nd reconquer the provinces which they had surrendered, till the
dismembered empire gradually shrank back to its original dimensions. As
the fortunes of Babylon rose, those of Nineveh suffered a corresponding
depression: Babylon soon became so powerful that Eammanshumusur was able
to adopt a patronising tone in his relations with Assur-nirari I. and
Nabodainani, the descendants of Tukultiassurbel, who at one time shared
the throne together.*

* All that we know of these two kings is contained in the
copy, executed in the time of Assurbanipal, of a letter
addressed to them by Eammanshumusur. They have been placed,
at one time or another, either at the beginning of Assyrian
history before Assurbelnishishu, or after Tigiath-pileser
I., about the XIth or Xth, or even the VIIIth century before
our era. It has since been discovered that the
Rammanshumusur who wrote this letter was the successor of
Tukulti-ninip I. in Chaldaea.

This period of subjection and humiliation did not last long.
Belkudurusur, who appears on the throne not long after Assurnirari
and his partner, resumed military operations against the Cossaeans, but
cautiously at first; and though he fell in the decisive engagement,
yet Bamman-shumusur perished with him, and the two states were thus
simultaneously left rulerless. Milishikhu succeeded Bammanshumusur,
and Ninipahalesharra filled the place of Belkudurusur; the disastrous
invasion of Assyria by the Chaldaeans, and their subsequent retreat, at
length led to an armistice, which, while it afforded evidence of the
indisputable superiority of Milishikhu, proved no less plainly the
independence of his rival. Mero-dachabaliddina I. replaced Milishikhu,
Zamaniashu-middin followed Merodachabaliddina: Assurdan I., son of
Ninipahalesharra, broke the treaty, captured the towns of Zaban, Irria,
and Akarsallu, and succeeded in retaining them. The advantage thus
gained was but a slight one, for these provinces lying between the two
Zabs had long been subject to Assyria, and had been wrested from her
since the days of Tukulti-ninip: however, it broke the run of ill luck
which seemed to have pursued her so relentlessly, and opened the way for
more important victories. This was the last Cossaean war; at any rate,
the last of which we find any mention in history: Bel-nadinshumu II.
reigned three years after Zamamashu-middin, but when he died there was
no man of his family whom t