In the struggle with Assyria the Aramaean forces were led by Hamath.  Most of the states of western Asia contributed troops; even the “Arabs” took part in the conflict.  But the confederates were overthrown with great slaughter at Karkar on the Orontes in B.C. 853, and immediately afterwards we find Ahab at war with his late ally.  Hadad-idri lived only a few years longer.  In B.C. 842 he was murdered by Hazael, who seized the throne.  But Hazael, like his predecessor, was soon called upon to face an Assyrian army.  Year after year the Assyrians invaded the territories of Damascus, and though they never succeeded in capturing the capital, the country was devastated, and a countless amount of booty carried away.  The Syrian kingdom was utterly exhausted, and in no condition to resist the attacks of the Israelitish kings Jehoash and Jeroboam II.  Jehoash, we are told, gained three victories over his hereditary enemy, while Jeroboam occupied its cities.  When an Assyrian army once more appeared at the gates of Damascus in B.C. 797, its king Mariha was glad to purchase peace by rich presents and the offer of homage.  Gold and silver, bronze and iron in large quantities were yielded up to the conqueror, and Damascus for a while was the vassal of Nineveh.

But a respite was granted it in which to recover its strength.  Civil war sapped the strength of the kingdom of Israel, and Assyria fell into decay.  Freed from its enemies, Damascus again amassed wealth through the trade across the desert, and was recognised as the head of the smaller Aramaean states.  In conjunction with the Israelitish king Pekah, Rezon II. proposed to overthrow Judah and supplant the Davidic dynasty by a Syrian vassal-prince.  The fall of Judah would have meant the fall also of Edom and the submission of the Philistines, as well as that of Moab and Ammon.  The strength of its capital made Judah the champion and protector of southern Canaan; with Jerusalem in their hands, the confederate rulers of Damascus and Samaria could do as they chose.  Ahaz of Judah turned in his despair to the Assyrians, who had once more appeared on the scene.  Tiglath-pileser III. had overthrown the older Assyrian dynasty and put new life into the kingdom.  In the interests of the merchants of Nineveh he aimed at incorporating the whole of western Asia and its commerce into his empire, and the appeal of Ahaz gave him an excuse for interfering in the affairs of Palestine.  Ahaz became his vassal; Pekah was put to death, and an Assyrian nominee made king in his place, while Rezon was shut up in his capital and closely besieged.  For two years the siege continued; then Damascus was taken, its last king slain, and its territory placed under an Assyrian satrap.