rst and second expedition into Egypt, Asshur-bani-pal was
engaged in warlike operations on the Syrian coast, and in transactions
of a different character with Cilicia. Returning from Egypt, he made an
attack on Tyre, whose king, Baal, had offended him, and having compelled
him to submit, exacted from him a large tribute, which he sent away to
Nineveh. About the same time Asshur-bani-pal entered into communication
with the Cilician monarch, whose name is not given, and took to wife a
daughter of that princely house, which was already connected with the
royal race of the Sargonids.

Shortly after his second Egyptian expedition, Asshur-bani-pal seems to
have invaded Asia Minor. Crossing the Taurus range, he penetrated to a
region never before visited by any Assyrian monarch; and, having reduced
various towns in these parts and returned to Nineveh, he received an
embassy of a very unusual character. "Gyges, king of Lydia," he tells
us, "a country on the sea-coast, a remote place, of which the kings his
ancestors had never even heard the name, had formerly learnt in a dream
the fame of his empire, and had sent officers to his presence to perform
homage on his behalf." He now sent a second time to Asshur-bani-pal, and
told him that since his submission he had been able to defeat the
Cimmerians, who had formerly ravaged his land with impunity; and he
begged his acceptance of two Cimmerian chiefs, whom he had taken in
battle, together with other presents, which Asshur-bani-pal regarded as
a "tribute." About the same time the Assyrian monarch repulsed the
attack of the "king of Kharbat," on a district of Babylonia, and, having
taken Kharbat, transported its inhabitants to Egypt.

After thus displaying his power and extending his dominions towards the
south-west, the north-west, and the south-east, Asshur-bani-pal turned
his arms towards the north-east, and invaded Minni, or Persarmenia--the
mountain-country about Lakes Van and Urumiyeh. Akhsheri, the king,
having lost his capital, Izirtu, and several other cities, was murdered
by his subjects; and his son, Vahalli, found himself compelled to make
submission, and sent an embassy to Nineveh to do homage, with tribute,
presents, and hostages. Asshur-bani-pal received the envoys graciously,
pardoned Vahalli, and maintained him upon the throne, but forced him to
pay a heavy tribute. He also in this expedition conquered a tract called
Paddiri, which former kings of Assyria had severed