attacked Zikartu, whose king, Mitatti, took refuge in the mountains and thus escaped death at the hands of the executioner.  Assurli of Karalla had a similar fate to Bagadatti, and was flayed alive.  Itti of Allabria, with half of his subjects, was carried away to Hamath.  The towns of Niksama and Shurgadia were annexed to the province of Parsuash.  The town of Kishisim was reduced to ashes, and its king, Belsharuzur, together with the treasures of his palace, was carried away to Nineveh.  Kharkhar succumbed after a short siege, received a new population, and was henceforward known as Kar-Sharrukin; Dalta was restored to favour, and retained his dominion intact.  Never had so great a danger been so ably or so courageously averted.  It was not without good reason that, after his victory over the Mannai, Sargon, instead of attacking Busas, the most obstinate of his foes, turned against the Medes.  Bllipi, Parsuash, and Kharkhar, comprising half the countries which had joined in the insurrection, were on the borders of Elam or had frequent relations with that state, and it is impossible to conjecture what turn affairs might have taken had Elam been induced to join their league, and had the Elamite armies, in conjunction with those of Merodach-baladan, unexpectedly fallen upon the Assyrian rear by the valleys of the Tigris or the Turnat.

[Illustration:  369.jpg TAKING OF THE CITY OF KISHISIM BY THE ASSYRIANS]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from the facsimile by Plandin.  The figures resembling stags’ horns, which crown three of the upper towers, are tongues of flame, as was indicated by the red colouring which still remained on them when the bas- relief was discovered.

Had the Elamites, however, entertained a desire to mingle in the fray, the promptness with which Sargon had re-established order must have given them cause to reflect and induced them to maintain their neutrality.  The year which had opened so inauspiciously thus ended in victory, though the situation was still fraught with danger.  The agitation which had originated in the east and northeast in 716 reached the north-west in 715, and spread as far as the borders of Southern Syria.  Rusas had employed the winter in secret negotiations with the Mannai, and had won over one of their principal chiefs, a certain Dayaukku, whose name seems to be identical with that which the Greeks transliterated as Deiokes.*

     * The identity of the name Dayaukku with that of Deiokes is
     admitted by all historians.

As soon as spring had returned he entered the territory of Ullusunu, and occupied twenty-two strongholds, which were probably betrayed into his hands by Dayaukku.  While this was taking place Mita of Mushki invaded Cilicia, and the Arab tribes of the Idumsean desert—­the Thamudites, the Ibadites, the Marsimanu, and Khayapa—­were emboldened to carry their marauding expeditions into Assyrian territory.  The Assyrian monarch was thus called on to conduct three distinct wars simultaneously in three different directions; he was, moreover, surrounded by wavering subjects whom terror alone held to their allegiance, and whom the slightest imprudence or the least reverse might turn into open foes.