n of Mesopotamia was a signal triumph for Babylonia. As
was inevitable, however, it brought Nebuchadrezzar into conflict some
years later with the Assyrian king, Ashur-resh-ishi I, grandson of
Ashur-dan, and father of the famous Tiglath-pileser I. The northern
monarch had engaged himself in subduing the Lullume and Akhlami hill
tribes in the south-east, whose territory had been conquered by
Nebuchadrezzar. Thereafter he crossed the Babylonian frontier.
Nebuchadrezzar drove him back and then laid siege to the border
fortress of Zanki, but the Assyrian king conducted a sudden and
successful reconnaissance in force which rendered perilous the
position of the attacking force. By setting fire to his siege train
the Babylonian war lord was able, however, to retreat in good order.

Some time later Nebuchadrezzar dispatched another army northward, but
it suffered a serious defeat, and its general, Karashtu, fell into the
hands of the enemy.

Nebuchadrezzar reigned less than twenty years, and appears to have
secured the allegiance of the nobility by restoring the feudal system
which had been abolished by the Kassites. He boasted that he was "the
sun of his country, who restored ancient landmarks and boundaries",
and promoted the worship of Ishtar, the ancient goddess of the people.
By restoring the image of Merodach he secured the support of Babylon,
to which city he transferred his Court.

Nebuchadrezzar was succeeded by his son Ellil-nadin-apil, who reigned
a few years; but little or nothing is known regarding him. His
grandson, Marduk-nadin-akhe, came into conflict with Tiglath-pileser I
of Assyria, and suffered serious reverses, from the effects of which
his country did not recover for over a century.

Tiglath-pileser I, in one of his inscriptions, recorded significantly:
"The feet of the enemy I kept from my country". When he came to the
throne, northern Assyria was menaced by the Muski and their allies,
the Hittites and the Shubari of old Mitanni. The Kashiari hill tribes
to the north of Nineveh, whom Shalmaneser I subdued, had half a
century before thrown off the yoke of Assyria, and their kings were
apparently vassals of the Muski.

Tiglath-pileser first invaded Mitanni, where he routed a combined
force of Shubari hillmen and Hittites. Thereafter a great army of the
Muski and their allies pressed southward with purpose to deal a
shattering blow against the Assyrian power. The very existence of
Assyria as a separate