ong these the most remarkable are the Khatti
(Hittites), two of whose tribes, the Kaskiaits and Urumians, had
committed an aggression on the Assyrian territory: for this they were
chastised by an invasion which they did not venture to resist, by the
plundering of their valuables, and the carrying off of 120 of their
chariots. In another direction the Lower Zab was crossed, and the
Assyrian arms were carried into the mountain region of Zagros, where
certain strongholds were reduced and a good deal of treasure taken.

The third campaign was against the numerous tribes of the Nairi, who
seem to have dwelt at this time partly to the east of the Euphrates, but
partly also in the mountain country west of the stream from Smmeisat to
the Gulf of Iskenderun. These tribes, it is said, had never previously
made their submission to the Assyrians. They were governed by a number
of petty chiefs or "kings," of whom no fewer than twenty-three are
particularized. The tribes east of the Euphrates seem to have been
reduced with little resistance, while those who dwelt west of the river,
on the contrary, collected their troops together, gave battle to the
invaders, and made a prolonged and desperate defence. All, however, was
in vain. The Assyrian monarch gained a great victory, taking 120
chariots, and then pursued the vanquished Nairi and their allies as far
as "the Upper Sea,"--i.e., the Mediterranean. The usual ravage and
destruction followed, with the peculiarity that the lives of the "kings"
were spared, and that the country was put to a moderate tribute, viz.,
1200 horses and 200 head of cattle.

In the fourth campaign the Aramaeans or Syrians were attacked by the
ambitious monarch. They occupied at this time the valley of the
Euphrates, from the borders of the Tsukhi, or Shuhites, who held the
river from about Anah to Hit, as high up as Carchemish, the frontier
town and chief stronghold of the Khatti or Hittites. Carchemish was not,
as has commonly been supposed, Circesium, at the junction of the Khabour
with the Euphrates, but was considerably higher up the stream, certainly
near to, perhaps on the very site of, the later city of Mabog or
Hierapolis. Thus the Aramaeans had a territory of no great width, but
230 miles long between its north-western and its south-eastern
extremities. Tiglath-Pileser smote this region, as he tells us, "at one
blow." First attacking and plundering the eastern or left bank of the
river, he then crosse