[265] Driving away the cattle and sheep of a conquered people, and accounting them amongst the principal spoil, has ever been the custom of Eastern nations who have not altogether renounced a nomadic life, and whose chief wealth consequently consisted in these animals. When Asa defeated the Ethiopians, “he carried away sheep and camels in abundance; and returned to Jerusalem.” (2 Chron. xiv. 15.)
[266] The same thing may, indeed, be inferred from several passages in Chronicles and Kings. See particularly 2 Kings, xvi. 7, xvii. 4.
[267] 1 Kings, iv. 21, and 24. “He reigned over all the kings from the river even unto the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt;” and the kings “brought him every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, harness, and spices, horses and mules, a rate year by year.” (2 Chron. ix. 24, 26.) Such were probably the very articles brought yearly to the Assyrian king, and enumerated in his records.
[268] 2 Chron. v. 62.
[269] 1 Chron. v. 6 and 26.
[270] 2 Kings, xvii. 6, xviii. 11.
[271] 2 Kings, xvii. 29.
[272] See woodcuts, Nineveh and its Remains, vol. ii. p. 340.
[273] Ch. iii. 12-14.
[274] From this propylæum came the two colossal bulls in the British Museum; it was part of the royal palace.