During his absence from home the old Assyrian party, who disliked the emperor because of Babylonian sympathies, had been intriguing regarding the succession to the throne.  According to the Babylonian Chronicle, “the king remained in Assyria” during 669 B.C., “and he slew with the sword many noble men”.  Ashur-bani-pal was evidently concerned in the conspiracy, and it is significant to find that he pleaded on behalf of certain of the conspirators.  The crown prince Sinidinabal was dead:  perhaps he had been assassinated.

At the feast of the goddess Gula (identical with Bau, consort of Ninip), towards the end of April in 668 B.C., Esarhaddon divided his empire between two of his sons.  Ashur-bani-pal was selected to be King of Assyria, and Shamash-shum-ukin to be King of Babylon and the vassal of Ashur-banipal.  Other sons received important priestly appointments.

Soon after these arrangements were completed Esarhaddon, who was suffering from bad health, set out for Egypt.  He died towards the end of October, and the early incidents of his campaign were included in the records of Ashur-bani-pal’s reign.  Taharka was defeated at Memphis, and retreated southward to Thebes.

So passed away the man who has been eulogized as “the noblest and most sympathetic figure among the Assyrian kings”.  There was certainly much which was attractive in his character.  He inaugurated many social reforms, and appears to have held in check his overbearing nobles.  Trade flourished during his reign.  He did not undertake the erection of a new city, like his father, but won the gratitude of the priesthood by his activities as a builder and restorer of temples.  He founded a new “house of Ashur” at Nineveh, and reconstructed several temples in Babylonia.  His son Ashur-bani-pal was the last great Assyrian ruler.

CHAPTER XX.

THE LAST DAYS OF ASSYRIA AND BABYLONIA

Doom of Nineveh and Babylon—­Babylonian Monotheism—­Ashur-banipal and his Brother, King of Babylon—­Ceremony of “Taking the Hands of Bel”—­Merodach restored to E-sagila—­Assyrian Invasion of Egypt and Sack of Thebes—­Lydia’s Appeal to Assyria—­Elam subdued—­Revolt of Babylon—­Death of Babylonian King—­Sack of Susa—­Psamtik of Egypt—­Cimmerians crushed—­Ashur-bani-pal’s Literary Activities—­The Sardanapalus Legend—­Last Kings of Assyria—­Fall of Nineveh—­The New Babylonian Empire—­Necho of Egypt expelled from Syria—­King Jehoaikin of Judah deposed—­Zedekiah’s Revolt and Punishment—­Fall of Jerusalem and Hebrew Captivity—­Jeremiah laments over Jerusalem—­Babylonia’s Last Independent King—­Rise of Cyrus the Conqueror—­The Persian Patriarch and Eagle Legend—­Cyrus conquers Lydia—­Fall of Babylon—­Jews return to Judah—­Babylon from Cyrus to Alexander the Great.

The burden of Nineveh....  The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked:  the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind