ELAM (a5'p; Sept. 'EXdp.), the oldest son of Shem (Gen. x. 22), who, like the other early patri archs, was the founder of a nation, and gave his name to the country which they colonized (xiv. I) The position of Elam is defined by Daniel. It lay along the river Ulai, the modern Karlin (Layard, Nineveh and Babylon,T46; Loftus, Chaldrca and Susiana, 424, sq.) ; and Shushan (now Shush), one of the most powerful and magnificent cities of the primeval world, was its capital (Dan. viii. 2 ; SHUSHAN). The name Elam occurs in the cunei form inscriptions found on the bulls in Senna cherib's palace at Nineveh. The country was also called Nuvaki, as we learn from the monuments of Khorsabad and Bisutun (Layard, N. and B., 452).
The extent and boundaries of ancient Elam can not now be ascertained. Rosenmiiller says it had Persis on the east, Babylonia on the west, Media on the north, and the Persian Gulf on the south (Biblical Geography, i. i88). Rawlinson's descrip tion is substantially the same. Susiana, the Elam of Scripture, was bounded on the north by Assyria, on the east by the Zagross mountains and the river Tab (Oroatis), on the south by the Persian Gulf, and on the west by the Tigris.' It was thus about 30o miles long, and averaged about 90 wide (Herodotus, i. 570). This may apply to the Greek province of Elymais or Susiana, but is not strictly accurate as regards the Elam of early biblical his tory. The name Elam appears to have been given at a very early period, perhaps somewhat inde finitely, to the country lying along the northern shore of the Persian Gulf, and extending westward into Arabia, and northward into the mountains of Luristan. It thus embraced a considerable por tion of what was afterwards consolidated into the Persian empire under Cyrus. The king of Elam seems to have been in the time of Abraham one of the most powerful monarchs of Western Asia. He received tribute from the richest cities of Canaan, while the rulers of Ellasar (Chaldma), and Shinar (Babylonia), were either subject to his authority, or in close alliance with him (Gen. xiv. 4). When the Assyrian empire rose to such a pitch of power, Elam remained in a great measure unnoticed, though still a distinct and important kingdom (Is. xxi. 2 ; xxii. 6). The warlike monarchs of Baby lon subsequently extended their conquests over all the neighbouring nations ; but that great empire fell in its turn under the power of the Medo-Persians, who subdued nearly all Western Asia (Esther i. ; Dan. v. and vi. ; Ezra iv. 9). The power of Elam was thus broken ; it became a mere province, and its chief city Shushan, or Susa, was made one of the capitals of the Persian empire (Dan. viii. 2). These his toric facts illustrate the prophecy of Jeremiah (xlix. 35-39), ' and upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and I will scatter them towards all these winds.' The situation of the country exposed it to the invasions of Assyrians, Medes, and Babylonians ; and it suf fered from each in succession before it was finally embodied in the Persian empire. Then another
part of the prophecy was also singularly fulfilled : I will set my throne in Elam, and I will destroy from thence the king and princes.' The present state of the Persian empire, in which Elam is in cluded, may be a. fulfilment of the concluding words of the passage : But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring again the captivity of Elam' (Vaux, Nineveh and Persepolis,85, sq.) Herodotus gives the name Cissia to the province of which Susa was the capital (iii. 91) ; Strabo distinguishes between Susiana and the country of the Elymmans. The latter he extends northwards among the Zagros mountains (xi. p. 361 ; xv. p. 503 ; xvi. p. 507). Pliny says Susiana is separated from Elymais by the river Eulnus ; and that the latter province extends from that river to the con fines of Persis (Hist. Nat. vi. 27). Ptolemy locates Elymais on the coast of the Persian Gulf, and re gards it as part only of Susiana (Georgr. vi. 3). According to Josephus the Elymmans were the progenitors of the Persians (Ant/T. i. 6. 4) ; and Strabo refers to some of their scattered tribes as far north as the Caspian Sea. From these various notices, and from the incidental allusions in Scrip ture, we may conclude that there was a little pro vince on the east of the Lower Tigris called Ely mais ; but that the Elymmans as a people were anciently spread over, and ruled a much wider district, to which their name was often attached. They were a warlike people, trained to arms, and especially skilled in the use of the bow (Is. xxi. 2 ; Ter. xlix. 35) ; they roamed abroad like the Be dawin, and like them, too, were addicted to plun der (Strabo, xi. p. 361). Josephus mentions a town called Elymais, which contained a famous temple dedicated to Diana, and rich in gifts and votive offerings (Antiy. xii. 9. t) ; Appian igys it was dedicated to Venus (Bochart, Opp. i. 70, sq.) Antiochus Epiphanes attempted to plunder it, but was repulsed (r Maccab. vi.) ft is a remarkable fact that little images of the goddess, whose Assy rian name is Anaitis, were discovered by Loftus in the mounds of Susa (Loftus, p. 379). The Elam ites who were in Jerusalem at the feast of Pente cost were probably descendants of the captive tribes who had settled in Elam (Acts ii. 9).
The fullest account of Elam, its physical geo graphy, ruins, and history, is given in Loftus' Chal daw and Susiana. The southern part of the coun try is flat, and towards the shore of the Gulf marshy and desolate. In the north the mountain ranges of Backhtiari and Luristan rise gradually from the plain in a series of calcareous terraces, intersected by ravines of singular wildness and grandeur. Among these mountains are the sources of the Ulai (Loftus, pp. 308, 3477 sq.) The chiet towns of Elymais are now Shuster (` little Shush') and Dizful ; but the greater part of the country is overrun by nomad Arabs.—J. L. P.