Chapter Ii--Tiglath-Pileser Iii. and the Organisation of the Assyrian

EMPIRE FROM 745 TO 722 B.C.

TIGLATH-PILESER III. AND THE ORGANISATION OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE FROM 745 to 722 B.C.

FAILURE OF URARTU AND RE-CONQUEST Of SYRIA--EGYPT AGAIN UNITED UNDER ETHIOPIAN AUSPICES--PIONKHI--THE DOWNFALL OF DAMASCUS, OF BABYLON, AND OF ISRAEL.

Assyria and its neighbours at the accession of Tiglath-pileser III.: progress of the Aramaeans in the basin of the Middle Tigris--Urartu and its expansion into the north of Syria--Damascus and Israel--Vengeance of Israel on Damascus--Jeroboam II.--Civilisation of the Hebrew kingdoms, their commerce, industries, private life, and political organisation--Dawn of Hebrew literature: the two historians of Israel--The priesthood and the prophets--The prophecy of Amos at Bethel; denunciation of Israel by Hosea.

Early campaigns of Tiglath-pileser III. in Karduniash and in Media--He determines to attach Urartu in Syria: defeat of Sharduris, campaign around Arpad, and capture of that city--Homage paid by the Syrian princes, by Menahem and Rezin II--Second campaign against the Medes--Invasion of Urartu and end of its supremacy--Alliance of Pekah and Rezin against Ahaz: the war in Judaea and siege of Jerusalem.

Egypt under the kings of the XXIIth dynasty--The Theban principality, its priests, pallacides, and revolts; the XXIIIrd Tanite dynasty--Tafnakhti and the rise of the Saite family--The Egyptian kingdom, of Ethiopia: theocratic nature of its dynasty, annexation of the Thebaid by the kingdom of Napata--Pionkhi-Miamun; his generals in Middle Egypt; submission of Khmunu, of Memphis, and of Tafnalchti--Effect produced in Asia by the Ethiopian conquest.

The prophet Isaiah, his rise under Aliaz--Intervention of Tiglath-pileser III. in Hebrew affairs; the campaign of 733 B.C. against Israel--Capture of Rezin, and the downfall of Damascus--Nabunazir; the Kaldd and the close of the Babylonian dynasty; usurpation of Ukinzir--Campaign against Ukinzir; capture of Shapia and of Babylon--Tiglath-pileser ascends the throne in the last-named city under the name of Fulu (729 B.C.)--Death of Tiglath-pileser III. (727 B.C.)

Reorganisation of the Assyrian empire; provinces and feudatory states--Karduniash, Syria--Wholesale deportation of conquered races--Provincial administrators, their military and financial arrangements--Buildings erected by Tiglath-pileser at Calah--The Bit-Khilani--Foundation of feudal lordships--Belharrdn-beluzur--Shalmaneser V. and Egypt: rebellion of Hoshea, the siege of Samaria, and the prophecies of Isaiah--Sargon--Destruction of the kingdom of Israel.