led into Egypt, and his place was taken by Kukibtu, a partisan
of Assyria. Hoshea, son of Elah, rebelled against Pekah, assassinated
him, and purchased the right to reign over what was left of Israel for
ten talents of gold.** Shamshieh alone held out.

* The following is a list of the kings of Damascus from the
time of David, as far as is known up to the present time:--

[Illustration: LIST OF THE KINGS OF DAMASCUS]

** 2 Kings xv. 30. The inscription published by H.
Rawlinson, merely states that "they overthrew Pekah, their
king, and I promoted Auzi [to the kingship] over them. I
received [from him] X talents of gold and... talents of
silver...."

She imagined herself to be safe among the sands of the desert, and it
never occurred to her that the heavy masses of the Assyrian army would
dream of venturing into these solitudes. Detachments of light cavalry
were sent in pursuit of her, and at first met with some difficulties;
they were, however, eventually successful; the Armenian and Cappadocian
steeds of the Ninevite horsemen easily rode down the queen's meharis.

[Illustration: 290.jpg ARAB MEHARIS RIDDEN DOWN BY THE ASSYRIAN CAVALRY]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from the bas-relief reproduced by
Layard.

Their success made a great impression on the Arab tribes, and induced
the Mashai, Timai Sabasans, Khaiapaeans, Badanaeans, and Khattiaeans to
bend the knee before Assyria. They all sent envoys bearing presents of
gold and silver, camels, both male and female, and spices:* even the
Muzri, whose territory lay to the south of the Dead Sea, followed their
example, and a certain Idibiel was appointed as their chief.**

* Delitzsch has identified the names of several of these
races with names mentioned in the Bible, such as the Temah,
Massah, Ephah, Sheba.

** The name Muzri, as Winckler has shown, here refers, not
to Egypt, but to a canton near Edom, the Nabatsea of the
Greco-Roman geographers.

While his lieutenants were settling outstanding issues in this fashion,
Tiglath-pileser held open courts at Damascus, where he received the
visits and homage of the Syrians. They came to assure themselves by the
evidence of their own eyes of the downfall of the power which had for
more than one hundred years checked the progress of Assyria. Those who,
like Uassarmi of Tabal, showed any sign of disaffection were removed,
the remainder were confirmed