The prophet Isaiah, his rise under Aliaz—­Intervention of Tiglath-pileser III. in Hebrew affairs; the campaign of 733 B.C. against Israel—­Capture of Rezin, and the downfall of Damascus—­Nabunazir; the Kaldd and the close of the Babylonian dynasty; usurpation of Ukinzir—­Campaign against Ukinzir; capture of Shapia and of Babylon—­Tiglath-pileser ascends the throne in the last-named city under the name of Fulu (729 B.C.)—­Death of Tiglath-pileser III. (727 B.C.)

Reorganisation of the Assyrian empire; provinces and feudatory states—­Karduniash, Syria—­Wholesale deportation of conquered races—­Provincial administrators, their military and financial arrangements—­Buildings erected by Tiglath-pileser at Calah—­The Bit-Khilani—­Foundation of feudal lordships—­Belharrdn-beluzur—­Shalmaneser V. and Egypt:  rebellion of Hoshea, the siege of Samaria, and the prophecies of Isaiah—­Sargon—­Destruction of the kingdom of Israel.

CHAPTER II—­TIGLATH-PILESER III.  AND THE ORGANISATION OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE FROM 745 TO 722 B.C.

Failure of Urartu and re-conquest of Syria—­Egypt again united under Ethiopian auspices—­Pionkhi—­The downfall of Damascus, of Babylon, and of Israel.

     * Drawn by Boudier, from Layard.  The vignette, also by
     Boudier, represents a bronze statuette of Queen Karomama,
     now in the Louvre.

Events proved that, in this period, at any rate, the decadence of Assyria was not due to any exhaustion of the race or impoverishment of the country, but was mainly owing to the incapacity of its kings and the lack of energy displayed by their generals.  If Menuas and Argistis had again and again triumphed over the Assyrians during half a century, it was not because their bands of raw recruits were superior to the tried veterans of Ramman-nirari in either discipline or courage.  The Assyrian troops had lost none of their former valour, and their muster-roll showed no trace of diminution, but their leaders had lost the power of handling their men after the vigorous fashion of their predecessors, and showed less foresight and tenacity in conducting their campaigns.  Although decimated and driven from fortress to fortress, and from province to province, hampered by the rebellions it was called upon to suppress, and distracted by civil discord, the Assyrian army still remained a strong and efficient force, ever ready to make its full power felt the moment it realised that it was being led by a sovereign capable of employing its good qualities to advantage.  Tiglath-pileser had, doubtless, held a military command before ascending the throne, and had succeeded in winning the confidence of his men:  as soon as he had assumed the leadership they regained their former prestige, and restored to their country that supremacy which its last three rulers had failed to maintain.*