Babylonia and Assyria were two of the greatest nations the history of mankind has brought forth. These two great Mesopotamian civilizations were best known for their massive armies and instruments of war. This is not surprising, since they were rarely at peace with one another. They were, however, heavily influenced by each other, as well as their predecessors, the Sumerians. Much of what we taken for granted today, the arts and science of industry and invention, were bequeathed to us from these ancient cultures. This two-volume series is remarkable in that it offers an exceedingly comprehensive and detailed looked at ancient Babylonia and Assyria. The way in which these reference works were compiled and written will bring noteworthy enjoyment for the curious reader.
These two volumes are based mostly on the archaeological discoveries of the late 19th Century, and are well-referenced and cited with footnotes from that period. As a result, much of what they have to say is timeless, in a sense, because of nature of how the information is presented. For example, randomly thumbing through this 900 page tome and stopping to read a passage will normally result in the reader being completely preoccupied in whatever annals of history is being revealed. As a professor of ancient Oriental literature at Princeton University at the turn of the twentieth century, professor Robert William Rogers provides a competent perspective concerning the past history of Babylonia and Assyria. This book was skillfully written from the author’s vast scholarship and understanding on these subjects.
Volume two examines the beginnings of the Assyrian empire, its trials and tribulations, and how it eventually held authority over the Babylonians. The author reveals in meticulous detail each of the kingships as well as the accompanying wars, revolts and rebellions. A considerable amount of space is devoted to the reigns of specific Assyrian kings, including Asshurnazirpal, Shalmaneser, Asshurnirari, Sargon, and many others. Throughout these Assyrian king’s regimes many new cities were founded, and others destroyed, along the banks for the Euphrates river. Also included is a detailed record on the noteworthy conquests, tributes, and building projects of each kingship. This volume also covers the reign of Sennacherib, who ascended to the throne after the mysterious death of Sargon II in 705 B.C.E. As was the case many times with kings in ancient Assyria, Sennacherib was assassinated, leaving his son, Esarhaddon the legal heir to the throne. We owe a great deal of thanks to the next king, Asshurbanapal, for he was devoted to the collection of books in the form of clay tablets. He took great care that his deeds and his wars, his buildings and his very thoughts and hope, should be carefully written down. During his reign it was obvious that the Assyrian empire had started to collapse. Asshurbanapal’s death in 626 B.C.E., began a new revolt by the Babylonians, who, with the help of the Meades,* were finally able to subdue their long-time rivals. This two-volume set concludes with a brief history of the Chaldean empire, whose most famous king, Nebuchadnezzar, helped restore Babylon to its former glory
During the past ten years, when not absorbed in the duties of a busy professorship, I have given my time to the preparation of this work. In its interest I have made repeated journeys to Europe, and also to the East, and the greater part of the text has been written in the University Library at Leipzig, the British Museum in London, and the Bodleian Library in Oxford. In the last named I have had especial opportunity to investigate the early history of cuneiform research in the almost unrivaled collections of early travelers and decipherers. Large parts of the book have been rewritten twice or thrice as changes in opinion and the discovery of fresh monumental material have modified the views previously entertained. Whatever may be the judgment of my fellow investigators in this difficult field, it will not truthfully be said that I have not taken pains. Every part of the two volumes rests upon original sources, yet I have tried to consider all that modern Assyriologists have brought forward in elucidation of them, and have sought to give due credit for every explanation which I have accepted, and to treat with courtesy and respect any that I have ventured to reject. The progress of Assyriology in the past twenty years has been so rapid that every book on the history of Babylonia and Assyria published prior to 1880 is hopelessly antiquated, and many issued much later would need extensive revision. The work of investigation has fallen necessarily into the hands of specialists, and so vast has the field grown that there are now specialists in even small parts of the subject. The results of all this detailed research are scattered in scientific journals and monographs in almost all the languages of Europe. To sift, weigh, and decide upon their merits is no easy task, and I am sadly conscious that it might have been better done; yet am I persuaded that scholars who know the field intimately will recognize the difficulties and be most ready to pardon the shortcomings which each may discover in his own province.
I have sought to tell the whole story as scholars now generally understand it, rather being disposed to yield to the consensus of opinion, when any exists, than eager to set forth novel personal opinions. Yet in parts of the field at least I may claim to be an independent investigator, and to have made contributions to the knowledge of the subject.
In travel and in research in the libraries and museums of Paris, Berlin, Cairo, Constantinople, and elsewhere I have received many courtesies which I should gladly acknowledge here did it not seem disproportionate to carve great names on so small a structure. The obligations to my friend Professor Sayce are, however, so unusual that they must be expressed. He has read the entire book in manuscript, and made many suggestions, some of which led me to change my view, while others showed me wherein I had written obscurely or had failed to defend my position adequately. I am grateful to him for this new illustration of his unfailing kindness and generosity to younger men. I take leave of the book with mingled pleasure, and regret, hoping only that it may prove sufficiently useful to demand and deserve a revision at no distant day.
Robert W. Rogers
Madison, New Jersey, September 18, 1900
A History of Babylonia and Assyria
Robert William Rogers
Published 1900 A.D.
Assyrian International News Agency
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Book 1 - Contents
PREFACE
BOOK I: PROLEGOMENA
CHAPTER I EARLY TRAVELERS AND EARLY DECIPHERERS
CHAPTER II GROTEFEND AND RAWLINSON
CHAPTER III EARLY EXPLORERS IN BABYLONIA
CHAPTER IV EXPLORATIONS IN ASSYRIA AND BABYLONIA, 1734-1820
CHAPTER V EXCAVATIONS IN ASSYRIA AND BABYLONIA, 1843-1854
CHAPTER VI THE DECIPHERMENT OF ASSYRIAN
CHAPTER VII THE DECIPHERMENT OF SUMERIAN AND OF VANNIC
CHAPTER VIII EXPLORATIONS IN ASSYRIA AND BABYLONIA, 1872-1900
CHAPTER IX THE SOURCES
CHAPTER X THE LANDS OF BABYLONIA AND ASSYRIA
CHAPTER XI THE PEOPLES OF BABYLONIA AND ASSYRIA
CHAPTER XII THE CHRONOLOGY
BOOK II: THE HISTORY OF BABYLONIA
CHAPTER I THE HISTORY OF BABYLONIA TO THE FALL OF LARSA
CHAPTER II THE FIRST AND SECOND DYNASTIES OF BABYLON
CHAPTER III THE KASSITE DYNASTY
CHAPTER IV THE DYNASTY OF ISIN
FOOTNOTES
Book 2- Contents
BOOK III THE HISTORY OF ASSYRIA
CHAPTER I THE BEGINNINGS OF ASSYRIA
CHAPTER II TIGLATHPILESER I AND HIS SONS
CHAPTER III THE INCREASE OF ASSYRIAN POWER OVER BABYLONIA
CHAPTER IV THE REIGN OF ASSHURNAZIRPAL
CHAPTER V SHALMANESER II TO ASSHUR-NIRARI II
CHAPTER VI THE REIGNS OF TIGLATHPILESER III AND SHALMANESER IV
CHAPTER VII THE REIGN OF SARGON II
CHAPTER VIII THE REIGN OF SENNACHERI
CHAPTER IX THE REIGN OF ESARHADDON
CHAPTER X THE REIGN OF ASSHURBANAPAL
CHAPTER XI THE FALL OF ASSYRIA
BOOK IV THE HISTORY OF THE CHALDEAN EMPIRE
CHAPTER I THE REIGN OF NABOPOLASSAR
CHAPTER II THE REIGN OF NEBUCHADREZZAR
CHAPTER III THE LAST YEARS OF THE CHALDEAN EMPIRE
APPENDIX A
LITERATURE
1. EXCAVATIONS AND DECIPHERMENT
2. HISTORY
APPENDIX B THE DESTRUCTION OF SENNACHERIBIS ARMY
APPENDIX C THE DEFENSES OF BABYLON
