PREFACE

Summary

The histories of Sennacherib and Assur-bani-pal, kings of Assyria, have already been written by the late Mr. George Smith. Sennacherib ruled over Assyria from b.c. 705 to b.c. 681; Assur-bani-pal from b.c. 668 to b.c. 626. But from b.c. 681 to b.c. 668 a king called Esarhaddon reigned, and the annals of this king have been translated to form the present history. Esarhaddon was the son of Sennacherib, and father of Assur-bani-pal. Thus we have the history of father, son, and grandson; consequently, a fair knowledge of the warlike expeditions which were undertaken, and what countries were subdued by the Assyrians, between the years b.c. 705 and b.c. 626. Sennacherib, Esarhaddon and Assur-bani-pal were certainly three of the greatest kings that ever ruled over Assyria. Their reigns, taken together, cover nearly eighty years; but an exact idea of the influence that this family had upon Assyria can only be made out clearly from the records and documents which they themselves caused to be written. Sennacherib was the true type of the Oriental conqueror—delighting in war for its own sake, proud, cruel, and fond of power. The Bible preserves for us a speech of the Rabshakeh of Sennacherib, so well known on account of the boastfulness and pride so vividly portrayed in every word. The commencement, Thus saith “the great king, the King of Assyria,” is the oft-repeated formula beginning all the inscriptions of this monarch.