diterranean._

_The empire after the wars of Assur-nazir-pal--Building of the palace
at Calah: Assyrian architecture and sculpture in the IXth century--The
tunnel of Negub and the palace of Balawat--The last years of
Assur-nazir-pal: His campaign of the year 867 in Nairi--The death of
Assur-nazir-pal (860 B.C.); his character._

_Shalmaneser III. (860-825 B.C.): the state of the empire at his
accession--Urartu: its physical features, races, towns, temples, its
deities--Shalmaneser's first campaign in Urartu: he penetrates as far
as Lake Van (860 B.C.)--The conquest of Bit-Adini and of Nairi (859-855
B.C.)_

_The attack on Damascus: the battle of Qarqar (854 B.C.) and the war
against Babylon (852-851 B.C.)--The alliance between Judah and Israel,
the death of Ahab (853 B.C.); Damascus successfully resists the attacks
of Assyria (849-846 B.C.)--Moab delivered from Israel, Mesha; the death
of Ben-hadad (Adadidri) and the accession of Hazael; the fall of the
house of Omri-Jehu (843 B.C.)--The defeat of Hazael and the homage of
Jehu (842-839 B.C.). Wars in Cilicia and in Namri (838-835 B.c.): the
last battles of Shalmaneser III.; his building works, the revolt
of Assur-dain-pal--Samsi-ramman IV. (825-812 B.C.), his first three
expeditions, his campaigns against Babylon--Bammdn-nirdri IV, (812-783
B.C.)--Jehu, Athaliah, Joash: the supremacy of Hazael over Israel and
Judah--Victory of Bammdn-nirdri over Mari, and the submission of all
Syria to the Assyrians (803 B.C.)._

_The growth of Urartu: the conquests of Menuas and Argistis I., their
victories over Assyria--Shalmaneser IV. (783-772 B.C.)--Assurdan III.
(772-754 B.C.)--Assur-niruri III. (754-745 B.C.)--The downfall of
Assyria and the triumph of Urartu._

[Illustration: 003.jpg PAGE IMAGE]

CHAPTER I--THE ASSYRIAN REVIVAL AND THE STRUGGLE FOR SYRIA

_Assur-nazir-pal (885-860) and Shalmaneser III. (860-825)--The kingdom
of Urartu and its conquering princes: Menuas and Argistis._

Assyria was the first to reappear on the scene of action. Less hampered
by an ancient past than Egypt and Chaldaea, she was the sooner able to
recover her strength after any disastrous crisis, and to assume again
the offensive along the whole of her frontier line.

Image Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a bas-relief at Koyunjik
of the time of Sennacherib. The initial cut, which is also
by Faucher-Gudin, represents the broken obelisk of Assur-
nazir-pal, the bas