cheenc03a.pdf

SARGON
in .4si)nia of the old aristocracy, as the restorm of the
ancient burgher rights and privileges
a, His
LZI the old capitals ASBur and HarrLn,
and later the consolidator of his ernpire by the extension
of like freedom to the cities of Babylonia. His scrupulous
regard for the claims of ancient titles to land,
whether te~rlple endowments or ancestral domains, and
his careful restoration of rights taken away by fraud
or violence, tymnny or conquest, both in Assyria and
!inter) in Babylonia, nverr repeatedly set forth by him as
justifications for a turn whlch he wished to give to his
own name Sarrukinu, ,the true king.' The fact that
the achievements, which Inter wrltcrr ascribe to Sargon
of Akkad, bear such close rerenlblance to the historical
evenfsof Sargon 11,'s reign, has tempted some lo doubt
the h~rtoricvl worth of the earlier paralieis. It is not unlikely
that Sargon II., who may have taken the name
Sarriikin on comine to the throne. deliberately set to
SARGON
by the inrrigu~ of Pir'u, king of the N. Arabian land
Of M"3'i. the whole Wert seems to have
6, and Gma struck for independence. Iiu-bi'di (or
Iau-bgdil. an uortart. ~robablv a creature
of Pir'u. had made hkself 'king .G ~amath. Such
old depndencier of Asayria as Arpnd and Simirra joined
him. Damascus and Samaria, only lately captured.
and partly no doubt peopled by exiles from other lands.
who had nothing to lose and hoped for revenge, joined
the conspiracy. Hvnun of Gaza. once expelled by
'Tigiath-piierei 111.. now supported by Sib'e, the Tartan
(see So) of Mugur, had got back his kingdom.
But though 11"-bi'di war able to collect a vast army at
Karbar, Sargon reems to hare swept them away with
rase. Sargon followed up Hanun to Rapihu, where he
and Sib'e were defeated. Hannd was captured and
taken to Aiiur, SiVe fled. Rapihu war plundered. Syria
and the Wert remained quiet for some ten yeas. 720-
support. or tm shattered to renew the strife
even with such rcinforcrment, returned to
Elam. Sargon did not pursue hi",, or
venture to attack Merodach-haladan; but
DOrilu and all N. Babylonia remained in
Srrgon's hands. Merodach-baladan indeed
reigned twelve years in Babylon and the S. of
Babylonia. in spile of Sargon, and 'contrary
to the will of the eods': - hut never did he venture I and NE. Already Tielath-oileser 111. had subdued
to fall upon Sargon's rear whilst he waged his wars 6- -, ,dan and placed there a varrai king, 1ranzO.
incessantly in every other direction. On the whole
Byond that buffer state, however, lay
the advantage lay with Sargon,who war ahle to deal Zikirtu lSarartia1, , " , nrobablv . , orerred . bv the alreadv
with his enemies one by one and crush them in detail. encroaching Cimmerians, if not theniselver an advance
and finally to turn the whole force of his mighty empire guard of that horde of nomad barbanans. Their king
on Babylon.
Mitatti incited two of lranrtir subiect cities to rebel.
From some of S~rgon's own earlier inscriptions there and Iranzfi appealed to his overlord for assistance. In
is reason to believe that he did not reckon his own 7x9 B.c.. accordingly, Sargon captured and destroyed
, Gamar ia. reign from nc. 723 but from B.C 7-0. there cities ibnndnhul and Durdtlkkui. Three of the
The historians of Fabylo" and his own ,, llrmenia cities which had been fortified againit
later inscriptions, however, reckoned his regnai years
Ararenia, but had gone over to Rur$.
from his acknowledgment in Aiiur ifrelt Left un- kine of Armenia. the instieator of most of the trouble
disturbed by his most Cormidrhie enemies in the S, he her;, were captured and people deported to Syria.
turned his attention to the reconauest of the W. In
the account of the capture of samaria, and thedeporfr-
*,
abal. In the next year Kiakki, prince of Sinuhtu,
one of the districts in Tabal, had olrlitted
tion of 27.290 men. the flower of the nation. Snrgo~i's to send tribute. He was captured and taken with most
annals record the settlen,ent there of caplives from of his people to Aiiur. His land was added to that of
other lands. In this the scribe surely anticipates what
OCCYI-T~~ later, for Snrgon had won no victories at that
time. Certainly Samnria war in a pasition to join the
citier allied with Iiu-bi'di in n.c. 720.
Doubtless encouraged by the indecisive appearance
of Sngon's battle at DOrilu, relieved evidently of the
Assyrian army then withdrawn to the S.. and urged on
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Matti of At"" (Tun, Tyana), which war sllbje~ted to
g, CarchemiPh. a proportionate increase in tribute.
Next year, Carchemirh was dealt With.
It had retailled a shadow of independence, whilst its
neighbourr bad lost theirs, from policy on the part of
Aasyia. The Assyrian monarch was content with
loyalty and a rich tribute, and Pinlrir of Carchemirh
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