f vie Mannai, and expeditions against the Medes;
submission of the northern Arabs (678-676 B.C.)--Egyptian
affairs; Taharqa (Tirhakah), his building operations, his Syrian
policy--Disturbances on the frontiers of Elam and Urartu._

_First invasion of Egypt and subjection of the country to Nineveh (670
B.C.)--Intrigues of rival claimants to the throne, and division of
the Assyrian empire between Assur-bani-pal and Shamash shumukin (668
B.C.)--Revolt of Egypt and death of Esarhaddon (668 B.C.); accession
of Assur-bani-pal; his campaign against Kirbit; defeat of Taharqa and
reconstitution of the Egyptian province (667 B.C.)--Affairs of Asia
Minor: Gyges (693 B.C.), his tears against the Greeks and Cimmerians; he
sends ambassadors to Nineveh (664 B.C.)._

_Tanuatamanu reasserts the authority of Ethiopia in Egypt (664 B.C.),
and Tammaritu of Elam invades Karduniash; reconquest of the Said
and sack of Thebes--Psammetichus I. and the rise of the XXVIth
dynasty--Disturbances among the Medes and Mannai--War against Teumman
and the victory of Tulliz (660 B.C.): Elam yields to the Assyrians for
the first time--Shamash-shumukin at Babylon; is at first on good terms
with his brother, then becomes dissatisfied, and forms a coalition
against the Ninevite supremacy._

_The Uruk incident and outbreak of the war between Karduniash, Elam,
and Assyria; Elam disabled by domestic discords--Siege and capture of
Babylon; Assur-bani-pal ascends the throne under the name of Kandalanu
(648-646 B.C.)--Revolt of Egypt: defeat and death of Gyges (642 B.C.
): Ardys drives out the Cimmerians and Dugdamis is killed in
Cilicia--Submission of Arabia._

_Revolution in Elam--Attack on Indabigash--Tammaritu restored to
power--Pillage and destruction of Susa--Campaign against the Arabs of
Kedar and the Nabataeans: suppression of the Tyrian rebellion
--Dying struggles of Elam--Capture of Madaktu and surrender of
Khumban-khaldash--The power of Assyria reaches its zenith._

[Illustration: 083.jpg PAGE IMAGE]

CHAPTER II--THE POWER OF ASSYRIA AT ITS ZENITH; ESARHADDON AND
ASSUR-BANI-PAL

_The Medes and Cimmerians: Lydia--The conquest of Egypt, of Arabia, and
of Elam._

As we have already seen, Sennacherib reigned for eight years after his
triumph; eight years of tranquillity at home, and of peace with all
his neighbours abroad. If we examine the contemporary monuments or the
documents of a later period, and attempt to glean from them some detai