. The eastern nations and Greece. Fig. 50. Emblem of Ashur, theSupreme Deity of Assyria 1 The relations of Assyria to Babylonian civilization may be illustrated by therelations of Rome (also a military empire) to Greek culture. 72 THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE [§71 the old temple libraries of the lower country were ransacked by theagents of Ashur-bani-pal, and copies of the old masters made forthe new palace collection at Nineveh. In this way was preserved induplicate a considerable portion of the early Babylonian literature,besides historical records, and astronomical, medicinal, and otherscientific wo
. The eastern nations and Greece. Fig. 50. Emblem of Ashur, theSupreme Deity of Assyria 1 The relations of Assyria to Babylonian civilization may be illustrated by therelations of Rome (also a military empire) to Greek culture. 72 THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE [§71 the old temple libraries of the lower country were ransacked by theagents of Ashur-bani-pal, and copies of the old masters made forthe new palace collection at Nineveh. In this way was preserved induplicate a considerable portion of the early Babylonian literature,besides historical records, and astronomical, medicinal, and otherscientific works. The literary treasures secured from the Ninevitelibrary are of much greater interest and value to us than thoseyielded by any other Assyrian-Babylonian collection thus far Fig. 51. Restoration of a Court in Sargons Palace at Khorsabad(After Fergusson) 71. Cruelty of the Assyrians. The Assyrians have been calledthe Romans of Asia. They were a proud, warlike, and cruel Assyrian kings seem to have surpassed all others in the crueltywhich characterizes the warfare of the whole ancient Orient. Thesculptured marbles of their palaces exhibit the hideously cruel torturesinflicted by them upon prisoners (Fig. 52). A royal inscription whichis a fair specimen of many others runs as follows: The nobles,as many as had revolted, I flayed; with their skins I covered thepyramid. . Three thousand of their captives I burned with fire. §71] CRUELTY OF THE ASSYRIANS 73 I left not one alive among them to become a hostage. ... I cut offthe hands [and] feet of some; I cut off the noses, the ears [and] thefingers of others; the eyes of the numerous soldiers I put out. . .Their young men [and] their maidens I burned as a holocaust.^
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