BABYLON AND PERSIA

374 MEDIA, BABYLON, AND PERSIA.pendence during the long absence of Kambyses andthe late period of comparatively slack rule, andwere loth to return under the strict control of thecentral authority. The populations were highlypleased with the Magian's way of governing, and themajority of them undoubtedly still believed him tobe what he represented himself ; so the sparks offuture disturbances were by no means stamped out.A year had not elapsed, when the conflagrationbroke out nearly simultaneously on all points of theempire. And this unheard of thing came to pass, thatevery province that rebelled was led by an impostoror pretender: the success of the tragi-comedy en¬acted by the Magian Gaumata had borne plenteousfruits and produced a perfect epidemic of the samekind of deceit.The one reliable source of informamationfor the gigantic struggle in which Dareiossuddenly found himself engaged almost single-handedagainst adversaries that sprang up on every side ofhim, is of course his own narrative on the Behistunrock ; it is singularly modest and unassuming agreat contrast to the bragging of the Assyrian royaldocuments. We cannot do better than follow itstep by step, even when not quoting from it.8. The first to openly rebel was Elam, or Susiana.A certain Atrina there declared himself king.Atthe same time a man of Babylon, Nadintabiraby name, " thus lied to the state of Babylon : ' I amNebuchadrezzar, the son of Nabonidus.' " The wholestate of Babylon went over to him, and acknowl¬edged him for its king. The movement at Susa ap¬pears to have been easily quelled, as all that Dareios