experience of desert wandering promoted trade, and the revival of trade inaugurated new eras of prosperity in ancient centres of culture, and brought them into closer touch than ever before with one another.  The rise of Greece was due to the blending of the Achaeans and other pastoral fighting folks with the indigenous Pelasgians.  Into the early States which fostered the elements of ancient Mykenaean civilization, poured the cultural influences of the East through Asia Minor and Phoenicia and from the Egyptian coast.  The conquerors from the steppes meanwhile contributed their genius for organization, their simple and frugal habits of life, and their sterling virtues; they left a deep impress on the moral, physical, and intellectual life of Greece.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE HEBREWS IN ASSYRIAN HISTORY

Revival of Assyrian Power—­The Syro-Cappadocian Hittites—­The Aramaean State of Damascus—­Reign of Terror in Mesopotamia—­Barbarities of Ashur-natsir-pal III—­Babylonia and Chaldaea subdued—­Glimpse of the Kalkhi Valley—­The Hebrew Kingdoms of Judah and Israel—­Rival Monarchs and their Wars—­How Judah became subject to Damascus—­Ahab and the Phoenician Jezebel—­Persecution of Elijah and other Prophets—­Israelites fight against Assyrians—­Shalmaneser as Overlord of Babylonia—­Revolts of Jehu in Israel and Hazael in Damascus—­Shalmaneser defeats Hazael—­Jehu sends Tribute to Shalmaneser—­Baal Worship Supplanted by Golden Calf Worship in Israel—­Queen Athaliah of Judah—­Crowning of the Boy King Joash—­Damascus supreme in Syria and Palestine—­Civil War in Assyria—­Triumphs of Shamshi-Adad VII—­Babylonia becomes an Assyrian Province.

In one of the Scottish versions of the Seven Sleepers legend a shepherd enters a cave, in which the great heroes of other days lie wrapped in magic slumber, and blows two blasts on the horn which hangs suspended from the roof.  The sleepers open their eyes and raise themselves on their elbows.  Then the shepherd hears a warning voice which comes and goes like the wind, saying:  “If the horn is blown once again, the world will be upset altogether”.  Terrified by the Voice and the ferocious appearance of the heroes, the shepherd retreats hurriedly, locking the door behind him; he casts the key into the sea.  The story proceeds:  “If anyone should find the key and open the door, and blow but a single blast on the horn, Finn and all the Feans would come forth.  And that would be a great day in Alban."[428]

After the lapse of an obscure century the national heroes of Assyria were awakened as if from sleep by the repeated blasts from the horn of the triumphant thunder god amidst the northern and western mountains—­Adad or Rimmon of Syria, Teshup of Armenia, Tarku of the western Hittites.  The great kings who came forth to “upset the world” bore the familiar names, Ashur-natsir-pal, Shalmaneser, Shamash-Adad, Ashur-dan, Adad-nirari, and Ashur-nirari.  They revived and increased the ancient glory of Assyria during its Middle Empire period.