Arabian prince, and Nebo-belsumi, a surviving grandson of Merodach-Baladan, came into the confederacy; and Saul-Mugina had fair grounds for expecting that he would be able to maintain his independence.  But civil discord—­the curse of Elam at this period—­once more showed itself, and blighted all these fair prospects.  Tammarit, the brother of Ummman-ibi, finding that the latter had sent the flower of his army into Babylonia, marched against him, defeated and slew him, and became king of all Elam.  Maintaining, however, the policy of his brother, he entered into alliance with Saul-Mugina, and proceeded to put himself at the head of the Elamitic contingent, which was serving in Babylonia.  Here a just Nemesis overtook him.  Taking advantage of his absence, a certain Inda-bibi (or Inda-bigas), a mountain-chief from the fastnesses of Luristan, raised a revolt in Elam, and succeeded in seating himself upon the throne.  The army in Babylonia declining to maintain the cause of Tammarit, he was forced to fly and conceal himself, while the Elamitic troops returned home.  Saul-Mugina then lost the most important of his allies at the moment of his greatest danger for his brother had at length marched against him at the head of an immense army, and was overrunning his northern provinces.  Without the Elamites it was impossible for Babylon to contend with Assyria in the Open field.

All that Saul-Mugina could do was to defend his towns, which Asshur-bani-pal besieged and took, one after another.  The rebel fell into his brother’s hands, and suffered a punishment more terrible than any that the relentless conqueror had as yet inflicted on his captured enemies.  Others had been mutilated, or beheaded; Saul-Mugina was burnt.  The tie of blood, which was held to have aggravated the guilt of his rebellion, was not allowed to be pleaded in mitigation of his sentence.

A pause of some years’ duration now occurred.  The relations between Assyria and Susiana were unfriendly, but not actually hostile.  Inda-bibi had given refuge to Nebo-bel-sumi at the time of Saul Mugina’s discomfiture, and Asshur-bani-pal repeatedly but vainly demanded the surrender of the refugee.  He did not, however, attempt to enforce his demand by an appeal to arms; and Inda-bibi might have retained his kingdom in peace, had not domestic troubles arisen to disturb him.  He was conspired against by the commander of his archers, a second Umman-aldas, who killed him and occupied his throne.  Many pretenders, at the same time, arose in different parts of the country; and Asshur-bani-pal, learning how Elam was distracted, determined on a fresh effort to conquer it.  He renewed his demand for the surrender of Nebo-bel-sumi, who would have been given up had he not committed suicide.  Not content with this success, he (ab.  B.C. 645) invaded Elam, besieged and took Bit-Inibi, which had been strongly fortified, and drove Umunan-aldas out of the plain country into the mountains.  Susa and Badaca, together with twenty-four other cities, fell into his power; and Western Elam being thus at his disposal, he placed it under the government of Tammarit, who, after his flight from Babylonia, had become a refugee at the Assyrian court.  Umman-aldas retained the sovereignty of Eastern Elam.