Ashur-nirari IV was the last king of the Middle Empire of Assyria.  He may have been a man of high character and refinement and worthy of our esteem, although an unsuitable ruler for a predatory State.

CHAPTER XIX.

ASSYRIA’S AGE OF SPLENDOUR

Tiglath-pileser IV, the Biblical Pul—­Babylonian Campaign—­Urartian Ambitions in North Syria—­Battle of Two Kings and Flight of Sharduris—­Conquest of Syro-Cappadocian States—­Hebrew History from Jehu to Menahem—­Israel subject to Assyria—­Urartu’s Power broken—­Ahaz’s Appeal to Assyria—­Damascus and Israel subdued—­Babylonia united to Assyria—­Shalmaneser and Hoshea—­Sargon deports the “Lost Ten Tribes”—­Merodach Baladan King of Babylonia—­Egyptian Army of Allies routed—­Ahaz and Isaiah—­Frontier Campaigns—­Merodach Baladan overthrown—­Sennacherib and the Hittite States—­Merodach Baladan’s second and brief Reign—­Hezekiah and Sennacherib—­Destruction of Assyrian Army—­Sack of Babylon—­ Esarhaddon—­A Second Semiramis—­Raids of Elamites, Cimmerians, Scythians, and Medes—­Sack of Sidon—­Manasseh and Isaiah’s Fate—­Esarhaddon conquers Lower Egypt—­Revolt of Assyrian Nobles—­Ashurbanipal.

We now enter upon the last and most brilliant phase of Assyrian civilization—­the period of the Third or New Empire during which flourished Tiglath-pileser IV, the mighty conqueror; the Shalmaneser of the Bible; “Sargon the Later”, who transported the “lost ten tribes” of Israel; Sennacherib, the destroyer of Babylon, and Esarhaddon, who made Lower Egypt an Assyrian province.  We also meet with notable figures of Biblical fame, including Ahaz, Hezekiah, Isaiah, and the idolatrous Manasseh.

Tiglath-pileser IV, who deposed Ashur-nirari IV, was known to the Babylonians as Pulu, which, some think, was a term of contempt signifying “wild animal”.  In the Bible he is referred to as Pul, Tiglath-pilneser, and Tiglath-pileser.[503] He came to the Assyrian throne towards the end of April in 745 B.C. and reigned until 727 B.C.  We know nothing regarding his origin, but it seems clear that he was not of royal descent.  He appears to have been a popular leader of the revolt against Ashur-nirari, who, like certain of his predecessors, had pronounced pro-Babylonian tendencies.  It is significant to note in this connection that the new king was an unswerving adherent of the cult of Ashur, by the adherents of which he was probably strongly supported.

Tiglath-pileser combined in equal measure those qualities of generalship and statesmanship which 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.