he raiders, and extended Ullusunu's area
of control.

The way was now clear to Urartu. In 714 B.C. Sargon attacked the
revolting king of Zikirtu, who was supported by an army led by Rusas,
his overlord. A fierce battle was fought in which the Assyrians
achieved a great victory. King Rusas fled, and when he found that the
Assyrians pressed home their triumph by laying waste the country
before them, he committed suicide, according to the Assyrian records,
although those of Urartu indicate that he subsequently took part in
the struggle against Sargon. The Armenian peoples were compelled to
acknowledge the suzerainty of Assyria, and the conqueror received
gifts from various tribes between Lake Van and the Caspian Sea, and
along the frontiers from Lake Van towards the south-east as far as the
borders of Elam.

Rusas of Urartu was succeeded by Argistes II, who reigned over a
shrunken kingdom. He intrigued with neighbouring states against
Assyria, but was closely watched. Ere long he found himself caught
between two fires. During his reign the notorious Cimmerians and
Scythians displayed much activity in the north and raided his
territory.

The pressure of fresh infusions of Thraco-Phrygian tribes into western
Asia Minor had stirred Midas of the Muski to co-operate with the
Urartian power in an attempt to stamp out Assyrian influence in
Cilicia, Cappadocia, and north Syria. A revolt in Tabal in 718 B.C.
was extinguished by Sargon, but in the following year evidences were
forthcoming of a more serious and widespread rising. Pisiris, king of
Carchemish, threw off the Assyrian yoke. Before, however, his allies
could hasten to his assistance he was overcome by the vigilant Sargon,
who deported a large proportion of the city's inhabitants and
incorporated it in an Assyrian province. Tabal revolted in 713 B.C.
and was similarly dealt with. In 712 B.C. Milid had to be overcome.
The inhabitants were transported, and "Suti" Aramaean peoples settled
in their homes. The king of Commagene, having remained faithful,
received large extensions of territory. Finally in 709 B.C. Midas of
the Muski-Phrygians was compelled to acknowledge the suzerainty of
Assyria. The northern confederacy was thus completely worsted and
broken up. Tribute was paid by many peoples, including the rulers of
Cyprus.

Sargon was now able to deal with Babylonia, which for about twelve
years had been ruled by Merodach Baladan, who oppressed the people and
set at