n invasions had, as a general rule, taken an oblique course
towards some of the spurs of this formidable chain, and had endeavoured
to neutralise its defences by outflanking them, either by proceeding
westwards along the basins of the Supnat and the Arzania, or eastwards
through the countries bordering on Lake Urumiah; but even this method
presented too many difficulties and too little certainty of success to
warrant Tiglath-pileser in staking the reviving fortunes of his empire
on its adoption. He rightly argued that Sharduris would be most easily
vulnerable in those provinces whose allegiance to him was of recent
date, and he resolved to seek out his foe in the heart of Northern
Syria.

[Illustration: 221.jpg VIEW OF THE MOUNTAINS WHICH GUARD THE SOUTHERN
BORDER OF UARTU]

Drawn by Boudier, from a photograph by M. Binder. Taken at
Julamerk, near the junction of the mountain tracks leading
from the Zab valley to the south-eastern corner of the basin
of Lake Van.

There, if anywhere, every chance was in his favour and against the
Armenian. The scene of operations, while it had long been familiar to
his own generals and soldiers, was, on the other hand, entirely new
ground to those of the enemy; the latter, though unsurpassed in mountain
warfare, lost much of their superiority on the plains, and could not,
with all their courage, make up for their lack of experience. Moreover,
it must not be forgotten that a victory on the banks of the Afrin or the
Orontes would have more important results than a success gained in the
neighbourhood of the lakes or of Urartu. Not only would it free the
Assyrians from the only one of their enemies whom they had any cause
to fear, but it would also bring back the Hittite kings to their
allegiance, and restore the Assyrian supremacy over the wealthiest
regions of Western Asia: they would thus disable Urartu and reconquer
Syria at one and the same time. Tiglath-pileser, therefore, crossed the
Euphrates in the spring of 743 B.C., neither Matilu of Agusi, Kushtashpi
of Kummukh, nor their allies daring to interfere with his progress. He
thus advanced as far as Arpad, and, in the first moment of surprise, the
town threw open its gates before him.*

* Different writers have given different versions of this
campaign. Some think that Arpad resisted, and that Tiglath-
pileser was laying siege to it, when the arrival of
Sharduris compelled him to retire; ot