erally Umman-igash for Khumban-
igash.

Assyria and Elam had hitherto seldom encountered one another on the
field of battle. A wide barrier of semi-barbarous states had for a long
time held them apart, and they would have had to cross the territory
of the Babylonians or the Cossaeans before coming into contact with each
other. Tiglath-pileser I., however, had come into conflict with the
northern districts of Elam towards the end of the twelfth century B.C.,
and more recently the campaigns of Assur-nazir-pal, Shalmaneser III.,
and Ramman-nirari had frequently brought these sovereigns into contact
with tribes under the influence of Susa; but the wildness and poverty of
the country, and the difficulties it offered to the manoeuvres of large
armies, had always prevented the Assyrian generals from advancing far
into its mountainous regions.* The annexation of Aramaean territory
beyond the Tigris, and the conquest of Babylon by Tiglath-pileser III.,
at length broke through the barrier and brought the two powers face
to face at a point where they could come into conflict without being
impeded by almost insurmountable natural obstacles, namely, in the
plains of the Umliash and the united basins of the Lower Ulai and
the Uknu. Ten years' experience had probably sufficed to convince
Khumban-igash of the dangers to which the neighbourhood of the Assyrians
exposed his subjects. The vigilant watch which the new-comers kept over
their frontier rendered raiding less easy; and if one of the border
chieftains were inclined to harry, as of old, an unlucky Babylonian
or Cossaean village, he ran the risk of an encounter with a well-armed
force, or of being plundered in turn by way of reprisal.

* Sargon declares distinctly that Merodach-baladan had
invoked the aid of Khumban-igash.

An irregular but abundant source of revenue was thus curtailed, without
taking into consideration the wars to which such incidents must perforce
lead sooner or later. Even unaided the Elamites considered themselves
capable of repelling any attack; allied with the Babylonians or the
Kalda, they felt certain of victory in any circumstances. Sargon
realised this fact almost as fully as did the Elamites themselves; as
soon, therefore, as his spies had forewarned him that an invasion was
imminent, he resolved to take the initiative and crush his enemies
singly before they Succeeded in uniting their forces. Khumban-igash had
advanced as far as the w