A. C. der Efar-haddon, the fon of Sennacherib. A. R 73 greater Afia the empire of the first Af677. fyrians. Under his reign the Cuthites, 772 Kings, a people of Affyria, afterwards called xvii. 24. Samaritans, were fent to inhabit Sama Ezr. iv. 2. ria. These joined the worship of God to that of idols, and obtained of Efarhaddon an Ifraelitish prieft, who taught them the fervice of the God of the country, that is, the ceremonies of the law of Mofes. God, not willing that his name should be utterly abolished in a land which he had given to his 2 Kings people, left his law there for a teftimo28, &c. ny; but their priest gave them only the books of Mofes, which the twelve revolted tribes had retained in their fchifm. The fcriptures composed afterwards by the prophets, who facrificed in the temple, were had in deteftation amongst them; which is the reason the Samaritans receive only the Pentateuch to this day. xvii. 27, While Efar-haddon and theAffyrians were fo powerfully establishing themfelves in the greater Afia, the Medes begun alfo to render themselves confiderable. Dejoces their first king, named Arphaxad in fcripture, founded the ftately city of Ecbatan, and laid the found lib. i. . 27. A. C. foundations of a great empire. They A. R. had placed him on the throne to crown his virtues, and to put an end to the diforders which anarchy occafioned among them. Conducted by fo great a king, Herod. they supported themselves against their neighbours, but did not extend their dominion. Rome was advancing, but 671. weakly. Under Tullus Hoftilius her 83. third king, and by the famous combat of the Horatii and Curiatii, Alba was conquered and deftroyed. Its citizens incorporated in the victorious city, confiderably enlarged and ftrengthened it. Romulus was the firft who had practifed this method of augmenting the city, into which he admitted the Sabines and other conquered nations. They forgot their defeat, and became loyal fubjects. Rome, by extending her conquests, formed her foldiery; and under Tullus Hoftilius fhe began to learn that excellent difcipline which rendered her afterwards miftrefs of the world. 670. kingdom of Egypt, weakened by its 84long divifions, was recovering under Pfammeticus. This prince, who owed his crown to the Ionians and Carians, allowed them to fettle in Egypt, till then shut up to ftrangers. On this occafion the Egyptians entered into commerce with the Grecians; and from The A. C. this time likewife the hiftory of Egypt, A. R. hitherto mixed with pompous fables through the artifice of the priests, beHerod. gins, according to Herodote, to have lib. 1. c. fome certainty. Mean while the kings 95. of Affyria were growing more and more formidable to all the Eaft. Saofduchin, fon of Efar-haddon, called Nabuchoddonofor in the book of Judith, defeat657. ed, in a pitched battle, Arphaxad king 97. of the Medes. Flufhed with this fuc cefs, he undertook the conqueft of the 656. whole earth. With this defign he paff- 98. ed the Euphrates, and ravaged all before him as far as Judea. Judea. The Jews had provoked God, by giving themfelves up to Idolatry, after the example of Manaffeh; but they had repented with that prince, wherefore God took them alfo into his protection. The conquefts of Nabuchodonofor and Holofernes his general, were stopped all at once by the hand of a woman. Dejoces, though beaten by the Affyrians, left his kingdom in a condition of advancing under his fucceffors. Whilft Phraortes, and Cyaxares the son of Phraortes, fubdued Per642. fia, and pushed their conquefts in the 112. leffer Afia, as far as the banks of the Halys, Judea beheld the wicked reign 641. of Amon, the fon of Manaffeh, pafs 113. away: Rome, At this time A. C. away and Jofiah the fon of Amon, A. R. wife from a child, laboured to repair the breaches made by the impiety of the kings his predeceffors. whofe king was Ancus Martius, fubdued fome of the Latins under his conduct; and continuing to make citizens of her enemies, fhut them up within the compafs of her walls. The people of Veii, already weakened by 626. Romulus, fuffered new loffes. Ancus 128. pushed his conquefts as far as the neighbouring fea, and built the city Oftia at the mouth of the Tiber. the kingdom of Babylon was invaded by Nabopolaffar. That traitor, whom Chinaladan, otherwise Sarac, had made general of his armies against Cyaxares king of the Medes, joined Aftyages fon of Cyaxares, took Chinaladan in Nineveh, destroyed that great city fo long mistress of the Eaft, and mounted his master's throne. Under this ambitious prince Babylon fwelled with pride. Judea, whofe impiety increased beyond measure, had every thing to 624. fear. Good king Jofiah, by his pro- 130. found humility, fufpended for a little the punishment his people had deferved; 610. but the evil waxed greater under his 144. 607. children. Nebuchadnezzar II. more 147, terrible than his father Nabopolaffar, fuc A. C. fucceeded him. That prince, bred up A. R. in pride, and continually exercised in war, made prodigious conquefts both in the Eaft and Weft; and Babylon threatened the whole earth with slavery. Its threats foon took effect with regard to the people of God. Jerufalem was given up to the haughty conqueror, who took it three feveral times: first, in the beginning of his reign, and fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim, from whence are dated the feventy years of Jer. xxv. the Babylonifh captivity mentioned by 1112. the prophet Jeremiah: the second time xxix. 10. under Jechonias, or Jehoiachin, fon 599. of Jehoiakim; and the laft time under 155. Zedekiah, when the city was razed to 598, the ground, the temple reduced to 156. ashes, and the king carried captive to Babylon, with Seraiah the high-priest, and the greatest part of the people. The most eminent of those captives were the prophets Ezekiel and Daniel. Among them likewise are to be counted the three young men, whomNebuchadnezzar could neither force to worship. his image, nor had power to deftroy by fire. Greece was now flourishing, and the feven wife men were rendering 594. themselves illuftrious. Some time be- 160. fore the defolation of Jerufalem, So- . lon, one of thofe feven fages, gave laws |