are probably ancient, the race of their kings was derived from him, and
after him was called the mighty city which ultimately became their
capital. As early as the thirteenth century B.C. the name of Nin was
used as an element in royal appellations; and the first king who has;
left us an historical inscription regarded himself as being in an
especial way under Nin's guardianship. Tiglath-Pileser I., is "the
illustrious prince whom Asshur and Nin have exalted to the utmost wishes
of his heart." He speaks of Nin sometimes singly, sometimes in
conjunction with Asshur, as his "guardian deity." Nin and Nergal make
his weapons sharp for him, and under Nin's auspices the fiercest beasts
of the field fall beneath them. Asshur-izir-pal built him a magnificent
temple at Nimrud (Calah). Shamas-Vul, the grandson of this king,
dedicated to him the obelisk which he set up at that place in
commemoration of his victories. Sargon placed his newly-built city in
part under his protection, and specially invoked him to guard his
magnificent palace. The ornamentation of that edifice indicated in a
very striking way the reverence of the builder for this god, whose
symbol, the winged bull, guarded all its main gateways, and who seems to
have been actually represented by the figure strangling a lion, so
conspicuous on the _Hareem_ portal facing the great court. Nor did
Sargon regard Nin as his protector only in peace. He ascribed to his
influence the successful issue of his wars; and it is probably to
indicate the belief which he entertained on this point that he
occasionally placed Nin's emblems on the sculptures representing his
expeditions. Sennacherib, the son and successor of Sargon, appears to
have had much the same feelings towards Nin, as his father, since in his
buildings he gave the same prominence to the winged bull and to the
figure strangling the lion; placing the former at almost all his
doorways, and giving the latter a conspicuous position on the grand
facade of his chief palace. Esarhaddon relates that he continued in the
worship of Nin, setting up his emblem over his own royal effigy,
together with those of Asshur, Shamas, Bel, and Ishtar.

It appears at first sight as if, notwithstanding the general prominency
of Nin in the Assyrian religious system, there was one respect in which
he stood below a considerable number of the gods. We seldom find his
name used openly as an element in the royal appellations. In the list of
kin