al, and employed them in
digging out clay and in brick-making; he then prepared the foundations,
upon which he poured libations of oil, honey, palm-wine, and other wines
of various kinds; he himself took the mason's hod, and with tools of
ebony, cypress wood, and oak, moulded a brick for the new sanctuary.
The work was, indeed, a gigantic undertaking, and demanded years of
uninterrupted labour, but Esarhaddon pushed it forward, sparing neither
gold, silver, costly stone, rare woods, or plates of enamel in its
embellishment. He began to rebuild at the same time all the other
temples and the two city walls--Imgurbel and Nimittibel; to clear and
make good the canals which supplied the place with water, and to replant
the sacred groves and the gardens of the palace. The inhabitants were
encouraged to come back to their homes, and those who had been dispersed
among distant provinces were supplied with clothes and food for their
return journey, besides having their patrimony restored to them. This
rebuilding of the ancient city certainly displeased and no doubt alarmed
her two former rivals, the Kalda and Elam, who had hoped one day to
wrest her heritage from Assyria. Elam concealed its ill-feeling, but
the Kalda of Bit-Dakkuri had invaded the almost deserted territory,
and appropriated the lands which had belonged to the noble families of
Babylon, Borsippa, and Sippara. When the latter, therefore, returned
from exile, and, having been reinstituted in their rights, attempted to
resume possession of their property, the usurpers peremptorily refused
to relinquish it. Esarhaddon was obliged to interfere to ensure its
restoration, and as their king, Shamash-ibni, was not inclined to comply
with the order, Esarhaddon removed him from the throne, and substituted
in his place a certain Nabushallim, son of Belesys, who showed more
deference to the suzerain's wishes. It is possible that about this
time the Kalda may have received some support from the Aramaeans of the
desert and the Arab tribes encamped between the banks of the Euphrates
and Syria, or, on the other hand, the latter may have roused the wrath
of Assyria by inroads of a more than usually audacious character.
However this may be, in 676 Esarhaddon resolved to invade their
desert territory, and to inflict such reprisals as would force them
thenceforward to respect the neighbouring border provinces.

His first relations with them had been of a courteous and friendly
nature.