ich were necessary for the
reorganization of the Assyrian state and the revival of its military
prestige. At the beginning of his reign there was much social
discontent and suffering. The national exchequer had been exhausted by
the loss of tribute from revolting provinces, trade was paralysed, and
the industries were in a languishing condition. Plundering bands of
Aramaeans were menacing the western frontiers and had overrun part of
northern Babylonia. New political confederacies in Syria kept the
north-west regions in a constant state of unrest, and the now powerful
Urartian kingdom was threatening the Syro-Cappadocian states as if its
rulers had dreams of building up a great world empire on the ruins of
that of Assyria.

Tiglath-pileser first paid attention to Babylonia, and extinguished
the resistance of the Aramaeans in Akkad. He appears to have been
welcomed by Nabonassar, who became his vassal, and he offered
sacrifices in the cities of Babylon, Sippar, Cuthah, and Nippur.
Sippar had been occupied by Aramaeans, as on a previous occasion when
they destroyed the temple of the sun god Shamash which was restored by
Nabu-aplu-iddina of Babylon.

Tiglath-pileser did not overrun Chaldaea, but he destroyed its
capital, Sarrabanu, and impaled King Nabu-ushabshi. He proclaimed
himself "King of Sumer and Akkad" and "King of the Four Quarters". The
frontier states of Elam and Media were visited and subdued.

Having disposed of the Aramaeans and other raiders, the Assyrian
monarch had next to deal with his most powerful rival, Urartu.
Argistis I had been succeeded by Sharduris III, who had formed an
alliance with the north Mesopotamian king, Mati-ilu of Agusi, on whom
Ashur-nirari had reposed his faith. Ere long Sharduris pressed
southward from Malatia and compelled the north Syrian Hittite states,
including Carchemish, to acknowledge his suzerainty. A struggle then
ensued between Urartu and Assyria for the possession of the
Syro-Cappadocian states.

At this time the reputation of Tiglath-pileser hung in the balance. If
he failed in his attack on Urartu, his prestige would vanish at home
and abroad and Sharduris might, after establishing himself in northern
Syria, invade Assyria and compel its allegiance.

Two courses lay before Tiglath-pileser. He could either cross the
mountains and invade Urartu, or strike at his rival in north Syria,
where the influence of Assyria had been completely extinguished. The
latter appear