ulfilled all the duties incumbent on his new dignity. He
was involved that year in two important wars at opposite points of his
empire. One was at the north-western extremity, against the Mushki and
their king Mita, who, after having supported Eusas, was now intriguing
with Argistis; the other in the south-east, against the Kalda, and
probably also against Elam. He entrusted the conduct of the former to
the governor of Kui, but reserved to himself the final reckoning with
Merodach-baladan. The Babylonian king had made good use of the respite
given him during the winter months. Too prudent to meet his enemy in
the open plain, he had transformed his hereditary principality into a
formidable citadel. During the preceding campaign he had devastated
the whole of the country lying between the marshes and the territory
occupied by the Assyrians, and had withdrawn the inhabitants. Most
of the towns--Ikbibel, Uru, Uruk, Kishik, and Nimid-laguda--were also
deserted, and no garrisons were left in them. He had added to the
fortifications of Dur-Yakia, and enlarged the moat till it was two
hundred cubits wide and eighteen deep, so as to reach the level of
infiltration; he then turned into it the waters of the Euphrates, so
that the town appeared to be floating on a lake, without either bridges
or quays by means of which the besiegers might have brought their
machines within range and their troops been able to approach for an
assault. Merodach-baladan had been careful not to shut himself within
the town, but had taken up a position in the marshes, and there awaited
the arrival of the Assyrians. Sargon, having left Babylon in the
month of Iyyar, encountered him within sight of Dur-Yakin. The Aramaean
infantry were crushed by repeated charges from the Mnevito chariotry and
cavalry, who pursued the fugitives to the outer side of the moat, and
seized the camp with all its baggage and the royal train, including the
king's tent, a canopy of solid silver which protected the throne, his
sceptre, weapons, and stores of all kinds. The peasants, to the number
of 90,580, crowded within the lines, also fell into their hands,
together with their flocks and herds--2500 horses, 610 mules, and
854 camels, as well as sheep, oxen, and asses; the remainder of the
fugitives rushed within the outworks for refuge "like a pack of wild
boars," and finally were driven into the interior of the place, or
scattered among the beds of reeds along the coast. Sargon c