HISTORY IN OUTLINE OF THE MINOR KINGDOMS OF WESTERN ASIA A PRELIMINARY SURVEY COMPRISING A CURSORY VIEW OF THE SWEEP OF EVENTS, AND A TABLE OF CHRONOLOGY THE HITTITES An important Mongoloid tribe of Asia Minor descended by tradition. from Heth, son of Canaan, son of Ham. They were one of the seven principal Canaanite tribes. In the days of their might their power extended over the greater part of Asia Minor, and perhaps into northern Syria. The extension of Egypt's power during the XVIIIth Dynasty soon brought the Pharaohs into contact with the Hittites, or Kheta, as the Egyptians called them. B.C. 1528 The Hittites fight against Tehutimes III at the battle of Megiddo. 1400 The power of the Hittites begins to be formidable. They threaten the Egyptian provinces in Syria, and join their forces with those of Babylonia and Naharain. They make their southern capital at Kadesh. 1360 Hittites attacked by Seti I at Kadesh. 1341 Mau-than-ar, son of Maro-sar, murdered by his brother Kheta-sar, who succeeds to the throne. 1340 Battle of Kadesh. their allies. Great victory of Ramses II over the Hittites and 1325 Treaty of peace between Kheta-sar, king of the Hittites, and Ramses II. 1110 The Hittites, or Khatti, as the Assyrians called them, are overcome by Tiglathpileser I. 882 The Hittites pay tribute to Asshurnazirpal III, who carries their princes into captivity. 876 Carchemish, once the Hittite capital, now the capital of the petty state of Sangara, is entered by Asshurnazirpal. 854 Hittites enter into the alliance formed by Ben-Hadad II of Damascus. They suffer in the defeat at Qarqar. Most of the states are annexed to Assyria. 717 By this time Sangara is the sole state of the former Hittite empire that has retained independence. Pisiris, its king, joins with Mita of Moschi to refuse payment of tribute to Assyria. Sargon II proceeds against him. The people of Carchemish are transported to Assyria, and the city is populated with Assyrian colonists. This is the end of the last remnant of the Hittite empire. Many monuments of the Hittites have been discovered of recent years - most important of all, ruins and sculpture in Cappadocia east of the Halys. The art exhibited on these works is of a rude, primitive character, although it was influenced in succession by Babylonian, Egyptian, and Assyrian culture. THE KINGDOM OF MITANNI One of the important kingdoms of antiquity was Mitanni (called Naharain by the Egyptians, and Aram-Naharaim in the Bible), but at present we have no connected account of its history. "The kingdom of Mitanni," says Rogers, "must take its place among the small states which have had their share in influencing the progress of the world, but whose own history we are unable to trace. 1580 Tehutimes I of Egypt reaches the kingdom of Mitanni in his Asiatic campaign. In a battle fought on the borders, the king of Mitanni is defeated. From this time forth there is constant intercourse between the Nile and the Euphrates. 1522 Tehutimes III extends his conquest as far as Mitanni, which is made tributary to Egypt. 1470-1400 From the Tel-el-Amarna letters we know that Artatana, Artashuma, Sutarna, and Dushratta are the names of some of the ruling kings at this period. Between these and the Pharaohs there are family ties, since several of the Egyptian rulers married princesses from Mitanni. This shows that the kingdom is now of some importance. 1400 We find from now on the forces of Mitanni in alliance with those of the Hittites, and they doubtless play an important part in the Hittite conquests. In the last years of the XVIIIth Egyptian Dynasty, they are instrumental in driving the Egyptians from the land of the Amorites. The power of Mitanni is increasing. It is constantly allied with the Canaanitish and Babylonian princes against Egypt. 1225 Cushan-rish-athaim, king of Mitanni, overruns Syria and holds the Israelites in bondage for eight years. After this we find Aleppo, Hamath, and even Damascus in the hands of the Aramæans. Out of this occupation came the kingdoms of Damascus, Hamath, Zobah, etc. Mitanni and the other Aramæan states in Mesopotamia begin to lose their power as that of Assyria increases. 1120 Tiglathpileser I conquers much of their territory, and by the time of Asshurnazirpal III it has become practically incorporated in the Assyrian dominions. THE ARAMEANS The Aramæans were a people of Semitic race, language, and religion, who came from northern Arabia and settled in the region between the western boundaries of Babylonia and the highlands of Western Asia. THE KINGDOM OF DAMASCUS The Aramæan conquests in Syria gave rise to a number of small states, among them Zobah, Hamath, Patin, and Damascus. The latter is the only one that attained world-historic importance, and is that country referred to in the Bible as the kingdom of Syria. The kings of Damascus first appear in history in the reign of David. He is 1000 David makes the king of Damascus pay tribute. 950 Damascus becomes independent of Solomon. Rezon is king. succeeded probably by Hezion, and then by the latter's son, Tabrimon, whose names are known to us only through the Bible (1 Kings xv. 18), although there is every reason to believe that Hezion is identical with Rezon. 900 Ben-Hadad I succeeds to the throne of Damascus. Asa of Judah purchases, by means of the temple and palace treasures, the alliance of Ben-Hadad, in his war against Baasha of Israel. Ben-Hadad invades Israel and brings the conflict to a close. The king Omri 870 Ben-Hadad II (Hadad-idri of the Assyrian monuments). dom of Damascus now becomes the active enemy of Israel. and Ahab ally themselves with Phoenicia to resist it. Ben-Hadad besieges Samaria, but is driven off by Ahab. The following year the siege is resumed and Ben-Hadad is again defeated in a battle near Aphek. Ahab suddenly changes his policy and makes a friendly alliance with Ben-Hadad to resist the growing power of Assyria. 854 Ben-Hadad is the head of the alliance of Damascus, Israel, and Hamath, and other states to resist Shalmaneser II, who invades Hamath. Battle of Qarqar and defeat of the allies. The alliance is broken and Damascus and Syria again go to war. 849 Ben-Hadad and Irkhulina of Hamath oppose Shalmaneser, who has again invaded the latter country. The result seems to have been undecisive. 846 Shalmaneser invades Hamath a third time and is prevented from any decisive conquest by Ben-Hadad. 845 Hazael succeeds his father Ben-Hadad; probably murdered him. 842 Hazael, deserted by his former allies, resolves to fight alone Shalmaneser, who had proceeded against Syria for the fourth time. Siege of Damascus, with no decisive result. 839 Shalmaneser again attacks Damascus, but is still unable to subjugate it completely. Damascus now takes the offensive against Israel. By the end of the century the land east of Jordan and north of the Arnon has been annexed by Hazael and his successor Ben-Hadad III. But a fresh onslaught from Assyria gives the Israelites an opportunity to recover their lost territory. 806-797 Adad-Nirari III makes expeditions to the west and Damascus, under King Mari, who has succeeded Ben-Hadad III,1 is compelled to pay heavy tribute in 797. 773 The king of Assyria (either Asshur-dan III or Shalmaneser III, probably the former) makes a campaign against Damascus. The kingdom of Damascus is now in a thoroughly weak condition. Its decline has been rapid. Besides its subjection by Assyria, it has probably been forced to become tributary to Israel, now at the height of its power. It is probably on account of this connection that 735 Pekah forms an alliance with Rezin (the successor though not the immediate one of Mari or Ben-Hadad III) against Ahaz of Judah, [There still exists an uncertainty as to the chronological order of these two kings. Meyer places Mari first, although the Biblical narrative would indicate the reverse to be the true order.] who is attacked. The Syrio-Ephramitic war begins. Ahaz appeals to Tiglathpileser III for aid, which is willingly given. 734 Tiglathpileser marches into Syria and defeats Rezin, who shuts himself up in Damascus. 732 Fall of Damascus. Rezin slain. The inhabitants deported. The kingdom of Damascus is merged into the Assyrian empire. B.C. HAMATH AND ZOBAH There were two of the Aramæan kingdoms of Syria, whose existence was more or less contemporaneous with Damascus, although they never attained the power of the latter state. Zobah lay in northeastern Syria, and probably arose out of the ruins of the Hittite and Mitannian kingdoms. It seems to have been in conflict with Hamath. Its last king, Hadad-ezer, leads the Syrian forces against David, but is overthrown (about 1000 B.C.) and Zobah becomes part of the kingdom of Judah. Hamath lay to the west of Zobah. Ramses III mentions taking the land among his conquests about 1200 B.C. It seems to have been then in Hittite hands, but later on passed to the Aramæans. 1000 Before David's conquest we find Toi, king of Hamath, in conflict with Hadad-ezer of Zobah. After the latter's overthrow we find Hamath always in friendly relations with Judah. Toi's son Joram succeeds him. 854 Irkhulina, king of Hamath, joins the Syrian alliance against Shalmaneser II. The latter invades Hamath, in which country the battle of Qarqar is fought. 849-468 Shalmaneser II invades Hamath in these years, but the combined efforts of Irkhulina and Ben-Hadad II prevent any decisive Assyrian success. After this, Hamath remains the faithful ally of Assyria, but not a part of the empire. 720 A national party objects to the payment of tribute to Assyria. The king of Hamath, Eni-el, is deposed, and a usurper, Il-ubidi or Yaubidi, put on the throne. He prepares to resist Assyria, aided by Hanno of Gaza. Other states join the confederation. Sargon II immediately invades Syria. The city of Hamath is taken, and the kingdom becomes part of the Assyrian empire. Among the other states of Western Asia deserving, at least, of mention are Edom, Moab, Ammon, and Philistia. It is impossible to give any connected account of their history. The children of Esau settled in Edom, driving the Horites out. They come under the sway of Judah, but make a few attempts to regain their independence. About 743 Tiglathpileser III makes King Kaush-malik of Edom tributary. In Esarhaddon's time Kaush-gabri is king. Sennacherib makes Malik-rammu pay tribute. In Nebuchadrezzar's time Edom is attacked by the Babylonians. During the captivity the Edomites move into portions of Judea. Moab has the same origin as Israel. It is incorporated into David's kingdom, but recovers its independence in a degree after his death. Thereafter the more powerful kings of Israel make war upon it. About 890 Omri makes Sichon, king of Moab, pay tribute, and sacks the capital Heshbon. About 885 Kammush-gad succeeds Sichon, and he, in turn, is succeeded by his son Mesha (ca. 855), whose inscription, known as the "Moabite" stone, is one of the most famous monuments of antiquity, and the oldest in the Semitic alphabet. He shakes off the yoke of Israel, and is afterwards shut up in Kir-Haresheth by the allied forces of Judah and Israel, but the assailants retire without a victory. Later the Moabite king pays tribute to Assyria. Some of them as mentioned doing so are Shaman, Kammush-nadab, and Mussari. Nebuchadrezzar subjects the Moabites in his expedition to Egypt. The history of Ammon, whose capital was Rabbath or Rabbath Ammon, is similar to that of the other petty kingdoms with whose names it is constantly allied. After the Exodus the Israelites find the Ammonites driven out of their ancient territory, and settled east of the upper Jabbok. Here they develop a spirit of intense hostility towards the Israelites, and unite with the Moabites and Philistines against them. In the days of Uzziah and Jotham they pay tribute to Judah, and assist Nebuchadrezzar against Jehoiakim. They continue to exist always inimical to Jewish power, at least until the time of Justin. Martyr, who mentions them. The origin of the Philistines is unknown, though it is supposed that they came from the Egyptian Delta, or perhaps from Crete. Their principal cities were Askalon, Ashdod, Gaza, Gath, and Ekron. During the XVIIIth Egyptian Dynasty they belonged to Egypt. The Philistines may have recovered their independence after Khunaten's death (ca. 1400), but in Ramses II's time they are again under Egyptian rule. But with Ramses III the Philistines join the other enemies of Egypt against him. Saul has a long struggle with them now at the height of their power and is killed in a Philistine victory. David conquers them after an arduous struggle. In Jehoram's time, 845 B.C., they and the Arabians invade Judah and attack Jerusalem. In 797 Adad-nirari III receives tribute from Philistia, which is a new conquest. In 734 the Philistine cities are taken by Tiglathpileser III. Hanno, king of Gaza, flees to Egypt. In 720 Hanno and Il-ubidi of Hamath form a confederation against Sargon, but are badly defeated at Raphia. Hanno is captured and borne off to Assyria. Philistia becomes an Assyrian province. THE LESSER PEOPLES OF ASIA MINOR PHRYGIA So far as we know, the Phrygians were of a race closely akin to some of the tribes of Macedonia and Thrace. Their country lay on the central plateau of Asia Minor and extended east to the river Halys. The date of the origin of the kingdom is unknown, but Greek tradition tells of rulers at Gordium, on the Gangerius, among whom the names of Gordius and Midas are common. In the ninth century B.C. its power was at its greatest. About the end of the eighth century B.C. Midas, king of Phrygia, is said to have married Damodice, daughter of Agamemnon, the last king of Cyme. After this time. |