the
civilization of Syria was equal or superior to that of Egypt." Not
only was there in the cities "luxury beyond that of the Egyptians",
but also "technical work which could teach them". The Syrian soldiers
had suits of scale armour, which afterwards were manufactured in
Egypt, and they had chariots adorned with gold and silver and highly
decorated, which were greatly prized by the Egyptians when they
captured them, and reserved for royalty. "In the rich wealth of gold
and silver vases", obtained from captured cities by the Nilotic
warriors, "we see also", adds Petrie, "the sign of a people who were
their (the Egyptians') equals, if not their superiors in taste and
skill."[296] It is not to be wondered at, therefore, when the Pharaohs
received tribute from Syria that they preferred it to be carried into
Egypt by skilled workmen. "The keenness with which the Egyptians
record all the beautiful and luxurious products of the Syrians shows
that the workmen would probably be more in demand than other kinds or
slave tribute."[297]

One of the monarchs with whom Thothmes III corresponded was the king
of Assyria. The enemies of Egypt in northern Mesopotamia were the
Hittites and Mitannians, and their allies, and these were also the
enemies of Assyria. But to enable us to deal with the new situation
which was created by Egypt in Mesopotamia, it is necessary in the
first place to trace the rise of Assyria, which was destined to become
for a period the dominating power in Western Asia, and ultimately in
the Nile valley also.

The Assyrian group of cities grew up on the banks of the Tigris to the
north of Babylonia, the mother country. The following Biblical
references regarding the origins of the two states are of special
interest:--

Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and
Japheth.... The sons of Ham: Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and
Canaan.... And Cush begat Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one in
the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; wherefore it is
said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord. And the
beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and
Calneh, in the land of Shinar. Out of that land went forth Asshur
and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, and Resen
between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city. The children
of Shem: Elam and Asshur ... (_Genesis_, x, 1-22). The land of
Assyria ... a