The Chronology of Ancient Kingdoms Amended · Isaac Newton
CHRONICLE
909. _Amenophis_, called _Memnon_ by the _Greeks_, built the _Memnonia_ at _Susa_, whilst _Egypt_ was under the government of _Proteus_ his Viceroy. 904. _Troy_ taken. _Amenophis_ was still at _Susa_; the _Greeks_ feigning that he came from thence to the _Trojan_ war. 903. _Demophoon_, the son of _Theseus_ by _Phœdra_ the daughter of _Minos_, Reigns at _Athens_. 901. _Amenophis_ builds small Pyramids in _Cochome_. 896. _Ulysses_ leaves _Calypso_ in the Island _Ogygie_ (perhaps _Cadis_ or _Cales_.) She was the daughter of _Atlas_, according to _Homer_. The ancients at length feigned that this Island, (which from _Atlas_ they called _Atlantis_) had been as big as all _Europe_, _Africa_ and _Asia_, but was sunk into the Sea. 895. _Teucer_ builds _Salamis_ in _Cyprus_. _Hadad_ or _Benhadad_ King of _Syria_ dies, and is Deified at _Damascus_ with a Temple and Ceremonies.
887. _Amenophis_ dies, and is succeeded by his son _Ramesses_ or _Rhampsinitus_, who builds the western Portico of the Temple of _Vulcan_. The _Egyptians_ dedicated to _Osiris_, _Isis_, _Orus_ senior, _Typhon_, and _Nephthe_ the sister and wife of _Typhon_, the five days added by the _Egyptians_ to the twelve Calendar months of the old Luni-solar year, and said that they were added when these five Princes were born. They were therefore added in the Reign of _Ammon_ the father of these five Princes: but this year was scarce brought into common use before the Reign of _Amenophis_: for in his Temple or Sepulchre at _Abydus_, they placed a Circle of 365 cubits in compass, covered on the upper side with a plate of gold, and divided into 365 equal parts, to represent all the days of the year; every part having the day of the year, and the Heliacal Risings and Settings of the Stars on that day, noted upon it. And this Circle remained there 'till _Cambyses_ spoiled the temples of _Egypt_: and from this monument I collect that it was _Amenophis_ who established this year, fixing the beginning thereof to one of the four Cardinal Points of the heavens.
For had not the beginning thereof been now fixed, the Heliacal Risings and Settings of the Stars could not have been noted upon the days thereof. The Priests of _Egypt_ therefore in the Reign of _Amenophis_ continued to observe the Heliacal Risings and Settings of the Stars upon every day. And when by the Sun's Meridional Altitudes they had found the Solstices and Equinoxes according to the Sun's mean motion, his Equation being not yet known, they fixed the beginning of this year to the Vernal Equinox, and in memory thereof erected this monument. Now this year being carried into _Chaldæa_, the _Chaldæans_ began their year of _Nabonassar_ on the same _Thoth_ with the _Egyptians_, and made it of the same length. And the _Thoth_ of the first year of _Nabonassar_ fell upon the 26th day of _February_: which was 33 days and five hours before the Vernal Equinox, according to the Sun's mean motion. And the _Thoth_ of this year moves backwards 33 days and five hours in 137 years, and therefore fell upon the Vernal Equinox 137 years before the _Æra_ of _Nabonassar_ began; that is, 884 years before _Christ_. And if it began upon the day next after the Vernal Equinox, it might begin three or four years earlier; and there we may place the death of this King. The _Greeks_ feigned that he was the Son of _Tithonus_, and therefore he was born after the return of _Sesac_ into _Egypt_, with _Tithonus_ and other captives, and so might be about 70 or 75 years old at his death.
883. _Dido_ builds _Carthage_, and the _Phœnicians_ begin presently after to sail as far as to the _Straights Mouth_, and beyond. _Æneas_ was still alive, according to _Virgil_. 870. _Hesiod_ flourishes. He hath told us himself that he lived in the age next after the wars of _Thebes_ and _Troy_, and that this age should end when the men then living grew hoary and dropt into the grave; and therefore it was but of an ordinary length: and _Herodotus_ has told us that _Hesiod_ and _Homer_ were but 400 years older than himself. Whence it follows that the destruction of _Troy_ was not older than we have represented it. 860. _Mœris_ Reigns in _Egypt_. He adorned _Memphis_, and translated the seat of his Empire thither from _Thebes_. There he built the famous Labyrinth, and the northern portico of the Temple of _Vulcan_, and dug the great Lake called the Lake of _Mœris_, and upon the bottom of it built two great Pyramids of brick: and these things being not mentioned by _Homer_ or _Hesiod_, were unknown to them, and done after their days. _Mœris_ wrote also a book of Geometry. 852. _Hazael_ the successor of _Hadad_ at _Damascus_ dies and is Deified, as was _Hadad_ before: and these Gods, together with _Arathes_ the wife of _Hadad_, were worshipt in their Sepulchres or Temples, 'till the days of _Josephus_ the _Jew_; and the _Syrians_ boasted their antiquity, not knowing, saith _Josephus_, that they were novel.
844. The _Æolic_ Migration. _Bœotia_, formerly called _Cadmeis_, is seized by the _Bœotians_. 838. _Cheops_ Reigns in _Egypt_. He built the greatest Pyramid for his sepulchre, and forbad the worship of the former Kings; intending to have been worshipped himself. 825. The _Heraclides_, after three Generations, or an hundred years, reckoned from their former expedition, return into _Peloponnesus_. Henceforward, to the end of the first _Messenian_ war, reigned ten Kings of _Sparta_ by one Race, and nine by another; ten of _Messene_, and nine of _Arcadia_: which, by reckoning (according to the ordinary course of nature) about twenty years to a Reign, one Reign with another, will take up about 190 years. And the seven Reigns more in one of the two Races of the Kings of _Sparta_, and eight in the other, to the battle at _Thermopylæ_; may take up 150 years more: and so place the return of the _Heraclides_, about 820 years before _Christ_. 824. _Cephren_ Reigns in _Egypt_, and builds another great Pyramid. 808. _Mycerinus_ Reigns there, and begins the third great Pyramid. He shut up the body of his daughter in a hollow ox, and caused her to be worshipped daily with odours. 804. The war, between the _Athenians_ and _Spartans_, in which _Codrus_, King of the _Athenians_, is slain. 801. _Nitocris_, the sister of _Mycerinus_, succeeds him, and finishes the third great Pyramid.
794. The _Ionic_ Migration, under the conduct of the sons of _Codrus_. 790. _Pul_ founds the _Assyrian_ Empire. 788. _Asychis_ Reigns in _Egypt_, and builds the eastern Portico of the Temple of _Vulcan_ very splendidly; and a large Pyramid of brick, made of mud dug out of the Lake of _Mœris_. _Egypt_ breaks into several Kingdoms. _Gnephactus_ and _Bocchoris_ Reign successively in the upper _Egypt_; _Stephanathis_; _Necepsos_ and _Nechus_, at _Sais_; _Anysis_ or _Amosis_, at _Anysis_ or _Hanes_; and _Tacellotis_, at _Bubaste_. 776. _Iphitus_ restores the Olympiads. And from this _Æra_ the Olympiads are now reckoned. _Gnephactus_ Reigns at _Memphis_. 772. _Necepsos_ and _Petosiris_ invent Astrology in _Egypt_. 760. _Semiramis_ begins to flourish; _Sanchoniatho_ writes. 751. _Sabacon_ the _Ethiopian_, invades _Egypt_, now divided into various Kingdoms, burns _Bocchoris_, slays _Nechus_, and makes _Anysis_ fly. 747. _Pul_, King of _Assyria_, dies, and is succeeded at _Nineveh_ by _Tiglathpilasser_, and at _Babylon_ by _Nabonassar_. The _Egyptians_, who fled from _Sabacon_, carry their Astrology and Astronomy to _Babylon_, and found the _Æra_ of _Nabonassar_ in _Egyptian_ years. 740. _Tiglathpilasser_, King of _Assyria_, takes _Damascus_, and captivates the _Syrians_. 729. _Tiglathpilasser_ is succeeded by _Salmanasser_. 721. _Salmanasser_, King of _Assyria_, carries the Ten Tribes into captivity. 719. _Sennacherib_ Reigns over _Assyria_. _Archias_ the son of _Evagetus_, of the stock of _Hercules_, leads a Colony from _Corinth_ into _Sicily_, and builds _Syracuse_.
717. _Tirhakah_ Reigns in _Ethiopia_. 714. _Sennacherib_ is put to flight by the _Ethiopians_ and _Egyptians_, with great slaughter. 711. The _Medes_ revolt from the _Assyrians_. _Sennacherib_ slain. _Asserhadon_ succeeds him. This is that _Asserhadon-Pul_, or _Sardanapalus_, the son of _Anacyndaraxis_, or _Sennacherib_, who built _Tarsus_ and _Anchiale_ in one day. 710. _Lycurgus_, brings the poems of _Homer_ out of _Asia_ into _Greece_. 708. _Lycurgus_, becomes tutor to _Charillus_ or _Charilaus_, the young King of _Sparta_. _Aristotle_ makes _Lycurgus_ as old as _Iphitus_, because his name was upon the Olympic Disc. But the Disc was one of the five games called the _Quinquertium_, and the _Quinquertium_ was first instituted upon the eighteenth Olympiad. _Socrates_ and _Thucydides_ made the institutions of _Lycurgus_ about 300 years older than the end of the _Peloponnesian_ war, that is, 705 years before _Christ_. 701. _Sabacon_, after a Reign of 50 years, relinquishes _Egypt_ to his son _Sevechus_ or _Sethon_, who becomes Priest of _Vulcan_, and neglects military affairs. 698. _Manasseh_ Reigns. 697. The _Corinthians_ begin first of any men to build ships with three orders of oars, called _Triremes_. Hitherto the _Greeks_ had used long vessels of fifty oars. 687. _Tirhakah_ Reigns in _Egypt_. 681. _Asserhadon_ invades _Babylon_. 673. The _Jews_ conquered by _Asserhadon_, and _Manasseh_ carried captive to _Babylon_. 671. _Asserbadon_ invades _Egypt_. The government of _Egypt_ committed to twelve princes.
668. The western nations of _Syria_, _Phœnicia_ and _Egypt_, revolt from the _Assyrians_. _Asserhadon_ dies, and is succeeded by _Saosduchinus_. _Manasseh_ returns from Captivity. 658. _Phraortes_ Reigns in _Media_. The _Prytanes_ Reign in _Corinth_, expelling their Kings. 657. The _Corinthians_ overcome the _Corcyreans_ at sea: and this was the oldest sea fight. 655. _Psammiticus_ becomes King of all _Egypt_, by conquering the other eleven Kings with whom he had already reigned fifteen years: he reigned about 39 years more. Henceforward the _Ionians_ had access into _Egypt_; and thence came the _Ionian_ Philosophy, Astronomy and Geometry. 652. The first _Messenian_ war begins: it lasted twenty years. 647. _Charops_, the first decennial Archon of the _Athenians_. Some of these Archons might dye before the end of the ten years, and the remainder of the ten years be supplied by a new Archon. And hence the seven decennial Archons might not take up above forty or fifty years. _Saosduchinus_ King of _Assyria_ dies, and is succeeded by _Chyniladon_. 640. _Josiah_ Reigns in _Judæa_. 636. _Phraortes_> King of the _Medes_, is slain in a war against the _Assyrians_. _Astyages_ succeeds him. 635. The _Scythians_ invade the _Medes_ and _Assyrians_. 633. _Battus_ builds _Cyrene_, where _Irasa_, the city of _Antæus_, had stood. 627. _Rome_ is built. 625. _Nabopolassar_ revolts from the King of _Assyria_, and Reigns over _Babylon_. _Phalantus_ leads the _Parthenians_ into _Italy_, and builds _Tarentum._
617. _Psammiticus_ dies. _Nechaoh_ reigns in _Egypt_. 611. _Cyaxeres_ Reigns over the _Medes_. 610. The Princes of the _Scythians_ slain in a feast by _Cyaxeres_. 609. _Josiah_ slain. _Cyaxeres_ and _Nebuchadnezzar_ overthrow _Nineveh_, and, by sharing the _Assyrian_ Empire, grow great. 607. _Creon_ the first annual Archon of the _Athenians_. The second _Messenian_ war begins. _Cyaxeres_ makes the _Scythians_ retire beyond _Colchos_ and _Iberia_, and seizes the _Assyrian_ Provinces of _Armenia_, _Pontus_ and _Cappadocia_. 606. _Nebuchadnezzar_ invades _Syria_ and _Judæa_. 604. _Nabopolassar_ dies, and is succeeded by his Son _Nebuchadnezzar_, who had already Reigned two years with his father. 600. _Darius_ the _Mede_, the son of _Cyaxeres,_ is born. 599. _Cyrus_ is born of _Mandane_, the Sister of _Cyaxeres_, and daughter of _Astyages_. 596. _Susiana_ and _Elam_ conquered by _Nebuchadnezzar_. _Caranus_ and _Perdiccas_ fly from _Phidon_, and found the Kingdom of _Macedon_. _Phidon_ introduces Weights and Measures, and the Coining of Silver Money. 590. _Cyaxeres_ makes war upon _Alyattes_ King of _Lydia_. 588. The Temple of _Solomon_ is burnt by _Nebuchadnezzar_. The _Messenians_ being conquered, fly into _Sicily_, and build _Messana_. 585. In the sixth year of the _Lydian_ war, a total Eclipse of the Sun, predicted by _Thales_, _May_ the 28th, puts an end to a Battel between the _Medes_ and _Lydians_: Whereupon they make Peace, and ratify it by a marriage between _Darius Medus_ the son of _Cyaxeres_, and _Ariene_ the daughter of _Alyattes_.
584. _Phidon_ presides in the 49th Olympiad. 580. _Phidon_ is overthrown. Two men chosen by lot, out of the city _Elis_, to preside in the Olympic Games. 572. _Draco_ is Archon of the _Athenians_, and makes laws for them. 568. The _Amphictions_ make war upon the _Cirrheans_, by the advice of _Solon_, and take _Cirrha_. _Clisthenes_, _Alcmæon_ and _Eurolicus_ commanded the forces of the _Amphictions_, and were contemporary to _Phidon_. For _Leocides_ the son of _Phidon_, and _Megacles_ the son of _Alcmæon,_ at one and the same time, courted _Agarista_ the daughter of _Clisthenes_. 569. _Nebuchadnezzar_ invades _Egypt_. _Darius_ the _Mede_ Reigns. 562. _Solon_, being Archon of the _Athenians_, makes laws for them. 557. _Periander_ dies, and _Corinth_ becomes free from Tyrants. 555. _Nabonadius_ Reigns at _Babylon_. His Mother _Nitocris_ adorns and fortifies that City. 550. _Pisistratus_ becomes Tyrant at _Athens._ The Conference between _Crœsus_ and _Solon_. 549. _Solon_ dies, _Hegestratus_ being Archon of _Athens_. 544. _Sardes_ is taken by _Cyrus_. _Darius_ the _Mede_ recoins the _Lydian_ money into _Darics_. 538. _Babylon_ is taken by _Cyrus_. 536. _Cyrus_ overcomes _Darius_ the _Mede_, and translates the Empire to the _Persians_. The _Jews_ return from Captivity, and found the second Temple. 529. _Cyrus_ dies. _Cambyses_ Reigns, 521. _Darius_ the son of _Hystaspes_ Reigns. The _Magi_ are slain. The various Religions of the several Nations of _Persia_, which consisted in the worship of their ancient Kings, are abolished; and by the influence of _Hystaspes_ and _Zoroaster_, the worship of One God, at Altars, without Temples is set up in all _Persia_.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.