BABYLONIA 189 History of the East," Smith's "Ancient Histo- ry of the East," Loftus's "Chaldiea," and Lay- ard's "Nineveh and Babylon." To these may be added Rich'8 "Memoirs on the Ruins of Babylon" (1818), and "Narrative of a Journey to England by Bussorah, Bagdad, and the Ruins of Babylon" (1826); Chcsney's "Euphrates Expedition " (1850) ; and Oppert's maps rfhd plans (Paris, 1858). BAB VLOM.l. a name applied to the southern part of Mesopotamia in the wider sense, of which Babylon became the capital. Babel, the corresponding Hebrew name, is occasionally used in Scripture in this sense ; but the usual term to designate the country and the people is Chasdim, which in the Septuagint and most other versions becomes Chaldea and the Chal- deans. Babylonia included the space between the Euphrates and the Tigris now known as Irak-Arabi (see IBAK-ABABI), together with the strip of territory west of the Euphrates, bordered -by the Arabian desert. This coun- ' try, made wonderfully fertile by an almost unparalleled network of canals, and peopled by Semites, Oushites, and Turanians, was the seat of one of the earliest and most powerful kingdoms of antiquity. (See CHALDEA.) From the establishment of the kingdom down to 625 B. 0. the history of Babylonia is chiefly known in connection with its contests with As- syria. (See ASSYRIA.) About that year lower Babylonia rose against Assyria, and was joined by Media. Asshur-bani-pal, the Assyrian king, placed the force in Babylonia under the com- mand of Nabopolassar, apparently a Chaldean. But Nabopolassar entered into a league with Oyaxares the Mede, to whose daughter he mar- ried his son, afterward the great Nebuchadnez- zar. The Assyrians were defeated by the com- bined Medes and Babylonians, and Nineveh was destroyed. Babylonia became independent, her boundaries being enlarged on the north by the addition of a few miles between the rivers, on the west by a strip beyond the Euphrates, and on the east by the annexation of Susiana. The greater portion of Assyria fell into the hands of the Medes. For nearly the whole of his reign, which ended in 604, Nabopolassar was occupied in organizing his kingdom. To- ward its close Necho, king of Egypt, attempt- ed to extend his dominion to the Euphrates. The Assyrian king sent against him an army under his son Nebuchadnezzar. The Egyp- tians suffered a total rout, at Oarchemish on the Euphrates, and the victors took possession of the whole country between the Euphrates and the "river of Egypt" not the Nile, but a small stream falling into the Mediterranean at El-Arish. Nebuchadnezzar had pursued the beaten enemy to the frontier of Egypt when he received tidings that his father was dead. Intrusting his army, with the captives and spoil, to the command of his lieutenant, to lead them home by the usual circuitous route, he hurried with a small escort straight across the desert. The chief of the Chaldean priests had acted as regent ; and when Nebu- chadnezzar appeared the crown passed to him without opposition. He reigned 43 years (604-561). With the exception of the period of his seven years' madness, probably near the close of his life, his was among the most glorious reigns in history. Yet, save his name stamped upon innumerable bricks, and the "standard inscription" found among the d6- bris of the temple of Belus, there is not a line of native contemporary history of his reign. The standard inscription speaks only o.f the great architectural, military, and hydraulic works which he constructed at Babylon. On that series of events which connect him with the history of the Jews, the Bible speaks with considerable minuteness ; for the rest we have only a few scattered fragments preserved by the chronographers. Herodotus never names him ; and Xenophon had another hero to cele- brate. His wars lasted about 35 years, in the course of which he became master of Syria, Judea, Phoenicia, Moab, and Edom, and twice carried his victorious arms into Egypt, far up the Nile, apparently subjugating the country, and placing upon the throne a monarch of his own choosing. But during all this time he was busy in completing the great works at Babylon which his father had commenced. For these his conquests gave him an abundance of such material as could not be supplied by the clay of his own dominion ; while his settled policy of dealing with conquered peoples, transporting them in mass to Babylonia, furnished the re- quisite laborers. He was thus able, without burdening his own people, to carry out his great architectural schemes. The captives were colonized in all parts of Babylonia ; forced labor was required of them, and by this the walls of Babylon were raised, the temples and palaces built, the canals and reservoirs exca- vated, which formed the special glory of the Babylonian monarchy. Making all allowance for the evident exaggeration of later historians, there can be no doubt that Nebuchadnezzar was the greatest building ruler the world has ever seen. Still, from its very nature, his king- dom could not he a lasting one. Literally, as well as metaphorically, its feet were of clay. Its' chief military strength lay in its caval- ry. The low hot country could furnish no stout infantry capable of withstanding the at- tacks of the formidable Medo-Persian power which was growing up among the mountains on the east. Nebuchadnezzar must have per- ceived this ; for, in the absence of all. natu- ral defences, he set himself to transform his capital into an immense fortified camp, capa- ble of holding a nation, and with walls im- pregnable to assault. Within three years after the death of Nebuchadnezzar Cyrus revolted against Astyages, and, placing himself at the head of the now formidable Medo-Persian kingdom, began that series of wars in which Babylonia became involved, and which in less than 20 years ended in her overthrow. Nebu-
