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Article ASSYRIAN DISCOVERIES. ← Page 2 of 2 Article ASSYRIAN DISCOVERIES. Page 2 of 2
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Assyrian Discoveries.
Sardanapalus , containing historical and chronological , astronomical , and private records , prayers and songs , poems and formulas , letters and contracts , yea , grammars and dictionaries . Henceforth , one
startling revelation folloAved the other , until after two years ago George Smith , in London , detected the legend of the flood , presenting a much older form than that of the Bible .
With assistance offered by the London Daily Telegraph , excavations were resumed by George Smith , AVIIO succeeded in making new discoveries . He added move than 3 , 000 fragments of clay tablets to the old
ones , and found , besides , many interesting articles , as , for instance , a fragment of a magnificent crystal throne , and a greatly Avrought fork , an article unknown to civilization until the eleA'enth century of our era . And , having scarcely taken the
ne-v Avork of George Smith , describing his journey and his discoveries at hand , Ave received through the last number of the London Athenceum the Avelcome , yet not unexpected , news of his having found the legend of the building of the Tower of Babel on these tablets too .
Having thus far shortly revieAved the Avay these explorations Avere made , I will pass on , pointing out to you in a few broad outlines the revelations brought about by this most modern and most
promising science through the labours of a few English and French scholars . Twenty years ago all the source of information about Assyrian and Babylonian history Avas confined to a few names mentioned in
Holy Writ , and a few stories told from hearsay by Greek authors . From "the mighty hunter , " and the first rulers of Ninevah , Ninus and Semiramis , both kingdoms for a long time Avere lost , sight
of . Of a sudden Assyria appears at the northern horizon of the kingdom of Samaria , pouncing on her people like a bird of prey , and eating up piece after piece , then entangled Jndea in her network , but this
time to meet the vengeance of God , Avho smites Assyria ' s army , while standing at the gates of Jerusalem , by an angel of pestilence . Finally we hear the prophet ' s
triump h over her downfall at the attack of the Babylonians , Avhose rise betokens ruin to Judea , and Avhose fall brings her resurrection . Aside from these facts , only names of these successive King are g iven , in a
Assyrian Discoveries.
confusion apt to perlex any one trying to bring them into an harmonious order . Nor does the Greek literature furnish us Avith more than fables . Thanks , then , to recovered records of the
Assyrian conquerors themselves , wo gain a new insight into the political struggles of those petty kingdoms and nationalities settled along the shore of the Mediterranean Sea . We see them pressed together , as if
by grinding mill-stones , by the tAvo large empires of Egypt iu the South , and of Assyria in the North , Avho vie and struggle Avith each other for the dominion of the Avorld . Out of a large number of little
kingdoms , presenting as many ruins of a scattered old empire , the kingdom of Assyria rises above Babylonia , its rival , in the fourteenth century , before our era , groAving like an avalanche , Avhile it pushes
its conquests onward to force all those nations standing in its Avay doAvn under its irresistible poAver , taking advantage of Egypt ' s temporary exhaustion . Thus among the number of Kings defeated and
compelled to pay large tribute to Assyria , Ave find Ahab of Israel , suffering severe penalties for his defensive alliance with Hazael , King of Aram , and afterwards Jehu , the son of Nimshi , regarded by the
Assyrians as belonging to the house of Omri . We discern the great power in the North interfering Avith the politics of Samaria , soon imposing a King upon her , soon deposing him , until Shalmaneser
completes her doom by besieging her capital , and Sargon , scarcely mentioned in the Bible , leads Hosea , her King , Avith 30 , 000 inhabitants , aAvayas captives . Then comes Judea ' s turn . Azariah and Ahaz , the
latter bearing on Assyrian inscriptions the fuller name of Jehoahaz , are recorded as tributaries to Tiglath Pileser , and Ave may presume the idolatry of Ahaz to have stood in near relation to his sympathy Avith
Assyria , Avhich caused his escape for the time .. But Sargon ' s folloAving campaigns , advancing along thy sea-shore as far down as Philistia , inspired Egypt Avith fear , Avhile they entrapped Judea into dangerous temptations of leaning towards the one and
the other power , against Avhich Isaiah s warning voice is lifted . Indeed , the keensighted prophet proved a Avise statesman , Avhen Sargon trampled Ashdod , the neighbour and ally of Judah , under his feet . Yet prophet and King of Judah hoped , And
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Assyrian Discoveries.
Sardanapalus , containing historical and chronological , astronomical , and private records , prayers and songs , poems and formulas , letters and contracts , yea , grammars and dictionaries . Henceforth , one
startling revelation folloAved the other , until after two years ago George Smith , in London , detected the legend of the flood , presenting a much older form than that of the Bible .
With assistance offered by the London Daily Telegraph , excavations were resumed by George Smith , AVIIO succeeded in making new discoveries . He added move than 3 , 000 fragments of clay tablets to the old
ones , and found , besides , many interesting articles , as , for instance , a fragment of a magnificent crystal throne , and a greatly Avrought fork , an article unknown to civilization until the eleA'enth century of our era . And , having scarcely taken the
ne-v Avork of George Smith , describing his journey and his discoveries at hand , Ave received through the last number of the London Athenceum the Avelcome , yet not unexpected , news of his having found the legend of the building of the Tower of Babel on these tablets too .
Having thus far shortly revieAved the Avay these explorations Avere made , I will pass on , pointing out to you in a few broad outlines the revelations brought about by this most modern and most
promising science through the labours of a few English and French scholars . Twenty years ago all the source of information about Assyrian and Babylonian history Avas confined to a few names mentioned in
Holy Writ , and a few stories told from hearsay by Greek authors . From "the mighty hunter , " and the first rulers of Ninevah , Ninus and Semiramis , both kingdoms for a long time Avere lost , sight
of . Of a sudden Assyria appears at the northern horizon of the kingdom of Samaria , pouncing on her people like a bird of prey , and eating up piece after piece , then entangled Jndea in her network , but this
time to meet the vengeance of God , Avho smites Assyria ' s army , while standing at the gates of Jerusalem , by an angel of pestilence . Finally we hear the prophet ' s
triump h over her downfall at the attack of the Babylonians , Avhose rise betokens ruin to Judea , and Avhose fall brings her resurrection . Aside from these facts , only names of these successive King are g iven , in a
Assyrian Discoveries.
confusion apt to perlex any one trying to bring them into an harmonious order . Nor does the Greek literature furnish us Avith more than fables . Thanks , then , to recovered records of the
Assyrian conquerors themselves , wo gain a new insight into the political struggles of those petty kingdoms and nationalities settled along the shore of the Mediterranean Sea . We see them pressed together , as if
by grinding mill-stones , by the tAvo large empires of Egypt iu the South , and of Assyria in the North , Avho vie and struggle Avith each other for the dominion of the Avorld . Out of a large number of little
kingdoms , presenting as many ruins of a scattered old empire , the kingdom of Assyria rises above Babylonia , its rival , in the fourteenth century , before our era , groAving like an avalanche , Avhile it pushes
its conquests onward to force all those nations standing in its Avay doAvn under its irresistible poAver , taking advantage of Egypt ' s temporary exhaustion . Thus among the number of Kings defeated and
compelled to pay large tribute to Assyria , Ave find Ahab of Israel , suffering severe penalties for his defensive alliance with Hazael , King of Aram , and afterwards Jehu , the son of Nimshi , regarded by the
Assyrians as belonging to the house of Omri . We discern the great power in the North interfering Avith the politics of Samaria , soon imposing a King upon her , soon deposing him , until Shalmaneser
completes her doom by besieging her capital , and Sargon , scarcely mentioned in the Bible , leads Hosea , her King , Avith 30 , 000 inhabitants , aAvayas captives . Then comes Judea ' s turn . Azariah and Ahaz , the
latter bearing on Assyrian inscriptions the fuller name of Jehoahaz , are recorded as tributaries to Tiglath Pileser , and Ave may presume the idolatry of Ahaz to have stood in near relation to his sympathy Avith
Assyria , Avhich caused his escape for the time .. But Sargon ' s folloAving campaigns , advancing along thy sea-shore as far down as Philistia , inspired Egypt Avith fear , Avhile they entrapped Judea into dangerous temptations of leaning towards the one and
the other power , against Avhich Isaiah s warning voice is lifted . Indeed , the keensighted prophet proved a Avise statesman , Avhen Sargon trampled Ashdod , the neighbour and ally of Judah , under his feet . Yet prophet and King of Judah hoped , And