uld, however, be an error to regard the
Assyrian documents as the intermediate link between the old and new
Babylonian documents, though they belong chronologically to an interval
which precedes the latter immediately. The Assyrian scribe used a formula
that was closer to the Old Babylonian than to the contemporary Babylonian.
It had an independent development, looking rather to the royal charters as
models than to the private document. In fact, the closest parallels of all
are to be found on the Babylonian boundary-stones and charters. When,
therefore, in our chronologically arranged sketch of a given subject,
reference is made to Assyrian usage, next to that of the First Dynasty of
Babylon, it will be understood that only the nature of the transaction is
akin; and that, as a rule, the verbal treatment of it is quite distinct.

(M45) A few contemporary documents have reached us from the cities of
Babylonia. They have little or no affinity with the immediately preceding
groups, but carry on the local development from the second epoch. They
come from many sites and are published in a variety of journals. A
tentative list of them will be found in the Appendix. They refer to
transactions in the reigns of Shalmaneser IV., Sargon II.,
Merodach-baladan II., Sennacherib, Esarhaddon, Shamash-shum-ukin,
Kandalanu, Ashur-etil-ilani, and Sin-shar-ishkun. In style they belong to
the next epoch.

(M46) The second Babylonian empire, commencing with Nabopolassar and
extending to the end of the independent existence of a Babylonian empire,
is represented by thousands of tablets in our museums. A small part of
these has been published. Pater J. N. Strassmaier has given some one
thousand six hundred in his _Babylonische Texte_. Dr. Peiser published
many more in his _Keilinschriftliche Acten-stuecke and Babylonische
Vertraege_. The Rev. B. T. A. Evetts, Dr. Moldenke, Dr. Pinches and others
have published many more. A detailed list will be found in the Appendix.

(M47) In the times of the Persian kings very many documents were drawn up
very similar to these. The series is quite unbroken, down through
Macedonian rule, the Arsacid period, to as late as B.C. 82. The list will
be found in the Appendix.

Of the whole period we may say that the variety and quantity of written
evidence are amazing. Every sort of transaction that could be made the
subject of a deed or memorandum was written down. They come from most of
the chief cities in Babyl