to the south, and if they
subsequently reappeared on the Mesopotamian plains, it was in search
of booty, and not to acquire territory. Any attempt to stop their
incursions, or to disturb them in their mountain fastnesses, found them
prepared to hold their own with the same obstinacy as of old, and they
were quite able to safeguard their independence against an intruder.
Besides this, the Cimmerians and the Scythians were already pressing on
their frontier, and were constantly harassing them.

[Illustration: 379.jpg THE ASSYRIANS TAKING A MEDIAN TOWN]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from the facsimile by Flandin. It
seems that this town was called Amkaru, and its name
appears, as far as I know, in none of the accounts which we
possess of the campaigns. The town was apparently situated
in Karalla or in Median territory.

This fresh danger absorbed their entire attention, and from this time
forward they ceased to play a part in general history; the century which
had seen the rise and growth of their power was also a witness of their
downfall under the attacks of Assyria. During the last months of 714,
the tribes which had formerly constituted the kingdom of Karalla mutinied
against the tyranny of their governor, and invited Ami-tashshi, the
brother of their ancient lord Assurli, to rule over them. Sargon
attacked them in the spring of 713, dispersed their troops, held them
to ransom, and after having once more exacted homage from Bit-Dayaukku,*
Ellipi, and Allabria.

* The Dayaukku who gave his name to this province was at
first confounded with the personage who was entangled in the
affairs of Ullusunu, and was then banished by Sargon to
Hamath. A good number of historians now admit that they were
different persons. Bit-Dayaukku is evidently the district of
Ecbatana.

He made a raid extending as far as the confines of the Iranian desert,
the barren steppes of Eastern Arabia,* and the district of Nagira
belonging to the "powerful" Manda.*

* The Eastern Arabs mentioned here were nomadic, and
inhabited the confines of the Great Desert to the south-east
of Media, or the steppes of Northern Iran. They are those
mentioned in a passage of Appian, together with Parthians,
Bactrians, and Tapyraeans, as having submitted to Seleucus.

** The "powerful" Manda, encamped in the mountain and
desert, and who were named after the Eastern Arabs, mus