BABYLON AND PERSIA

306 MEDIA, BABYLON, AND PERSIA.his place to one who was a hero and a genius, whilein Babylon the change was reversed: the greatNebuchadrezzar's sceptre had pa.ssed into feeble and .incapable hands, discord and civil troubles filled theland he had ruled so wisely and strongly, and openedthe Woay for the invasion against which he had accu¬mulated so many defences. The fate of Babylonwas so inevitable that her dreaded neighbor couldleave her for the last while he attended to morepressing business. Lydia's turn was to come first.12. Alyattes' long reign (fifty-eight years), ended,with his life, in or about 560 IJ.C. He was by farthe wisest and gretitest of the Mermnada;,indeed,so far as we know, of all the Lydian kings. By suc¬cessive conquests and annexations, he left Lydia themost extensive and poweriul state of Asia Minor,with a numerous and well-ordered army, especiallyformidable from its trained and splendidly mountedcavalry, and a treasury overflowing with wealth ofevery description. He well deserved the affectionand reverence of his people, who erected to his memorv,atpublic cost, the gigantic sepulchral mound orbarrow, a full half mile in circumference, which iseven now a conspicuous feature of the plain by theHermos, near the ruins of Sardis.* Herodotus callsit " a structure of enormous size, only inferior to themonuments of Egypt and Babylon." . He was suc¬ceeded by his son (some say grandson f), KrOISOS,* FKcavations have repeatedly been made in the mound and haveled to the discovery of the sepulchral chamber (eleven feet long byei-dit broad and seven high) , all lined wilh polished white marble, butempty, cleaned out at an unknown time by unknown plunderers,for the sake of the many precious things it doubtless contained.f See Dr. Victor Floigl's " Cyrus und Herodot.," pp. 132-138.