Chapter VIII: The Later Dynasties and the Assyrian Domination

Spoils at Susa from the Elamite invasion--Recovery
of her territory by Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar
I.--Renewal of conflicts and treaties with Assyria--The
devastation of Babylonia by the Sutû--Ephemeral
Babylonian dynasties--The state of Sippar typical
of the condition of the country--Renaissance of
Assyria--The conquests of Ashur-uasir-pal and Babylon's
abortive opposition--Babylonian art in the ninth
century--Intervention of Shalmaneser III. in Babylonian
politics--His campaign in Chaldea--The kingdom of Urartu
and its effect on Assyrian expansion--Independence
of provincial governments during a relaxation of
central control--Temporary recovery of Babylon under
Nabonassar--Gradual tightening of Assyria's grasp
upon the southern kingdom--Character of her later
empire--Tiglath-pileser IV.'s policy of deportation and its
inherent weakness--The disappearance of Erartu as a buffer
state--Sargon and Merodach-baladan--Sennacherib's attempt
to destroy Babylon--Esarhaddon's reversal of his father's
policy--The Assyrian conquest of Egypt--Ashur-bani-pal and
the revolt of Shamash-shum-ukîn--The sack of Susa--Babylon
under the Sargonids--The policies of encouragement and
coercion--Effect of their alternation