This Dynasty being the Monarchy of the Medes, and Persians; the Dynasty of the Pischdadians which immediately preceded it, must be that of the Assyrians:  and according to the oriental historians this was the oldest Kingdom in the world, some of its Kings living a thousand years a-piece, and one of them Reigning five hundred years, another seven hundred years, and another a thousand years.

We need not then wonder, that the Egyptians have made the Kings in the first Dynasty of their Monarchy, that which was seated at Thebes in the days of David, Solomon, and Rehoboam, so very ancient and so long lived; since the Persians have done the like to their Kings, who began to Reign in Assyria two hundred years after the death of Solomon; and the Syrians of Damascus have done the like to their Kings Adar and Hazael, who Reigned an hundred years after the death of Solomon, worshipping them as Gods, and boasting their antiquity, and not knowing, saith Josephus, that they were but modern.

And whilst all these nations have magnified their Antiquities so exceedingly, we need not wonder that the Greeks and Latines have made their first Kings a little older than the truth.

* * * * *

FINIS.

* * * * *

Notes.

[1] In the life of Lycurgus.

[2] In the life of Solon.

[3] Herod. l. 2.

[4] Plutarch. de Pythiae Oraculo.

[5] Plutarch. in Solon

[6] Apud Diog.  Laert. in Solon p. 10.

[7] Plin. nat. hist. l. 7. c. 56.

[8] Ib. l. 5. c. 29.

[9] Cont.  Apion. sub initio.

[10] In [Greek:  Akousilaos].

[11] Joseph. cont.  Ap. l. 1.

[12] Dionys. l. 1. initio.

[13] Plutarch. in Numa.

[14] Diodor. l. 16. p. 550.  Edit.  Steph.

[15] Polyb. p. 379.  B.

[16] In vita Lycurgi, sub initio.

[17] In Solone.

[18] Plutarch. in Romulo & Numa.

[19] In AEneid. 7. v. 678.

[20] Diodor. l. 1.

[21] Plutarch. in Romulo.

[22] Lib.  I. in Proaem.

[23] Plutarch. in Lycurgo sub initio.

[24] Pausan. l. 4. c. 13. p. 28. & c. 7. p. 296 & l. 3. c. 15. p. 245.

[25] Pausan. l. 4. c. 7. p. 296.

[26] Herod. l. 7.

[27] Herod. l. 8.

[28] Plato in Minoe.

[29] Thucyd. l. 1. p. 13.

[30] Athen. l. 14 p. 605

[31] Pausan. l. 5. c. 8.

[32] Pausan. l. 6. c. 19.

[33] Plutarch. de Musica.  Clemens Strom. l. 1. p. 308.

[34] Herod. l. 6. c. 52.

[35] Pausan. l. 5. c. 4.

[36] Pausan. l. 5. c. 1, 3, 8.  Strabo, l. 8, p. 357.