from Minni and made
independent, but which Asshur-bani-pal now attached to his own empire,
and placed under an Assyrian governor.

A war of some duration followed with Elam, or Susiana, the flames of
which at one time extended over almost the whole empire. This war was
caused by a transfer of allegiance. Certain tribes, pressed by a famine,
had passed from Susiana into the territories of Asshur-bani-pal, and
were allowed to settle there; but when, the famine being over, they
wished to return to their former country, Asshur-bani-pal would not
consent to their withdrawal. Urtaki, the Susianian king, took umbrage at
this refusal, and, determining to revenge himself, commenced hostilities
by an invasion of Babylonia. Belubager, king of the important Aramaean
tribe of the Gambulu, assisted him and Saul-Mugina, in alarm, sent to
his brother for protection. An Assyrian army was dispatched to his aid,
before which Urtaki fled. He was, however, pursued, caught and defeated.
With some difficulty he escaped and returned to Susa, where within a
year he died, without having made any fresh effort to injure or annoy
his antagonist.

His death was a signal for a domestic revolution which proved very
advantageous to the Assyrians. Urtaki had driven his older brother,
Umman-aldas, from the throne, and, passing over the rights of his sons,
had assumed the supreme authority. At his death, his younger brother,
Temin-Umman, seized the crown, disregarding not only the rights of the
sons of Umman-aldas, but likewise those of the sons of Urtaki. As the
pretensions of those princes were dangerous, Temin-Umman endeavored to
seize their persons with the intention of putting them to death; but
they, having timely warning of their danger, fled; and, escaping to
Nineveh with their relations and adherents, put themselves under the
protection of Asshur-bani-pal. It thus happened that in the expedition
which now followed, Asshur-bani-pal had a party which favored him in
Elam itself. Temin-Umman, however, aware of this internal weakness, made
great efforts to compensate for it by the number of his foreign allies.
Two descendants of Merodach-Baladan, who had principalities upon the
coast of the Persian Gulf, two mountain chiefs, one of them a
blood-connection of the Assyrian crown, two sons of Belu-bagar, sheikh
of the Gambulu, and several other inferior chieftains, are mentioned as
bringing their troops to his assistance, and fighting in his cause
aga