m. The Babylonian nobles
meantime drove the Assyrian garrisons from their cities, and set on
the throne the Kassite prince Adad-shum-utsur.

Thus in a brief space went to pieces the old Assyrian Empire, which,
at the close of Tukulti-Ninip's thirty years' reign, embraced the
whole Tigro-Euphrates valley from the borders of Armenia to the
Persian Gulf. An obscure century followed, during which Assyria was
raided by its enemies and broken up into petty States.

The Elamites were not slow to take advantage of the state of anarchy
which prevailed in Babylonia during the closing years of Assyrian
rule. They overran a part of ancient Sumer, and captured Nippur, where
they slew a large number of inhabitants and captured many prisoners.
On a subsequent occasion they pillaged Isin. When, however, the
Babylonian king had cleared his country of the Assyrians, he attacked
the Elamites and drove them across the frontier.

Nothing is known regarding the reign of the parricide Ashur-natsir-pal
I of Assyria. He was succeeded by Ninip-Tukulti-Ashur and
Adad-shum-lishir, who either reigned concurrently or were father and
son. After a brief period these were displaced by another two rulers,
Ashur-nirari III and Nabu-dan.

It is not clear why Ninip-Tukulti-Ashur was deposed. Perhaps he was an
ally of Adad-shum-utsur, the Babylonian king, and was unpopular on
that account. He journeyed to Babylon on one occasion, carrying with
him the statue of Merodach, but did not return. Perhaps he fled from
the rebels. At any rate Adad-shum-utsur was asked to send him back, by
an Assyrian dignitary who was probably Ashur-nirari III. The king of
Babylon refused this request, nor would he give official recognition
to the new ruler or rulers.

Soon afterwards another usurper, Bel-kudur-utsur, led an Assyrian army
against the Babylonians, but was slain in battle. He was succeeded by
Ninip-apil-esharia, who led his forces back to Asshur, followed by
Adad-shum-utsur. The city was besieged but not captured by the
Babylonian army.

Under Adad-shum-utsur, who reigned for thirty years, Babylonia
recovered much of its ancient splendour. It held Elam in check and
laid a heavy hand on Assyria, which had been paralysed by civil war.
Once again it possessed Mesopotamia and controlled its caravan road to
Haran and Phoenicia, and apparently its relations with the Hittites
and Syrians were of a cordial character. The next king, Meli-shipak,
assumed the Assyrian t