When this prince ascended the throne, the kingdom of Assyria was greatly weakened by the unsuccessful wars and tyranny of his father. Though he appears to have been brave, fortunate, and ambitious, yet, that his kingdom might recover strength, he wisely for some time remained in peace. When vigour was thus restored to his dominions, the kindred race of Babylonian kings be came extinct, and during an interregnum of eight years that kingdom was distracted with internal divisions. Esar-haddon improved that favourable opportunity, and either by power or policy annexed the kingdom of Baby lon to his own dominions. Powerful by this union, lie marched against the kingdoms of Israel and Syria, which had been almost annihilated by Shalmaneser, transplanted the remainder of their inhabitants into Assyria, and ex tinguished their names from amongst the nations. He then reduced the kingdom of Judah to become tributary, took Manasseh prisoner, and sent him in chains to Baby lon. From Judah, he marched to the invasion of Egypt and Ethiopia ; subdued these nations ; and having ex tended the boundaries and the fame of the Assyrian empire, after a reign of 39 years, died, and left his domi nions to his son Saosduehinus.
Saosduehinus appears to have been a mild, a gene rous, and a peaceful prince. Prideaux, Rollin, 8cc. writers of great respectability, imagine, that he was the Nabuehodonosor mentioned in the book of Judith ; but their opinion seems to have no foundation. All the ac tions therefore which have been ascribed to him under that name belong to his successor, to whose time and circumstances only they can be reconciled. It is pro bable, however, that the generosity of his nature re stored Manasseh to his kingdom, and allowed Egypt to enjoy that liberty which it had recovered, and was resolved to defend by arms. After a reign of twcnty years he died, and was succeeded by his son ChyniLadon.
Chyniladon, the Nabuchodouosor Mentioned in the book of Judith, was an active and warlike prince. In order to subdue Media, which had lately asserted its independence, he summoned the whole power of his dominions. All the eastern nations, who belonged to him, crowded to his standard ; but the Persians and the nations on the west, from Cilicia to the confines of Ethio pia, rejected his commands with disdain. Undismayed at this revolt, he marched to the invasion of Media, joined battle with Arphaxad, who governed that country, on the plains of Ragan, gained a complete victory, pur sued and slew the vanquished monarch, stormed and pillaged Ecbatane, the capital of that empire, and re turned in triumph to Nineveh. No sooner were the rejoicings for this victory over, than he resolved to punish the nations who had refused to assist him. For this
purpose he sent Holofernes, general of his army, to de stroy by fire and sword whoever should oppose him. The command, dictated by revenge, was executed by cruelty ; and the march of Holofernes through Mesopotamia, Cilicia, and Syria, was marked with desolation. The brave inhabitants of Bethulia first dared to oppose his progress. Fired with indignation, he invested the city, cut off every supply of water, and reduced the place to the utmost distress. The beauty and courage ofJudith, if we believe the book which bears her name, saved her city and country from inevitable destruction. Ventur ing to approach the hostile camp, she soon insinuated herself into the tent and affections of Holofernes ; and in the dead of night, when her watchful eye beheld him buried in sleep and wine, severed his head from his body with his own sword, and escaped to her friends. The death of the leader struck his army with consternation ; and in their sudden flight, they lost their baggage, and were pursued with great slaughter. Chyniladon seems not to have long survived the destruction of his army, and his throne was filled by Sarac.
Sarac, who, if the supposition of Sir Isaac Newton be well founded, was the real Sardanapalus, upon his ac cession to the throne, committed the government of Chaldea to Nabopallasar, who appears from his name to have been an Assyrian, and was perhaps a descendant of Nabonassar, king of Babylon, formerly -mentioned. The weakness and effeminacy of Sarac appears to have excited contempt, and the kingdom of Babylon roused the ambition of Nabopallasar, who immediately rebelling against his sovereign, seized the throne, and maintained the independence of that kingdom. In order to es tablish his authority, he entered into an alliance with Cyaxares, king of Media, and confirmed that alliance by the marriage of his son Nebuchadnezzar with Amyte, the daughter of Astyages, son of that monarch. The union of their forces, and the invasion of Assyria, im mediately followed. Same was either afraid to meet the confederates in the field ; or, if he did, was soon dri ven within the walls of his capital. The Assyrian mo narch waited not the issue of the siege, but, yielding to despair when he saw the city invested, set fire to his palace, and perished in its ruins. The Babylonians and the Medes took and destroyed the city ; and, according to the predictions of Isaiah, Nahum, and Zephaniah, sub verted the Assyrian empire, which, from the days of Pul, had existed about 150 years.