In regard to manners, customs and general mode of life, reference should be made to the standard works of Maspero—The Dawn of Civilization, The Struggle of the Nations, and The Passing of the Empires (S.P.C.K., London), to the same writer’s (Maspero) Life in Ancient Egypt and Assyria (Chapman & Hall) to Sayce’s Assyrians and Babylonians (J. C. Nimmo, London); and to Delitzsch’s Handel und Wandel in Altbabylonien (Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, Stuttgart), while for military matters, the reader should consult J. Hunger’s Heerwesen und Kriegführung der Assyrer in Der Alte Orient 1911.
This volume does not deal with the history of the Babylonians and Assyrians, but those interested in that branch should read Rogers’ History of Babylonia and Assyria (Eaton & Mains, New York; Jennings & Pye, Cincinnati), Goodspeed’s A History of the Babylonians and Assyrians (Smith, Elder & Co., London); and the standard-works of Maspero—The Dawn of Civilization, The Struggle of the Nations and The Passing of the Empires (S.P.C.K., London) for a general history, while for the early period King’s Sumer and Akkad (Chatto & Windus) and Radau’s Early Babylonian History (Oxford University Press) should be studied.
LIST OF THE MORE IMPORTANT
KINGS AND RULERS
AND A BRIEF CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
| Approximate dates B.C. | |
| Mesilim, king of Kish, suzerain of Southern Babylonia | 3000 |
| First Dynasty of Lagash. | |
| Ur-Ninâ, the founder of dynasty Akurgal Eannatum Enannatum I Entemena Enannatum II Enetarzi Enlitarzi Lugal-anda | 3000 |
Urukagina, defeated by Lugal-zaggisi, king of Erechand Sumer | 2800 |
| Dynasty of Kish. | |
| Sharru-Gi Manishtusu Urumush | 2750 |
| Dynasty of Agade. | |
Shar-Gâni-sharri, established empire embracing Assyria,Syria and Palestine | 2650 |
| Narâm-Sin | |
| Second Dynasty of Lagash. | |
| Ur-Bau | 2500 |
| Gudea | 2450 |
| Ur-Engur | 2400 |
Dungi, sacks Babylon, exercises suzerainty over Babylonia,extends his sway to Elam | |
| Bur-Sin I Gamil-Sin Ibi-Sin | |
| Dynasty of Isin. | 2300-2100 |
| First Dynasty of City of Babylon. | |
Khammurabi, king of Babylon, establishes a powerfulkingdom in Babylonia, expels the Elamites whohad effected a settlement in Ur and Larsa, restoresShar-Gâni-Sharri’s empire in Palestine and embracesAssyria within the sphere of his influence | 1900 |
KhaThis dynasty is brought to an end by an invasionof the Hittites, who captured Babylon | |
KhaThe Kassites from the mountainous district, east ofthe Tigris, invade Babylonia and establish themselvesas kings of Babylon. About a centuryafter the Kassite invasion Assyria asserts her independenceand becomes a separate kingdom | |
| (?) Ushpia,[192] the probable founder of the temple ofAshur | 2100 |
(?) Ki-Ki-a, the first builder of the Dûru at Ashur,restorer of the temple of Ashur, and builder ofthe Adad-temple | 2000 |
| Shalmaneser I | 1300 |
| Tukulti-Ninib I, king of Assyria, conquers Babylonia | 1275 |
| Ashur-rêsh-ishi | 1140 |
| Tiglath-Pileser I | 1100 |
| Ashur-naṣir-pal extends the limits of the empire | 885-860 |
Shalmaneser II becomes master of the whole ofWestern Asia. The Israelites under Jehuacknowledge his suzerainty | 860-825 |
Tiglath-Pileser III recovers the ground lost by hisimmediate predecessors, carries the tribes ofReuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manassehinto captivity | 745-727 |
| Shalmaneser IV besieges Samaria | 727-722 |
Sargon, the usurper, takes Samaria and transportsmost of population; defeats Egyptians andPhilistines at Raphia; reduces Babylonia,carries on war in Elam; builds great palace atKhorsabad | 722-705 |
Sennacherib reduces rebellious Babylonia; defeatsEgyptians at Altaku in Dan; carries on warin Palestine; Hezekiah of Judah acknowledgeshis suzerainty; destroys Babylon (689) | 705-681 |
| Esarhaddon conquers Lower Egypt (672) | 681-668 |
Ashur-bani-pal invades Egypt, the latter havingthrown off the Assyrian yoke; sacks Thebes,the Egyptian capital (666); entirely subjugatesElam; defeats and puts to death Shamash-shum-ukîn,Viceroy of Babylonia | 668-626 |
KhaEgypt and Lydia assert their independence | |
KhaThe Medes made raid on the eastern bordersof the empire (circ. 634) | |
Ashur-bani-pal dies | 626 |
| Neo-Babylonian Dynasty. | |
| Nabopolassar | 625-604 |
Nebuchadnezzar II defeated Necho, king of Egypt,before his accession; captures Jerusalem andtakes Judah into captivity | 604-561 |
Nabonidus, entrusts Babylon to his son Belshazzar.Cyrus, the Persian, invades Babylonia, capturesBabylon and destroys the Neo-BabylonianEmpire | 555-538 |
MAPS
