was shown
scant favour by the Babylonian Kassites. No record survives to
indicate the character of the agreement between Kadashman-Kharbe and
Ashur-uballit, but there can be little doubt that it involved the
abandonment by Babylonia of its historic claim upon Mesopotamia, or
part of it, and the recognition of an Assyrian sphere of influence in
that region. It was probably on account of his pronounced pro-Assyrian
tendencies that the Kassites murdered Kadashman-Kharbe, and set the
pretender, known as "the son of nobody", on the throne for a brief
period.

Kadashman-Kharbe's immediate successors recognized in Assyria a
dangerous and unscrupulous rival, and resumed the struggle for the
possession of Mesopotamia. The trade route across the Arabian desert
had to be abandoned. Probably it required too great a force to keep it
open. Then almost every fresh conquest achieved by Assyria involved it
in war with Babylonia, which appears to have been ever waiting for a
suitable opportunity to cripple its northern rival.

But Assyria was not the only power which Babylonia had to guard itself
against. On its eastern frontier Elam was also panting for expansion.
Its chief caravan roads ran from Susa through Assyria towards Asia
Minor, and through Babylonia towards the Phoenician coast. It was
probably because its commerce was hampered by the growth of Assyrian
power in the north, as Servia's commerce in our own day has been
hampered by Austria, that it cherished dreams of conquering Babylonia.
In fact, as Kassite influence suffered decline, one of the great
problems of international politics was whether Elam or Assyria would
enter into possession of the ancient lands of Sumer and Akkad.

Ashur-uballit's vigorous policy of Assyrian expansion was continued,
as has been shown, by his son Bel-nirari. His grandson, Arik-den-ilu,
conducted several successful campaigns, and penetrated westward as far
as Haran, thus crossing the Babylonian caravan road. He captured great
herds of cattle and flocks of sheep, which were transported to Asshur,
and on one occasion carried away 250,000 prisoners.

Meanwhile Babylonia waged war with Elam. It is related that
Khur-batila, King of Elam, sent a challenge to Kurigalzu III, a
descendant of Kadashman-Kharbe, saying: "Come hither; I will fight
with thee". The Babylonian monarch accepted the challenge, invaded the
territory of his rival, and won a great victory. Deserted by his
troops, the Elamite king