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THE FIRST CHALDEAN EMPIRE AND THE HYKSOS IN EGYPT

SYRIA:  THE PART PLAYED BY IT IN THE HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT WORLD—­ BABYLON AND THE FIRST CHALDAEAN EMPIRE—­THE DOMINION OF THE HYKSOS:  AHMOSIS.

Syria, owing to its geographical position, condemned to be subject to neighbouring powers-Lebanon, Anti-Lebanon, the valley of the Orontes and of the Litany, and surrounding regions:  the northern table-land, the country about Damascus, the Mediterranean coast, the Jordan and the Dead Sea-Civilization and primitive inhabitants, Semites and Asiatics:  the almost entire absence of Egyptian influence, the predominance of that of Chaldaea.

Babylon, its ruins and its environs—­It extends its rule over Mesopotamia; its earliest dynasty and its struggle with Central Chaldaea-Elam, its geographical position, its peoples; Kutur-Nakhunta conquers Larsam-Bimsin (Eri-Aku); Khammurabi founds the first Babylonian empire; Ids victories, his buildings, his canals—­The Elamites in Syria:  Kudurlagamar—­Syria recognizes the authority of Hammurabi and his successors.

The Hyksos conquer Egypt at the end of the XIVth dynasty; the founding of Avaris—­Uncertainty both of ancients and moderns with regard to the origin of the Hyksos:  probability of their being the Khati—­Their kings adopt the manners and civilization of the Egyptians:  the monuments of Khiani and of Apophis I. and II—­The XVth dynasty.

Semitic incursions following the Hyksos—­The migration of the Phoenicians and the Israelites into Syria:  Terah, Abraham and his sojourn in the land of Canaan—­Isaac, Jacob, Joseph:  the Israelites go down into Egypt and settle in the land of Goshen.

Thebes revolts against the Hyksos:  popular traditions as to the origin of the war, the romance of Apophis and Saquinri—­The Theban princesses and the last Icings of the XVIIth dynasty:  Tiudqni Kamosis, Ahmosis I.—­The lords of El-Kab, and the part they played during the war of independence—­The taking of Avaris and the expulsion of the Ilylcsos.

The reorganization of Egypt—­Ahmosis I. and his Nubian wars, the reopening of the quarries of Turah—­Amenothes I. and his mother Nofritari:  the jewellery of Queen Ahhotpu—­The wars of Amenothes I., the apotheosis of Nofritari—­The accession of Thutmosis I. and the re-generation of Egypt.

CHAPTER I—­THE FIRST CHALDAEAN EMPIRE AND THE HYKSOS IN EGYPT

Syria:  the part played by it in the ancient world—­Babylon and the first Chaldaean empire—­The dominion of the Hyksos:  Ahmosis.