them against a sudden escalade or an attack of
a few hours' duration, and the country between the capital and the
frontier soon contained nothing but heaps of smoking ruins (647 e.g.).*

* The difficulty we experience in locating on the map most
of the names of Elamite towns is the reason why we cannot
determine with any certainty the whole itinerary followed by
the Assyrian army.

The campaign, which had been so successful at the outset, had not
produced all the results expected from it. The Assyrians had hoped
henceforth to maintain control of Elam through Tammaritu, but in a short
time they had been obliged to throw aside the instrument with which
they counted on effecting the complete humiliation of the nation:
Khumban-khaldash had reoccupied Susa, following on the heels of the
last Assyrian detachment, and he reigned as king once more without
surrendering Nabo-bel-shumi, or restoring the statue of Nana, or
fulfilling any of the conditions which had been the price of a title
to the throne. Assur-bani-pal was not inclined to bear patiently this
partial reverse; as soon as spring returned he again demanded the
surrender of the Chaldaean and the goddess, under pain of immediate
invasion. Khumban-khaldash offered to expel Nabo-bel-shumi from Lakhiru
where he had entrenched himself, and to thrust him towards the Assyrian
frontier, where the king's troops would be able to capture him. His
offer was not accepted, and a second embassy, headed by Tammaritu, who
was once more in favour, arrived to propose more trenchant terms.
The Elamite might have gone so far as to grant the extradition of
Nabo-bel-shumi, but if he had yielded the point concerning Nana, a
rebellion would have broken out in the streets of Susa: he preferred
war, and prepared in desperation to carry it on to the bitter end. The
conflict was long and sanguinary, and the result disastrous for
Elam. Bit-Imbi opened its gates, the district of Kashi surrendered at
discretion, followed by the city of Khamanu and its environs, and the
Assyrians approached Madaktu: Khumban-khaldash evacuated the place
before they reached it, and withdrew beneath the walls of Dur-Undasi,
on the western bank of the Ididi. His enemies pursued him thither, but
the stream was swift and swollen by rain, so that for two days they
encamped on its bank without daring to cross, and were perhaps growing
discouraged, when Ishtar of Arbela once more came to the rescue.
Appea