The Chronology of Ancient Kingdoms Amended · Isaac Newton
CHAP. III.
_Of the _ASSYRIAN_ Empire._ As the Gods or ancient Deified Kings and Princes of _Greece_, _Egypt_, and _Syria_ of _Damascus_, have been made much ancienter than the truth, so have those of _Chaldæa_ and _Assyria_: for _Diodorus_ [344] tells us, that when _Alexander_ the great was in _Asia_, the _Chaldæans_ reckoned 473000 years since they first began to observe the Stars; and _Ctesias_, and the ancient _Greek_ and _Latin_ writers who copy from him, have made the _Assyrian_ Empire as old as _Noah_'s flood within 60 or 70 years, and tell us the names of all the Kings of _Assyria_ downwards, from _Belus_ and his feigned son _Ninus_, to _Sardanapalus_ the last King of that Monarchy: but the names of his Kings, except two or three, have no affinity with the names of the _Assyrians_ mentioned in Scripture; for the _Assyrians_ were usually named after their Gods, _Bel_ or _Pul_; _Chaddon_, _Hadon_, _Adon_, or _Adonis_; _Melech_ or _Moloch_; _Atsur_ or _Assur_; _Nebo_; _Nergal_; _Merodach_: as in these names, _Pul_, _Tiglath-Pul-Assur_, _Salman-Assur_, _Adra-Melech_, _Shar-Assur_, _Assur-Hadon_, _Sardanapalus_ or _Assur-Hadon-Pul_, _Nabonassar_ or _Nebo-Adon-Assur_, _Bel Adon_, _Chiniladon_ or _Chen-El-Adon_, _Nebo-Pul-Assur_, _Nebo-Chaddon-Assur_, _Nebuzaradon_ or _Nebo-Assur-Adon_, _Nergal-Assur_, _Nergal-Shar-Assur_, _Labo-Assur-dach_, _Sheseb-Assur_, _Beltes-Assur_, _Evil-Merodach_, _Shamgar-Nebo_, _Rabsaris_ or _Rab-Assur_, _Nebo-Shashban_, _Mardocempad_ or _Merodach-Empad_. Such were the _Assyrian_ names; but those in _Ctesias_ are of another sort, except _Sardanapalus_, whose name he had met with in _Herodotus_.
He makes _Semiramis_ as old as the first _Belus_; but _Herodotus_ tells us, that she was but five Generations older than the mother of _Labynetus_: he represents that the city _Ninus_ was founded by a man of the same name, and _Babylon_ by _Semiramis_; whereas either _Nimrod_ or _Assur_ founded those and other cities, without giving his own name to any of them: he makes the _Assyrian_ Empire continue about 1360 years, whereas _Herodotus_ tells us that it lasted only 500 years, and the numbers of _Herodotus_ concerning those ancient times are all of them too long: he makes _Nineveh_ destroyed by the _Medes_ and _Babylonians_, three hundred years before the Reign of _Astibares_ and _Nebuchadnezzar_ who destroyed it, and sets down the names of seven or eight feigned Kings of _Media_, between the destruction of _Nineveh_ and the Reigns of _Astibares_ and _Nebuchadnezzar_, as if the Empire of the _Medes_, erected upon the ruins of the _Assyrian_ Empire, had lasted 300 years, whereas it lasted but 72: and the true Empire of the _Assyrians_ described in Scripture, whose Kings were _Pul_, _Tiglath-pilesar_, _Shalmaneser_, _Sennacherib_, _Asserhadon_, &c. he mentions not, tho' much nearer to his own times; which shews that he was ignorant of the antiquities of the _Assyrians_. Yet something of truth there is in the bottom of some of his stories, as there uses to be in Romances; as, that _Nineveh_ was destroyed by the _Medes_ and _Babylonians_; that _Sardanapalus_ was the last King of the _Assyrian_ Empire; and that _Astibares_ and _Astyages_ were Kings of the _Medes_: but he has made all things too ancient, and out of vainglory taken too great a liberty in feigning names and stories to please his reader.
When the _Jews_ were newly returned from the _Babylonian_ captivity, they confessed their Sins in this manner, _Now therefore our God, ---- let not all the trouble seem little before thee that hath come upon us, on our Kings, on our Princes, and on our Priests, and on our Prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the Kings of _Assyria_, unto this day_; _Nehem._ ix. 32. that is, since the time of the Kingdom of _Assyria_, or since the rise of that Empire; and therefore the _Assyrian_ Empire arose when the Kings of _Assyria_ began to afflict the inhabitants of _Palestine_; which was in the days of _Pul_: he and his successors afflicted _Israel_, and conquered the nations round about them; and upon the ruin of many small and ancient Kingdoms erected their Empire, conquering the _Medes_ as well as other nations: but of these conquests _Ctesias_ knew not a word, no not so much as the names of the conquerors, or that there was an _Assyrian_ Empire then standing; for he supposes that the _Medes_ Reigned at that time, and that the _Assyrian_ Empire was at an end above 250 years before it began.
However we must allow that _Nimrod_ founded a Kingdom at _Babylon_, and perhaps extended it into _Assyria_: but this Kingdom was but of small extent, if compared with the Empires which rose up afterwards; being only within the fertile plains of _Chaldæa_, _Chalonitis_ and _Assyria_, watered by the _Tigris_ and _Euphrates_: and if it had been greater, yet it was but of short continuance, it being the custom in those early ages for every father to divide his territories amongst his sons. So _Noah_ was King of all the world, and _Cham_ was King of all _Afric_, and _Japhet_ of all _Europe_ and _Asia minor_; but they left no standing Kingdoms. After the days of _Nimrod_, we hear no more of an _Assyrian_ Empire 'till the days of _Pul_. The four Kings who in the days of _Abraham_ invaded the southern coast of _Canaan_ came from the countries where _Nimrod_ had Reigned, and perhaps were some of his posterity who had shared his conquests. In the time of the Judges of _Israel_, _Mesopotamia_ was under its own King, _Judg._ iii. 8. and the King of _Zobah_ Reigned on both sides of the River _Euphrates_ 'till _David_ conquered him, 2 _Sam._ viii, and x. The Kingdoms of _Israel_, _Moab_, _Ammon_, _Edom_, _Philistia_, _Zidon_, _Damascus_, and _Hamath_ the great, continued subject to other Lords than the _Assyrians_ 'till the days of _Pul_ and his successors; and so did the house of _Eden_, _Amos_ i. 5. 2 _Kings_ xix. 12. and _Haran_ or _Carrhæ_, _Gen._ xii. 2 _Kings_ xix. 12. and _Sepharvaim_ in _Mesopotamia_, and _Calneh_ near _Bagdad_, _Gen._ x. 10, _Isa._ x. 9, 2 _Kings_ xvii. 31. _Sesac_ and _Memnon_ were great conquerors, and Reigned over _Chaldæa_, _Assyria_, and _Persia_, but in their histories there is not a word of any opposition made to them by an _Assyrian_ Empire then standing: on the contrary, _Susiana_, _Media_, _Persia_, _Bactria_, _Armenia_, _Cappadocia_, &c. were conquered by them, and continued subject to the Kings of _Egypt_ 'till after the long Reign of _Ramesses_ the son of _Memnon_, as above.
_Homer_ mentions _Bacchus_ and _Memnon_ Kings of _Egypt_ and _Persia_, but knew nothing of an _Assyrian_ Empire. _Jonah_ prophesied when _Israel_ was in affliction under the King of _Syria_, and this was in the latter part of the Reign of _Jehoahaz_, and first part of the Reign of _Joash_, Kings of _Israel_, and I think in the Reign of _Mœris_ the successor of _Ramesses_ King of _Egypt_, and about sixty years before the Reign of _Pul_; and _Nineveh_ was then a city of large extent, but full of pastures for cattle, so that it contained but about 120000 persons. It was not yet grown so great and potent as not to be terrified at the preaching of _Jonah_, and to fear being invaded by its neighbours and ruined within forty days: it had some time before got free from the dominion of _Egypt_, and had got a King of its own; but its King was not yet called King of _Assyria_, but only King of _Nineveh_, _Jonah_ iii. 6, 7. and his proclamation for a fast was not published in several nations, nor in all _Assyria_, but only in _Nineveh_, and perhaps in the villages thereof; but soon after, when the dominion of _Nineveh_ was established at home, and exalted over all _Assyria_ properly so called, and this Kingdom began to make war upon the neighbouring nations, its Kings were no longer called Kings of _Nineveh_ but began to be called Kings of _Assyria_.
_Amos_ prophesied in the Reign of _Jeroboam_ the Son of _Joash_ King of _Israel_, soon after _Jeroboam_ had subdued the Kingdoms of _Damascus_ and _Hamath_, that is, about ten or twenty years before the Reign of _Pul_: and he [345] thus reproves _Israel_ for being lifted up by those conquests; _Ye which rejoyce in a thing of nought, which say, have we not taken to us horns by our strength? But behold I will raise up against you a nation, O house of _Israel_, saith the Lord the God of Hosts, and they shall afflict you from the entring in of _Hamath_ unto the river of the wilderness_. God here threatens to raise up a nation against _Israel_; but what nation he names not; that he conceals 'till the _Assyrians_ should appear and discover it. In the prophesies of _Isaiah_, _Jeremiah_, _Ezekiel_, _Hosea_, _Micah_, _Nahum_, _Zephaniah_ and _Zechariah_, which were written after the Monarchy grew up, it is openly named upon all occasions; but in this of _Amos_ not once, tho' the captivity of _Israel_ and _Syria_ be the subject of the prophesy, and that of _Israel_ be often threatned: he only saith in general that _Syria_ should go into captivity unto _Kir_, and that _Israel_, notwithstanding her present greatness, should go into captivity beyond _Damascus_; and that God would raise up a nation to afflict them: meaning that he would raise up above them from a lower condition, a nation whom they yet feared not: for so the _Hebrew_ word מקם signifies when applied to men, as in _Amos_ v. 2. 1 _Sam._ xii. 11. _Psal._ cxiii. 7. _Jer._ x. 20. l. 32. _Hab._ i. 6. _Zech._ xi.
16. As _Amos_ names not the _Assyrians_; at the writing of this prophecy they made no great figure in the world, but were to be raised up against _Israel_, and by consequence rose up in the days of _Pul_ and his successors: for after _Jeroboam_ had conquered _Damascus_ and _Hamath_, his successor _Menahem_ destroyed _Tiphsah_ with its territories upon _Euphrates_, because they opened not to him: and therefore _Israel_ continued in its greatness 'till _Pul_, probably grown formidable by some victories, caused _Menahem_ to buy his peace. _Pul_ therefore Reigning presently after the prophesy of _Amos_, and being the first upon record who began to fulfill it, may be justly reckoned the first conqueror and founder of this Empire. For _God stirred up the spirit of _Pul_, and the spirit of _Tiglath-pileser_ King of _Assyria__, 1 _Chron._ v. 20. The same Prophet _Amos_, in prophesying against _Israel_, threatned them in this manner, with what had lately befallen other Kingdoms: _Pass ye_, [346] saith he, _unto _Calneh_ and see, and from thence go ye to _Hamath_ the great, then go down to _Gath_ of the _Philistims_. Be they better than these Kingdoms?_ These Kingdoms were not yet conquered by the _Assyrians_, except that of _Calneh_ or _Chalonitis_ upon _Tigris_, between _Babylon_ and _Nineveh_. _Gath_ was newly vanquished [347] by _Uzziah_ King of _Judah_, and _Hamath_ [348] by _Jeroboam_ King of _Israel_: and while the Prophet, in threatning _Israel_ with the _Assyrians_, instances in desolations made by other nations, and mentions no other conquest of the _Assyrians_ than that of _Chalonitis_ near _Nineveh_; it argues that the King of _Nineveh_ was now beginning his conquests, and had not yet made any great progress in that vast career of victories, which we read of a few years after.
For about seven years after the captivity of the ten Tribes, when _Sennacherib_ warred in _Syria_, which was in the 16th Olympiad, he [349] sent this message to the King of _Judah_: _Behold, thou hast heard that the Kings of _Assyria_ have done to all Lands by destroying them utterly, and shalt thou be delivered? Have the Gods of the nations delivered them which the Gods of my fathers have destroyed, as _Gozan_ and _Haran_ and _Reseph_, and the children of _Eden_ which were in _[the Kingdom of] Thelasar_? Where is the King of _Hamath_, and the King of _Arpad_, and the King of the city of _Sepharvaim_, and of _Hena_ and _Ivah__? And _Isaiah_ [350] thus introduceth the King of _Assyria_ boasting: _Are not my Princes altogether as Kings? Is not _Calno [or _Calneh_]_ as _Carchemish_? Is not _Hamath_ as _Arpad_? Is not _Samaria_ as _Damascus_? As my hand hath found the Kingdoms of the Idols, and whose graven Images did excel them of _Jerusalem_ and of _Samaria_; shall I not as I have done unto _Samaria_ and her Idols, so do to _Jerusalem_ and her Idols?_ All this desolation is recited as fresh in memory to terrify the _Jews_, and these Kingdoms reach to the borders of _Assyria_, and to shew the largeness of the conquests they are called _all lands_, that is, all round about _Assyria_. It was the custom of the Kings of _Assyria_, for preventing the rebellion of people newly conquered, to captivate and transplant those of several countries into one another's lands, and intermix them variously: and thence it appears [351] that _Halah_, and _Habor_, and _Hara_, and _Gozan_, and the cities of the _Medes_ into which _Galilee_ and _Samaria_ were transplanted; and _Kir_ into which _Damascus_ was transplanted; and _Babylon_ and _Cuth_ or the _Susanchites_, and _Hamath_, and _Ava_, and _Sepharvaim_, and the _Dinaites_, and the _Apharsachites_, and the _Tarpelites_, and the _Archevites_, and the _Dehavites_, and the _Elamites_, or _Persians_, part of all which nations were led captive by _Asserhadon_ and his predecessors into _Samaria_; were all of them conquered by the _Assyrians_ not long before.
In these conquests are involved on the west and south side of _Assyria_, the Kingdoms of _Mesopotamia_, whose royal seats were _Haran_ or _Carrhæ_, and _Carchemish_ or _Circutium_, and _Sepharvaim_, a city upon _Euphrates_, between _Babylon_ and _Nineveh_, called _Sipparæ_ by _Berosus_, _Abydenus_, and _Polyhistor_, and _Sipphara_ by _Ptolomy_; and the Kingdoms of _Syria_ seated at _Samaria_, _Damascus_, _Gath_, _Hamath_, _Arpad_, and _Reseph_, a city placed by _Ptolomy_ near _Thapsacus_: on the south side and south east side were _Babylon_ and _Calneh_, or _Calno_, a city which was founded by _Nimrod_, where _Bagdad_ now stands, and gave the name of _Chalonitis_ to a large region under its government; and _Thelasar_ or _Talatha_, a city of the children of _Eden_, placed by _Ptolomy_ in _Babylonia_, upon the common stream of _Tigris_ and _Euphrates_, which was therefore the river of Paradise; and the _Archevites_ at _Areca_ or _Erech_, a city built by _Nimrod_ on the east side of _Pasitigris_, between _Apamia_ and the _Persian Gulph_; and the _Susanchites_ at _Cuth_, or _Susa_, the metropolis of _Susiana_: on the east were _Elymais_, and some cities of the _Medes_, and _Kir_, [352] a city and large region of _Media_, between _Elymais_, and _Assyria_, called _Kirene_ by the _Chaldee_ Paraphrast and _Latin_ Interpreter, and _Carine_ by _Ptolomy_: on the north-east were _Habor_ or _Chaboras_, a mountainous region between _Assyria_ and _Media_; and the _Apharsachites_, or men of _Arrapachitis_, a region originally peopled by _Arphaxad_, and placed by _Ptolomy_ at the bottom of the mountains next _Assyria_: and on the north between _Assyria_ and the _Gordiæan_ mountains was _Halah_ or _Chalach_, the metropolis of _Calachene_: and beyond these upon the _Caspian_ sea was _Gozan_, called _Gauzania_ by _Ptolomy_.
Thus did these new conquests extend every way from the province of _Assyria_ to considerable distances, and make up the great body of that Monarchy: so that well might the King of _Assyria_ boast how his armies had destroyed all lands. All these nations [353] had 'till now their several Gods, and each accounted his God the God of his own land, and the defender thereof, against the Gods of the neighbouring countries, and particularly against the Gods of _Assyria_; and therefore they were never 'till now united under the _Assyrian_ Monarchy, especially since the King of _Assyria_ doth not boast of their being conquered by the _Assyrians_ oftner than once: but these being small Kingdoms the King of _Assyria_ easily overflowed them: _Know ye not_, saith [354] _Sennacherib_ to the _Jews_, _what I and my fathers have done unto all the People of other lands?--for no God of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?_ He and his fathers therefore, _Pul_, _Tiglath-pileser_, and _Shalmaneser_, were great conquerors, and with a current of victories had newly overflowed all nations round about _Assyria_, and thereby set up this Monarchy.
Between the Reigns of _Jeroboam_ II, and his son _Zachariah_, there was an interregnum of about ten or twelve years in the Kingdom of _Israel_: and the prophet _Hosea_ [355] in the time of that interregnum, or soon after, mentions the King of _Assyria_ by the name of _Jareb_, and another conqueror by the name of _Shalman_; and perhaps _Shalman_ might be the first part of the name of _Shalmaneser_, and _Iareb_, or _Irib_, for it may be read both ways, the last part of the name of his successor _Sennacherib_: but whoever these Princes were, it appears not that they Reigned before _Shalmaneser_. _Pul_, or _Belus_, seems to be the first who carried on his conquests beyond the province of _Assyria_: he conquered _Calneh_ with its territories in the Reign of _Jerboam_, _Amos_ i. 1. vi. 2. & _Isa._ x. 8, 9. and invaded _Israel_ in the Reign of _Menahem_, 2 _King._ xv. 19. but stayed not in the land, being bought off by _Menahem_ for a thousand talents of silver: in his Reign therefore the Kingdom of _Assyria_ was advanced on this side _Tigris_: for he was a great warrior, and seems to have conquered _Haran_, and _Carchemish_, and _Reseph_, and _Calneh_, and _Thelasar_, and might found or enlarge the city of _Babylon_, and build the old palace.
_Pul_ therefore was succeeded at _Nineveh_ by his elder son _Tiglath-pileser_, at the same time that he left _Babylon_ to his younger son _Nabonassar_. _Tiglath-pileser_, the second King of _Assyria_, warred in _Phœnicia_, and captivated _Galilee_ with the two Tribes and an half, in the days of _Pekah_ King of _Israel_, and placed them in _Halah_, and _Habor_, and _Hara_, and at the river _Gozan_, places lying on the western borders of _Media_, between _Assyria_ and the _Caspian_ sea, 2 _King._ xv. 29, &: 1 _Chron._ v. 26. and about the fifth or sixth year of _Nabonassar_, he came to the assistance of the King of _Judah_ against the Kings of _Israel_ and _Syria_, and overthrew the Kingdom of _Syria_, which had been seated at _Damascus_ ever since the days of King _David_, and carried away the _Syrians_ to _Kir_ in _Media_, as _Amos_ had prophesied, and placed other nations in the regions of _Damascus_, 2 _King._ xv. 37, & xvi. 5, 9. _Amos_ i. 5. _Joseph. Antiq._ l. 9. c. 13. whence it seems that the _Medes_ were conquered before, and that the Empire of the _Assyrians_ was now grown great: for _the God of _Israel_ stirred up the spirit of _Pul_ King of _Assyria_, and the spirit of _Tiglath-pileser_ King of _Assyria__ to make war, 1 _Chron._ v. 26.
_Shalmaneser_ or _Salmanasser_, called _Enemessar_ by _Tobit_, invaded [365] all _Phœnicia_, took the city of _Samaria_, and captivated _Israel_, and placed them in _Chalach_ and _Chabor_, by the river _Gozan_, and in the cities of the _Medes_; and _Hosea_ [366] seems to say that he took _Arbela_: and his successor _Sennacherib_ said that his fathers had conquered also _Gozan_, and _Haran_ or _Carrhæ_, and _Reseph_ or _Resen_, and the children of _Eden_, and _Arpad_ or the _Aradii_, 2 _King._ xix. 12. _Sennacherib_ the son of _Shalmaneser_ in the 14th year of _Hezekiah_ invaded _Phœnicia_, and took several cities of _Judah_, and attempted _Egypt_; and _Sethon_ or _Sevechus_ King of _Egypt_ and _Tirhakah_ King of _Ethiopia_ coming against him, he lost in one night 185000 men, as some say by a plague, or perhaps by lightning, or a fiery wind which blows sometimes in the neighbouring deserts, or rather by being surprised by _Sethon_ and _Tirhakah_: for the _Egyptians_ in memory of this action erected a statue to _Sethon_, holding in his hand a mouse, the _Egyptian_ symbol of destruction. Upon this defeat _Sennacherib_ returned in haste to _Nineveh_, and [367] his Kingdom became troubled, so that _Tobit_ could not go into _Media_, the _Medes_ I think at this time revolting: and he was soon after slain by two of his sons who fled into _Armenia_, and his son _Asserhadon_ succeeded him. At that time did _Merodach Baladan_ or _Mardocempad_ King of _Babylon_ send an embassy to _Hezekiah_ King of _Judah_.
_Asserhadon_, [368] called _Sarchedon_ by _Tobit_, _Asordan_ by the LXX, and _Assaradin_ in _Ptolomy_'s Canon, began his Reign at _Nineveh_, in the year of _Nabonassar_ 42; and in the year 68 extended it over _Babylon_: then he carried the remainder of the _Samaritans_ into captivity, and peopled _Samaria_ with captives brought from several parts of his Kingdom, the _Dinaites_, the _Apharsachites_, the _Tarpelites_, the _Apharsites_, the _Archevites_, the _Babylonians_, the _Susanchites_, the _Dehavites_, the _Elamites_, _Ezra_ iv. 2, 9. and therefore he Reigned over all these nations. _Pekah_ and _Rezin_ Kings of _Samaria_ and _Damascus_, invaded _Judæa_ in the first year of _Ahaz_, and within 65 years after, that is in the 21st year of _Manasseh_, _Anno Nabonass._ 69, _Samaria_ by this captivity ceased to be a people, _Isa._ vii. 8. Then _Asserhadon_ invaded _Judæa_, took _Azoth_, carried _Manasseh_ captive to _Babylon_, and [369] captivated also _Egypt_, _Thebais_, and _Ethiopia_ above _Thebais_: and by this war he seems to have put an end to the Reign of the _Ethiopians_ over _Egypt_, in the year of _Nabonassar_ 77 or 78. In the Reign of _Sennacherib_ and _Asserhadon_, the _Assyrian_ Empire seems arrived at its greatness, being united under one Monarch, and containing _Assyria_, _Media_, _Apolloniatis_, _Susiana_, _Chaldæa_, _Mesopotamia_, _Cilicia_, _Syria_, _Phœnicia_, _Egypt_, _Ethiopia_, and part of _Arabia_, and reaching eastward into _Elymais_, and _Parætacene_, a province of the _Medes_: and if _Chalach_ and _Chabor_ be _Colchis_ and _Iberia_, as some think, and as may seem probable from the circumcision used by those nations 'till the days of _Herodotus_, we are also to add these two Provinces, with the two _Armenia's_, _Pontus_ and _Cappadocia_, as far as to the river _Halys_: for [370] _Herodotus_ tells us, that the people of _Cappadocia_ as far as to that river were called _Syrians_ by the _Greeks_, both before and after the days or _Cyrus_, and that the _Assyrians_ were also called _Syrians_ by the _Greeks_.
Yet the _Medes_ revolted from the _Assyrians_ in the latter end of the Reign of _Sennacherib_, I think upon the slaughter of his army near _Egypt_ and his flight to _Nineveh_: for at that time the estate of _Sennacherib_ was troubled, so that _Tobit_ could not go into _Media_ as he had done before, _Tobit_ i. 15. and some time after, _Tobit_ advised his son to go into _Media_ where he might expect peace, while _Nineveh_, according to the prophesy of _Jonah_, should be destroyed. _Ctesias_ wrote that _Arbaces_ a _Mede_ being admitted to see _Sardanapalus_ in his palace, and observing his voluptuous life amongst women, revolted with the _Medes_, and in conjunction with _Belesis_ a _Babylonian_ overcame him, and caused him to set fire to his palace and burn himself: but he is contradicted by other authors of better credit; for _Duris_ and [371] many others wrote that _Arbaces_ upon being admitted into the palace of _Sardanapalus_, and seeing his effeminate life, slew himself; and _Cleitarchus_, that _Sardanapalus_ died of old age, after he had lost his dominion over _Syria_: he lost it by the revolt of the western nations; and _Herodotus_ [372] tells us, that the _Medes_ revolted first, and defended their liberty by force of arms against the _Assyrians_, without conquering them; and at their first revolting had no King, but after some time set up _Dejoces_ over them, and built _Ecbatane_ for his residence; and that _Dejoces_ Reigned only over _Media_, and had a peaceable Reign of 54 years, but his son and successor _Phraortes_ made war upon his neighbours, and conquered _Persia_; and that the _Syrians_ also, and other western nations, at length revolted from the _Assyrians_, being encouraged thereunto by the example of the _Medes_; and that after the revolt of the western nations, _Phraortes_ invaded the _Assyrians_, but was slain by them in that war, after he had Reigned twenty and two years. He was succeeded by _Astyages_.
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