, the son or husband of Sammu-rammat, was a vigorous and
successful campaigner. He was the Assyrian king who became the
"saviour" of Israel. Although it is not possible to give a detailed
account of his various expeditions, we find from the list of these
which survives in the Eponym Chronicle that he included in the
Assyrian Empire a larger extent of territory than any of his
predecessors. In the north-east he overcame the Median and other
tribes, and acquired a large portion of the Iranian plateau; he
compelled Edom to pay tribute, and established his hold in Babylonia
by restricting the power of the Chaldaeans in Sealand. In the north he
swayed--at least, so he claimed--the wide domains of the Nairi people.
He also confirmed his supremacy over the Hittites.

The Aramaean state of Damascus, which had withstood the attack of the
great Shalmaneser and afterwards oppressed, as we have seen, the
kingdoms of Israel and Judah, was completely overpowered by
Adad-nirari. The old king, Hazael, died when Assyria's power was being
strengthened and increased along his frontiers. He was succeeded by
his son Mari, who is believed to be identical with the Biblical
Ben-Hadad III.[498]

Shortly after this new monarch came to the throne, Adad-nirari IV led
a great army against him. The Syrian ruler appears to have been taken
by surprise; probably his kingdom was suffering from the three defeats
which had been previously administered by the revolting
Israelites.[499] At any rate Mari was unable to gather together an
army of allies to resist the Assyrian advance, and took refuge behind
the walls of Damascus. This strongly fortified city was closely
invested, and Mari had at length to submit and acknowledge Adad-nirari
as his overlord. The price of peace included 23,000 talents of silver,
20 of gold, 3000 of copper, and 5000 of iron, as well as ivory
ornaments and furniture, embroidered materials, and other goods "to a
countless amount". Thus "the Lord gave Israel a saviour, so that they
went out from under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of
Israel dwelt in their tents, as beforetime". This significant
reference to the conquest of Damascus by the Assyrian king is followed
by another which throws light on the religious phenomena of the
period: "Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of
Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked therein: and there remained
the grove also in Samaria".[500] Ashtoreth and her golde