion at the instigation of Ahaz, king of Judah; 
who subsidised the Assyrian monarch, to avenge him by arms 
on his harassing neighbours, Pekah, king of Israel, and Rezin, 
king of Syria, who had confederated against him. Arbaces 
completely reduced the latter kingdom, slaying its king in battle, 
and making slaves of its people. He then entered those parts 
of the dominions of Pekah which bordered on Syria ; and laying- 
waste the whole east of Jordan, carried away captive the chief 
of the people inhabiting the towns of Reuben, Gad, and Ma- 
nasseh. Having marched back with his spoil, he planted the 
Israelites in Media, and his Syrian prisoners on the banks of the 
Tigris. Soon after this fatal invasion, Pekah, king of Israel, 
was destroyed in a conspiracy by Hoshea; who, having murdered 
his master, reigned in his stead. About this time Arbaces 
(Tiglath-pileser) died, and was succeeded by his son Salmaneser; 
