* That Arpad was in Agusi is proved, among other places, by the inscriptions of Tiglath-pileser III., which show us from 743 to 741 the king at war with Matilu of Agusi and his suzerain Sharduris III. of Urartu.

Similar to the ascendency of Arpad over the plateau of Aleppo was that of Hadrach in the valley of the Orontes.  This city had taken the position formerly occupied by Hamath, which was now possibly one of its dependencies; it owed no allegiance to Damascus, and rallied around it all the tribes of Coele-Syria, whose assistance Hadadezer, but a short while before, had claimed in his war with the foreigner.  Neither Arpad, Hadrach, nor Damascus ever neglected to send the customary presents to any sovereign who had the temerity to cross the Euphrates and advance into their neighbourhood, but the necessity for this act of homage became more and more infrequent.  During his reign of eighteen years Assurdan III., son and successor of Shalmaneser IV., appeared only three times beneath their walls—­at Hadrach in 766 and 755, at Arpad in 750, a few months only before his death.  Assyria was gradually becoming involved in difficulties, and the means necessary to the preservation of its empire were less available than formerly.  Assurdan had frankly renounced all idea of attacking Urartu, but he had at least endeavoured to defend himself against his enemies on the southern and eastern frontiers; he had led his armies against Gananate (771,767), against Itua (769), and against the Medes (766), before risking an attack on Hadrach (765), but more than this he had not attempted.  On two occasions in eight years (768, 764) he had preferred to abstain from offensive action, and had remained inactive in his own country.  Assyria found herself in one of those crises of exhaustion which periodically laid her low after each outbreak of ambitious enterprise; she might well be compared to a man worn out by fatigue and loss of blood, who becomes breathless and needs repose as soon as he attempts the least exertion.  Before long, too, the scourges of disease and civil strife combined with exhaustion in hastening her ruin.  The plague had broken out in the very year of the last expedition against Hadrach (765), perhaps under the walls of that city.  An eclipse of the sun occurred in 763, in the month of Sivan, and this harbinger of woe was the signal for an outbreak of revolt in the city of Assur.*

     * The ideas which Orientals held on the subject of comets
     renders the connection between the two events very likely,
     if not certain.

From Assur the movement spread to Arrapkha, and wrought havoc there from 761 to 760; it then passed on to Gozan, where it was not finally extinguished till 758.  The last remains of Assyrian authority in Syria vanished during this period:  Assurdan, after two years’ respite, endeavoured to re-establish it, and attacked successively Hadrach (755) and Arpad (754).  This was his last exploit.  His son