Now after the defeat. Sargon
II would begin a new campaign into the Kingdom of Urartu. This was going to be dangerous for the terrain in Urartu is mountainous
and rough. But in any case the Assyrian's were fed up with Urartu. It was time to take it completely. Sargon II assembled his forces,
and entered into the Kingdom of Urartu with his sappers paving the way into the country. We also have a report of the Gamri invading
Urartu.
To the overseer of the place my lord, your servant Arad-Sin. The Gamera went forth from the midst of the Mannai and into
the land of Urartu they entered......... Ishtarduri......... the messenger of the governor of the city of Uesi went unto Urzani. Rev.
Concerning....... saying...... the troops..... let them come. The whole land of Urartu is exceedingly afraid on account of the people
of the city of Bulia and the city of Suriana. They assemble the troops, saying, Immediately our forces are like reeds, shall we plant
(the foot) against him? Concerning this booty of which they speak, saying, Plunder he has taken, it is so, (and) they say, From the
district of the city of......--------Letter 112.[67]
As we can see from this letter that the Gamir along with the Assyrian's
invaded the Kingdom of Urartu, and plundered it, but did not conquer it. Sargon's forces during the invasion of Urartu had a hard
fight. The mountainous terrain and the many defenses set up by the Urartu slowed his main army down. His main army began to become
undisciplined, and began to show signs of mutiny. Sargon even gives us an account:
The harassed troops of Ashur, who had come
a long way, very weary and slow to respond, who had crossed and re-crossed sheer mountains innumerable, of great trouble for ascent
and decent, their moral turned mutinous. I could give no ease to their weariness, no water to quench their thirst; I could set up
no camp, nor fix defences.[68]
This is an interesting statement Sargon makes, because line three says their moral turned mutinous.
It seems that Sargon's forces are fed up with him! Why would his forces be fed up? The answer maybe because they were getting no where
in Urartu. The land was rough mountains terrain, they were also tired from the previous campaigns in which they took 22 cities that
rebelled, before they moved north to fight the Urartu. Sargon was known for conquering on a constant basis, and war was the economy
of ancient Assyria. Now Sargon wouldn't conquer Urartu, but he did given them a black eye, and it did keep the Kingdom of Urartu down
from giving Assyria anymore trouble. After this event, Sargon II would turn his attentions back to the festering problems sprouting
up in Babylonia.[69]
Phrygia, Assyria, and the Cimmerian Rebellion of 705 BCE:
After Sargon II wounded the Kingdom of Urartu,
he turned his attention to Babylonia in 710 BCE and would stay there till 707 BCE. During that time period Judah, Edom, Philistia,
Moab, and Egypt began to conspire and start rebellions within Assyria. Sargon II was very busy putting down the rebellions within
the Empire.[70] Now lets back up to about 711 BCE. Right after Sargon defeated the Kingdom of Urartu. King Midas of Phrygia made a
peace treaty with King Sargon II. This treaty kept the nation of Urartu and the region of Northern Syria squeezed between the two
powers.[71] What makes this peace treaty interesting is the fact that Phrygia was on the side of Urartu. King Midas didn't trust the
Assyrians nor their interests. Because of this we can speculate that King Midas saved Urartu from being completely conquered, and
by doing so it reduced Urartu to a mere buffer state to keep their distance from Assyria.[72] Now what made this peace treaty special
to Assyria was the abundance of Iron found in Phrygia. Sargon II needed all the iron he could get his hands on for his army. Not only
was this a peace treaty, but an economic treaty as well.[73] As for the Kingdom of Urartu they would have to give 500 timbers and
many men over to Sargon II, in order to help him build his great palace. Now a few years after the war around 710/09 BCE King Midas
sends a request for aid against the Cimmerians (Greek: Kimmerioi). This Cimmerian force seems to be raiding the country side of Phrygia,
and King Midas can't force them out.[74] But what makes this so much more interesting is that this Cimmerian force could have been
the same force that was sent into Urartu during Sargon's invasion. Remember the letter above that expressed: The Gamera went forth
from the midst of the Mannai and into the land of Urartu.[75] Add that letter with the statement that Sargon II made about his men
being mutinous, and we may have a connection.[76] It could be possible that the Cimmerian force Sargon had sent into Urartu became
mutinous, and fled into the neighboring land of Phrygia where they plundered the country side for sometime, and it's possible that
they fled north for a few years, and then came back south into the lands of Phrygia in 710/09 BCE. Also we have no reports of Sargon
II giving aid to King Midas between 710 and 705 BCE. In 708 BCE a report came from an Assyrian officer named Ashur-risua, that King
Argishti of Urartu was assembling a large army to attack Assyria. The fact of the matter is that it was preparing to battle the Cimmerians
that were led by Eshpai. These Cimmerians had earlier ravaged Urartu in 714 BCE. The battle would take place the following spring
in 707BCE. The armies of Urartu were defeated but the Cimmerians suffered greatly, and were not able to press into Urartu. It was
Sennacherib that reported these events to his father King Sargon II.[77] We can speculate that the Cimmerians were making there way
back, by attempting to pass through the lands of Urartu, on their way home to Gamir. Sargon II most likely got the reports back from
the watch towers, or frontier garrisons that are stationed along the Assyrian border. Now as the Cimmerian forces were coming back
into the Assyrian lands, Sargon II had to do something about the situation. He couldn't have these rebellious forces influence the
Assyrian border provinces to rise up against Assyria, nor allow the Kingdom of Urartu to regain a resurgence in power, which would
destabilize the region, and disrupt the peace treaty between Assyria and Phrygia. So in 705 BCE Sargon II would lead his forces back
to the north near the border of Urartu, to face the Cimmerian forces. The Assyrian's would defeat them in battle, but even with the
victory the Assyrian's paid a heavy price. Sargon II would be killed in the battle, and was the first Assyrian king to die in battle.
With his death the idea for a full scale rebellion was about to start. The once seemingly invincible Assyrian king was now dead.[78]
Sennacherib:
After
Sargon II died, his son Sennacherib became the next King of Assyria. Sennacherib was given a vast empire but with it came vast problems.
These problems of rebellions were nothing new to him. Sennacherib was an experienced warrior and administrator, and once was in command
of the northern frontier. After a year on the throne the vassal state of Babylonia began to rebel along with Aramaean tribes and Elam.
Judah under King Hezekiah through in his lot for rebellion, as well as the Egyptians. King Sennacherib began the task of putting down
the rebellions. It was around 701 BCE when Sennacherib would bring his armies into Judah. Sennacherib's forces began eating up the
land and sacking the cities like Lachish, till his forces came to the walls of Jerusalem. This is where we get Sennacherib's account
of Hezekiah, and what he did to Judah on the Taylor Prism.[79]
As for Hezekiah the Judahite, who did not submit to my yoke: forty-six
of his strong, walled cities, as well as the small towns in their area, which were without number, by leveling with battering-rams
and by bringing up siege-engines, and by attacking and storming on foot, by mines, tunnels, and breeches, I besieged and took them.
200,150 people, great and small, male and female, horses, mules, asses, camels, cattle and sheep without number, I brought away from
them and counted as spoil. (Hezekiah) himself, like a caged bird I shut up in Jerusalem, his royal city. I threw up earthworks against
him the one coming out of the city-gate, I turned back to his misery. His cities, which I had despoiled, I cut off from his land,
and to Mitinti, king of Ashdod, Padi, king of Ekron, and Silli-b king of Gaza, I gave (them). And thus I diminished his land. I added
to the former tribute, and I laid upon him the surrender of their land and imposts gifts for my majesty. As for Hezekiah, the terrifying
splendor of my majesty overcame him, and the Arabs and his mercenary troops which he had brought in to strengthen Jerusalem, his royal
city, deserted him. In addition to the thirty talents of gold and eight hundred talents of silver, gems, antimony, jewels, large carnelians,
ivory-inlaid couches, ivory-inlaid chairs, elephant hides, elephant tusks, ebony, boxwood, all kinds of valuable treasures, as well
as his daughters, his harem, his male and female musicians, which he had brought after me to Nineveh, my royal city. To pay tribute
and to accept servitude, he dispatched his messengers...[80]
Now most of us know the rest of the story about the 185,000 Assyrians
that were slain by the death angel in II Kings 19:35-37. So what happened to the 200,150 Jewish captives? We don't know for sure,
but we can speculate that the Assyrian's may have taken them to the areas where the Ten Tribes had been previously settled. The reason
for this is due in part to the Assyrian's keeping people of the same identity together as mentioned earlier in this article. The Assyrian's
did not believe in mixing one deported group with another. Some may say what about the Israelites being deported into the cities of
the Medes? The Israelites weren't mixed with the Medes, they were settled among them in their own land apart from the Medes.[81] What
else becomes interesting is that before the siege of Jerusalem, King Sennacherib created a unit from the best warriors from the captured
city of Lachish to be his personal bodyguards.[82] After the failed siege of Jerusalem, Sennacherib would return home to begin the
process again of putting down more rebellions. Sennacherib would face the Cimmerian forces that his father Sargon II had faced and
died in battle against. Sennacherib would beat the Cimmerian forces in Elam. It was these Cimmerians that Sennacherib would drive
out of his kingdom. These Cimmerians would flee west into the Kingdom of Phrygia, and go to conquer a portion of it in 695 BCE.[83]
During the invasion King Midas was so overwhelmed that he committed suicide by drinking bull's blood.[84] But this wasn't the end
of the Cimmerians. This was just one group that rebelled. The rest of the Cimmerians were still settled on the fringes of the Assyrian
empire, and by the time Sennacherib was murdered (II Kings 19:37) they had full control of the province of Mannae.[85] In conclusion
to Sennacherib one might take noticed to the massive waves of rebellions that went on. Once he ascended the throne, he was dealt with
revolt after revolt, and never fully effectively stabilized the empire. Throughout his reign he had to suppress many rebellions all
over again.[86]
Esarhaddon, Cimmerians, and the New Threat:
Esarhaddon ascended the throne and became the next King of Assyria
in 680 BCE. Esarhaddon was the youngest son of King Sennacherib and his mother was possibly of Hebrew origin who went by the name
of Queen Naqi'a (Zakitu).[87] When Esarhaddon became King his mother gained much power and influence at the court. Queen Naqi'a was
called ummi sarri or mother of the king. She would help Esarhaddon decide many plans and policy's during his reign as King.[88] King
Esarhaddon’s first order of business was to regain the trust of Assyria's old allies, and put down the on going rebellions. Esarhaddon
would extend his hand out to the Medes to regain their trust. Esarhaddon needed the Medes to help him crush Urartu, Elam, and the
Cimmerians. Esarhaddon also wanted the Medes for another reason. That reason was to support who ever the King decided to sit upon
the thrones of Assyria and Babylonia when he died. The idea behind this was to prevent another civil war or mass rebellion. It seems
the Medes pretended to have interest, and as time went on the idea was soon to fail.[89] As Assyria was slowly regaining its power
of influence mainly in the west. It was still having problems in the east. Tensions were high in the east especially with an old familiar
group known as the Cimmerians. This time the Cimmerians seem to have more control over the province of Mannae. The man to lead the
Cimmerians was known by the Assyrians as King Teushpa of the Umman Manda. He would lead the Cimmerian forces into battle against King
Esarhaddon. This term Umman Manda must be addressed before we go on. Umman Manda is not only addressed to the Cimmerians by the Assyrian's,
the Assyrians also apply this term to the Sakae and the Guti. The dialects of Umman Manda can possibly mean People of Manasseh Umman
means people and Manda means Manasseh. The reason for this is when one looks at the northern dialects of Aramaic, Persian, and Hebrew.
The d sound was changed for the s sound, and Manda becomes Manasseh. Also this term Umman Manda has been analyzed, and traced to the
semitic nomads that lived in the eastern region of Israel, where the tribe of Manasseh lived, but also to the Euphrates river. So
from the west of the Euphrates to the east of Manasseh the term Umman Manda is common.[90] Now this Teushpa would battle King Esarhaddon
at Khubushna which was a city in the Khubushkia province in 679 BCE. Teushpa would be defeated and his forces driven into the already
wounded Kingdom of Phrygia.[91] King Esarhaddon mentions Teushpa in his letter. Teushpa of Gimirrai, the Umman-manda whose home is
remote, in the land of Hubushna, besides the whole of his army, I destroyed with the sword.[92] After the battle King Esarhaddon drove
them back into Anatolia where they would go on to conquer what was left of the Phrygia.[93] We can also speculate that these Cimmerians
were a mixed bunch. Some coming from the already conquered portions of Phrygia, and some from the province of Mannae that Teushpa
led into Assyria were possibly the same Cimmerians that were defeated by Sennacherib around 695 BCE. Also if we read the inscription
you notice Esarhaddon refers to their home being remote, in the land of Hubushna. This sentence may have two meanings in it. When
he speaks of their home being remote, Esarhaddon could be saying their land was far off, and he knew where the Gimira (Cimmerians)
came from. Some might argue this due to the name Hubushna in the inscription. The only problem with this, is that Hubushna is not
remote and is well known by the Assyrians. Hubushna is a region found in central Asia Minor, and used to be a part of the Kingdom
of Phrygia, and before that it belonged to the Hittite's. So it doesn't seem that Esarhaddon would think Hubushna was remote, but
I could be wrong.[94] Now after this battle there would be another rebellion coming out of northwestern Iran and into Assyria around
674 BCE.[95] Now earlier we discussed how Esarhaddon wanted the support of the Medes due to their growing power. Esarhaddon wanted
to avoid a war with the Medes due to the economic loss it would create. The economic loss would be the horses that Assyria bought
from the Medes for their army. War would finally break out between the two that would involve a few others.[96] Esarhaddon even wrote
a prayer about it in his letter addressing the issues of loyalty, tribute, and rebellion.
Regarding Kastariti, the chieftain
of the city Karkassi, who has sent the following message to Mamitiarsu, chieftain of the Medes, saying, 'Let us get together against
the Assyrians!' Will Mamitiarsu listen to him, will he take notice of him, will he turn his face toward him, and within the year make
war on Esarhaddon, king of Assyria?
As you can read that this prayer questions the intentions of the northern provinces of Assyria
as well as the Medes. Esarhaddon wants to know if they will unite against him by asking the gods. Now this next prayer of Esarhaddon
indicates an alliance has been made with an added tribe.
Will Kastariti, together with his warriors, or the warriors of the Gimira,
or the warriors of the Medes, or the warriors of the Mannai, or any other enemy whatever, as many as there may be, succeed in their
plan? Will they take Kisassu, either by storm, force, war. Battle and slaughter... by battering ram, or any other artifice of war
by which a town may be taken, will they force their way into the midst of that city Kisassu, will their forces conquer that city of
Kisassu, will it fall into their hands?[97]
From this inscription the forces under a man named Kastariti united and created a
coalition against Assyria. Now the interesting part is that Esarhaddon mentions Gimira. One would think that they have finally been
uprooted and driven out. Many Gimira were still settled in the land of Mannai at this time. What else is interesting in this inscription
is the mentioning of Mannai. The Gimira (Cimmerians) lived in this province already. So why would Esarhaddon mention the place as
separate from the Gimira? Esarhaddon speaks of the warriors of Mannai, and the warriors of Gimira who he previously defeated, and
sent back running into Asia Minor as separate people. The answer maybe the Ishkuza. We will talk more about the Ishkuza later. This
anti-Assyrian alliance coming from the northeast of Assyria, and led by Kastariti also known as (Phraortes) the first king of Media
would be defeated, but it wasn't the end of them. King Kastariti would flee back into a now independent northwestern Media, while
the Cimmerians would return back to Mannae, or possibly fled to Asia Minor.[98]
Esarhaddon's Palace:
Some may wonder what does
Esarhaddon's palace have anything to do with the tribes of Israel? Maybe nothing, but we may have a clue of who the tribes were. During
Esarhaddon's reign, he decided to build a place. During the building of the palace Esarhaddon needed material for his inscriptions.
So Esarhaddon stripped the slabs that mentioned the annuals and campaigns of Tiglath-pileser III off the walls, and had them for the
most part mutilated. The reason for this is that Esarhaddon wanted them for his own inscription. This very act was never done before
nor after Esarhaddon. Now some may say we have many accounts of Tiglath-pileser III from his own inscription's. This is true. It seems
the Esarhaddon kept the beginning rule of Tiglath-pileser III, but when it reaches Tiglath's campaign in the Northern Kingdom of Israel
it is bare! We have a few remnants about Tiglath's campaign concerning Israel which I provided earlier in the article, and that's
all we have. Also the inscriptions concerning Syria for the most part are gone as well. After King Rezin’s death the inscriptions
bare little, if any, if nothing anymore. What's funny is that Esarhaddon wanted them for his inscriptions. The problem is he never
finished it. It would be left alone till it was discovered. This act seems deliberate. It seems that Esarhaddon was damning Tiglath-pileser
III for bringing in the Israelites. If you have not noticed so far the name Gimira or Gamera and the many other names that are identical,
are often the aggressor going strait for the jugular vein in Assyria. I also know that Assyria had many rebellions within it's borders.
But when the Assyrians are talking about the people of Gimira they get a tongue lashing.[99]
Enter into the midst of the Mannai,
all the troops should not enter. Let the cavalry and the Dakku invade the Gimiraa (Cimmerians), who have spoken saying, The Mannai
pertain to you, we have not interfered. Certainly this is a lie. They are the offspring of outcasts, they recognize nether the oath
of a god nor a (human) agreement. Let the chariots and baggage wagons take up a position on either side of the pass; (then) with the
horses and the Dakku, let them enter and take the plunder of the plain of the Mannai; and let them return and at the pass let them
bivouac...... once or twice they shall enter and...... plunder and the Gimiraa (Cimmerians)..... they come, the troops...... shall
enter against the cities of the Mannai......Belhabu of the Mannai..... they will change to the hands of the king my lord....... on
the fifteenth day the moon appears with the sun. This is against them. Will you restrain the feet of the Cimmerians from them? If
they approach, their coming and going of any sort I not know? I have sent a message to the king my lord. May the lord of kings inquire
of a man acquainted with the country and may the king, at his pleasure, send to his troops raiders in addition to the (other) fighting
men. A fortress there against the enemy do you provision for yourself. Let all the troops enter the Gududanu.[100]
As you can
see they are regarded as the offspring of outcasts. Which seems to indicate that their forefathers were cast out by God, and the ones
being referred to here are the generation that were born in exile. Also we notice that they recognize nether oath of a god nor a human.
These two terms seem to correspond with (Amos 4:3). Also this letter shows us how much Esarhaddon hates them, and gives us a good
example as to why the slab inscriptions of Tiglath-pileser III were mutilated. Esarhaddon wanted all memory erased of these cursed
people.
Ishkuza:
Soon after the battle with the Cimmerians we have this interesting group known as the Ishkuza. These Ishkuza
came from the ranks of the Cimmerians and are identified with the Scythians. Before we go on we must understand that the word Scythian
is a generic term. George Rawlinson explains: The term 'Scythic' is not... ethnical. It designates a life rather than a descent, habits
rather than blood. It is applied by Greeks and Romans to Indo-European and Turanian races indifferently, provided they are nomads,
dwelling in tents... living on the produce of their flocks and herds...[101]
But who are the Ishkuza, and where did they come
from? The name Ishkuza was first mentioned by the Assyrians during the reign of Esarhaddon.
Will the Iskuza warriors who live
in the district of the Mannai, and have moved to the frontiers of the Mannai, succeed in their plan? Will they march out the pass
of Hubushkia and reach the towns of Harrania and Anisuskia, and take much booty and heavy spoil from the borders of Assyria?[102]
From
this inscription we gather that the Ishkuza originated in the region of Mannai (Mannae), and soon after began to spread out and settle
on the frontiers of the land of Mannai. Also we have no indication of a war between the Cimmerians and Ishkuza. Also the Assyrians
see no difference between the two groups. The Assyrians also called the Ishkuza (Umman Manda) like they did with the Cimmerians. Also
many Historians have said that archaeologists cannot distinguish who is a Scythian from a Cimmerian, and their names were also interchangeable.
Take for instance the name Iskuzai or Asguzai which occurs rarely in the Assyrian language of Akkadian. But Gimirrai and Gamir were
the terms to distinguish the Cimmerians and Scythians in the Assyrian language of Akkadian. Now the name Ishkuza is derived from the
Hebrew term Ishak. Ishak means Isaac, and Isaac was the name for the Ten tribes in the Kingdom of Israel (Amos 7:9). Also the name
Ishkuza was known as Zohak and Sakai in Persian, and Saka in Afghanistan.[103] This term Saka in Afghanistan is interesting. In the
Bactria region near the Oxus river the locals called them Sakan or Iskuza, which both names meant the Sons of Issac.[104] Now that
we have an idea who the Iskuza were, the question is what did they do? In 676 BCE the Iskuza (Ishkuza) appear among what was left
of the Cimmerians in the region of Mannai. Most of the Cimmerians had long moved west or northwest by this time into Asia Minor, and
some possibly went north through the Caucasus into what is today southern Russia, and some of them even joined the ranks of Esarhaddon's
army.[105] Now around 676 BCE a Scythian king by the name Ishpaka led his forces along with the aid of Urartu, and the Cimmerians
into Assyria, while making various raids into the region. King Esarhaddon had to do something about the situation before it got way
out of hand. In 676 BCE King Esarhaddon met the Iskuza (Scythian) forces and slew King Ispaka in the battle. The Scythains returned
north back to Mannai, and King Esarhaddon returned home. Esarhaddon's next move was to invade the Medes and gain back what they lost,
and also put an end to the border raids being conducted by the Medians. But during the invasion of Media it seems the Iskuza (Scythians)
were already in northwestern Persia as allies to the Medes, and also settled in the former Kingdom of Urartu where they established
their capital known as Sakiz.[106] In any case Esarhaddon still took many Median cities, and a few provinces, and much spoil. We could
speculate that Esarhaddon decided not to go the distance due to the presence of the Iskuza in the area. Esarhaddon wrote a prayer
about the situation.[107]
I ask thee Samas; great lord, whether the nobles and governors of Bit-kari and Saparda with their warriors,
horses and military forces, as many as there may be, will be opposed, and whether... himself, or his son, of the Iskuza warriors,
or anyone else who is with him, will attack the nobles and governor, nobles, warriors, horses and troops of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria,
which are in Bitkari, and which have entered the land of the Medes in order to collect the tribute of horses, (be attacked) by the
hand of the Iskuza warriors?[108]
After some time had passed Esarhaddon came up with a sly plan that yanked the Scythians away
from their alliance with the Medians. King Esarhaddon gave his daughter to Bartatua the King of the Iskuza (Scythians), in order to
gain their support. This would be a good move at first, but over time the Scythians would prove to be to unstable to control, and
it also gave them a voice when it came to Mesopotamian politics.[109]
Regarding Bartatua, king of the Iskuza who has just sent
his ambassador to Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, about a princess... I ask you Shamash, great lord, if Esarhaddon gives a princess to
Bartatua king of the Iskuza for a wife, whether Bartatua will observe and keep his oath to Esarhaddon, king of Assyria?[110]
What
I find interesting is that King Esarhaddon is willing to make an alliance with King Bartatua. It seems King Esarhaddon is fearful
of the Iskuza, even though King Esarhaddon had beaten the Iskuza forces. Or the Iskuza became powerful due to the influence they had
in Media, and that may suggest that some of the Medes were their kin, and they were just protecting their interest. Now after these
events King Esarhaddon would begin the task of putting down rebellions one after another in the west during the last years of his
life. So much for Pax Assyria when it comes to the west. Now after most of the rebellions were put down, King Esarhaddon would finally
die in 669 BCE on his way to Egypt. His son Ashurbanipal would take control of a dying empire.[111]
Ashurbanipal and the Medes:
Ashurbanipal
would begin his reign in 668 BCE. Once King Ashurbanipal took the throne he gained the rebellions that his father fought previously.
In 667 BCE he sent a stronger army to put down the rebellion in Egypt, and retook the city of Memphis. In doing so a man by the name
of Necho would be put on the throne of Egypt with the Assyrian army backing his claim. Now around 664 BCE Gyges of Lydia would come
to Ashurbanipal asking for military assistance against the same old foe, the Cimmerians. Ashurbanipal sent a message to his god Shamash
asking for what would be a wise thing to do in dealing with the Cimmerians and others. The king wishes to know whether such a messenger
will return safely to Assyria, or will he be attacked by the Cimmerians, or the Urartians, or the Manneans, or the Scythians, or the....
eans, or any enemy, and whether they will seize and kill that messenger. Also Ashurbanipal viewed the Gimirrai (Cimmerians) as a wicked
people.
They were a wicked enemy, who had never honored my ancestors or me.
Ashurbanipal hated and feared the Cimmerians
and Scythians so much, he seems to constantly ask the gods what will their next move be, and how bad will they hurt us.[112] King
Gyges would give Ashurbanipal two Cimmerian chieftains to gain military assistance from Assyria. Assyria would help by attacking the
Cimmerian rear in Asia Minor. But also Ashurbanipal records that Gyges looked to Egypt for assistance and by doing so rebelled against
Assyria. Ashurbanipal was so furious he says: His messenger whom he kept sending to me to bring me greetings, he suddenly discontinued...
he sent his forces to the aid of Tushamilki king of Egypt, who had thrown off the yoke of my sovereignty. I heard of it, and prayed
to Assur and Ishtar, saying, 'May his body be cast before his enemy, may his foes carry off his limbs.' The Cimmerians, whom he had
trodden underfoot by calling upon my name, invaded and overpowered the whole of his land.
King Gyges would die in battle against
the Cimmerians around 652 BCE.[113] Before the rebellion and death of King Gyges by the Cimmerians. King Ashurbanipal of Assyria invaded
the land of the Mannaeans around 660-659 BCE to recover some lost territory, and some key fortresses within and around the region
of Mannaean, that Esarhaddon had passed into the hands of the people of Mannaeans. On the way back it seems that Ashurbanipal's forces
invaded into Median territory, and took many towns and fortresses from the Medes. The reason for this is unclear, but for the Medes
it meant war. In 653-652 BCE A man by the name of Phraortes who was king of the Medes would lead his forces against Assyria and die
in battle.[114] What is interesting about Phraortes name is that its the Greek form for the name Phares. King David of Israel was
from the line of Phares. Could it be that this Phraotes was an Israelite who's family before him was settled among the Medes? The
name Phares in Median territory would be rare to hear if ever. In any case the prophet Jeremiah said: As the host of heaven cannot
be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister
unto me. 33:22[115]
As you can read David's seed was multiplied. It makes one wonder how many more Israelites in captivity were
from the line of David.
Iskuza domination of Media:
Soon after the death of Phraortes. King Madyes led his Iskuza (Scythian) forces
into the land of the Medes where the Scythians would rule for 28 years.[116] During the 28 year rule most Medes would adopt the manners
and customs of their Scythian masters. Everything from dress to warfare. Median families would send their sons to Scythian schools
that trained them in the arts of archery and language. We could say Scythianization became the trend from Asia Minor to the Indus
Valley.[117] It was during the Scythian rule of Media that the Cimmerians were giving King Ashurbanipal trouble again. In around 641-640
BCE King Dugdammi of the Umman Manda is not the King of the Umman-Manda according to one of Ashurbanipal inscription's. Ashurbanipal
calls him: King of the Saka and Qutium.
This inscription and title makes one wonder if Dugdammi was a Scythian King, or maybe
Ashurbanipal couldn't tell them apart as we noticed earlier with other Assyrian kings in the past. In any case, the terms Cimmerians
and Scythians no matter how generic the terms maybe, they are still one in the same.[118]
The Fall of Assyria and the Scythian
rampage:
During the reign of Ashurbanipal many rebellions popped up here and there. The beginning of the end for Assyria began in 652
BCE. Ashurbanipal's older half brother Shamash-shum-ukin, the crown prince of Babylonia, rebelled for he felt that he should be king
of Assyria. The war between the two brothers would last for almost three years, and the battles seem to never end. In the end the
crown prince of Babylon lost all hope. With his city being slaughtered, he decided to set his palace on fire and die in the flames.
Elam would not subdue till it was completely destroyed and Susa leveled. Elam's gods would become captives in Assyria, and thrown
to the four winds. Ashurbanipal would celebrate this triumph by riding his chariot through the streets of Nineveh, with three Elamite
princes and a King from Arabia harnessed to his chariot. The Cimmerians were still a problem, but could not be subdued. Egypt had
been stripped, and left with only a loincloth to wear. One could look at Ashurbanipal's reign and say it was a success. But in all
reality it was one exhaustive campaign after another. Even though Ashurbanipal drained the riches from the Near East, it also drained
him as well, and most likely was the cause of his death.[119] With the death of Ashurbanipal in or between 631 or 627 a message of
rebellion went out to all those who wished for revenge. It was soon after that the Scythians launched a massive attack on the Assyrian
Empire. After crossing the Assyrian border the city of Calah was in the cross hairs of the Scythians. Calah had great importance due
to being not only the military headquarters but also the armory. By taking this city was an act of ripping the heart out of the nation.
Assyria was now for the most part without an army.[120] The Scythians would raid town and province, and taking all they can, while
burning the past behind them as they left. The Scythians would pass through Assyria like a hot knife through butter. Now out of all
this rampage, the Scythians came upon the land of Palestine. Only to be given gifts by Psammitichus the king of Egypt, and sent them
on their way.[121] It was some time later around 616 BCE that the Scythians would switch sides back to the Assyrians, and join them
along side Mannaeans and Egyptians. The reason for the switch is unclear, and it could be due to the Scythian chiefs that were murdered
by the Medes during a banquet. This may have caused the temporary switch that pitted Scythia against Media for a short time.[122]
Scythia's opponent was the Babylonians, Medes (Manda), Guti, and Gimiri. Assyria also sent messengers to the city of Ecbatana. Calling
for the Scythians of that city to come to their aid. Once the Scythians arrived they seem to have switched sides, and in 612 BCE the
walls of Nineveh came tumbling down, till all that was left was the dust being kicked up from the ground. Also I want to point out
that the term Medes at the time Assyria fell seems to be a Greek mistranslation. It seems that the Babylonians didn't recognize them
as Medes, but as Manda which is a different group, and most likely related to the Gimiri. [123]
1 Woe to the bloody city! it
is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not; 2 The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of
the prancing horses, and of the jumping chariots. 3 The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there
is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcasses; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses:
4 Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through
her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts. 5 Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts; and I will discover thy
skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame. 6 And I will cast abominable filth upon
thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazing stock. 7 And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall
flee from thee, and say, Nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her? whence shall I seek comforters for thee? Nahum 3:1-7 (KJV)
So
complete was the destruction of the Assyrian capital that two centuries later Xenophon and his Greek mercenary army of 10,000 men
passed the ruins of Nineveh unaware of what they were passing. Not a single vestige of Assyrian power remained. A people who had lived
on the Tigris for more than 2,000 years had literally disappeared from the face of the earth. -------------Richard Gabriel, The Great
Armies of Antiquity.[124]
Final thoughts:
In conclusion to this article, we have to realize that not only do they sometimes come
back, but sometimes they don't forget. But before I let you go, I have one last inscription to show you. It's from the reign of Ashurbanipal.
During my research I came across this unique find, and I want to share it with you. You will not find any commentary for this tablet,
nor in a book that I'm aware of that even talks about it. This inscription was discovered, translated, cataloged, and forgotten for
more then 60 years until now.
To the king of the countries my lord, your servant Bel-ushezib. May Bel, Nabu and Shamash bless
the king my lord. When the sun stands within the halo of the moon, (then) shall all men in every land bear witness to the truth: the
son shall bear witness to the truth with his father. Saturn stands within the halo of the moon. When a halo surrounds the moon and
Cancer stands within it, (it means that) the king of Akkad will continue long in life. When a "river" surrounds the moon, floods and
rain storms will follow. Cancer stands within the halo of the moon. A king, mighty and just . . . during the reign of the king your
father . . . (fragments) . . . Arad-Gula . . . as follows, "That which concerning the forgotten (?) grain (?) the . . . official .
. . . Concerning this word which Mardia heard . . . and the tribal chief." Yadi', the tribal chief, and all the chiefs of Yakimanu,
had appointed him in the presence of the general, over the country of the Mannai; but now they say, "The slayer of our lord shall
not become great over us."
The lord of kings should ask the generals. May he hear of the welfare of the king, it rejoices me
likewise. Now Mardia, the overseer of the slaves of the household of the general, having forsaken his lord, entered the service of
Nergal-asharidu; let him bring over the interpreter (?) and the captains to Nergal-asharidu; they shall take (the) oaths and carry
one talent of silver with them to their homes. . . . food, grain, date-wine . . . took. May the king know (of it).[125]
Here
is the translation of the above emphasized passage with the equivalents of the names Yadi, and Yakimanu given in English.
Chief
Judah, the tribal chief [Yadi], and all the chiefs of Jacobs people [Yakimanu] had appointed him in the presence of the general, over
the country of the Mannai.
[1]King James Bible/ Yalichev, Mercenaries of the ancient world, p. 74-75
[2]King James Bible/
Rogers, A history of Babylonia and Assyria, Vol II p. 38
[3]Mackenzie, Myths of Babylonia and Assyria, p. 446-447
[4]Dalley, Myths from
Mesopotamia, p. 285
[5]Richard A. Gabriel and Karen S. Metz. "From Sumer to Rome: The Military Capabilities of Ancient Armies." New
York: Greenwood Press, 1991
[6]Gordon, The Anc
