A History of Babylonia and Assyria, Volume Ii

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1915 edition. Excerpt: ...left to his successor more problems than he had solved himself. ' Joaephus, ix, 14. 2. Compare Winckler, Geschichte, p. 333, note 51. 1 See, however, a defense of the Josephus passage in Lehmann-Haupt, Israel, Seine Entmckdung im Rahmen der Weltgeschichtc (Tubingen, 1911), pp. 9H-100. CHAPTER VII THE REIGN OF SARGON II Shalmaneser V died in the month of Tebet, and in the very same month Sargon II (722-705 B. C.) became king of Assyria. Like Tiglath-pileser IV, he was not of royal blood. In no single passage does he ever claim descent from any of the previous kings, nor in any way allude to his parentage. His son, Sennacherib, who succeeded him, is also silent concerning the origin of Sargon, but his grandson, Esarhaddon, provides him with an artificial genealogy which carries back his line to Bel-bam, an ancient king of Asshur. It is a striking fact that he was able to put himself so quickly and so securely on the throne, and it makes one think that there may have been some understanding before the death of Shalmaneser by which Sargon was made the legal heir. On the other hand, he may have been a successful general, as we have already supposed that Tiglathpileser IV was, and so had in his hand a weapon ready to enforce his ambitious claims to the throne. Like Tiglathpileser, also, he must have been well known as a man of force, for there was no uprising against him, and he was at once recognized as the lawful king. He inherited a kingdom full of great problems and difficulties. Samaria was not yet taken, and if it should succeed in effectual resistance, all Syria would take new heart, and the whole fabric which Tiglathpileser IV had laboriously built up, but had not had timo fully to cement together, would be in fragments. This was a not...