that of Shishak being reputed to consist of sixty thousand cavalry and one thousand two hundred chariots; that of Sesostris only of twenty-four thousand cavalry, indeed; but the number of his chariots is increased to twenty-seven thousand. This coincidence, we acknowledge, is not exact: yet, if to this general agreement in number, we add the difficulty, almost the impossibility of fixing on any other king of Egypt, capable of undertaking this expedition, in the days of Solomon, the argument must be allowed to be nearly conclusive. Shishak having withdrawn his army, the Jews were granted a short period to respire from the calamities of war. In the year 941 B. C. however, Judea was again invaded by Zera, an Ethiopian, with an army of a million of infantry, and three hundred chariots. This army was opposed by another consisting of five hundred and eighty thousand men, under the conduct of Asa king of Judah, and defeated with great slaughter. About this time, Syria begins to rise into historical importance. That kingdom commenced in the days of David under Hadadezer, whose capital was Zobah. This prince had been defeated by David in several engagements and probably rendered tributary to him. One Rezon, however, before the death of David, rebelled against Hadadezer, and gained possession of Damascus, erecting there a kingdom, which rapidly advanced in power. The Syrian princes were thus situated in the neighbourhood of the two rival states of Israel and Juda (whose capitals were Samaria and Jerusalem); and being bitter enemies of both, and desirous to establish their own power on the ruins of these two states, they availed them selves of this advantageous situation; pretending to assist the one against the other, in order the more effectually to weaken both. For a detail of these transactions, between the Jews." and Syrians, we must refer to the Old Testament, where only they are to be found. The Syrian empire, however, was totally destroyed by Tiglath Pileser, king of Assyria; and the kingdom of Samaria by Shalmanezer, B. C. his successor; the people being either massacred, or carried into captivity into Media, Persia, and the countries about the Caspian sea. 740. B. C. 721. B. C. While these transactions are taking place in the East, we observe to arise in the West those formidable empires, destined hereafter not only to subdue, but to surpass in glory and extent of dominion, all the kingdoms of the earth. In Africa, Carthage was founded, according to one account, about 869 B. C., according to another, not till a hundred years later. In Europe, the conquest of the Peloponnesus by the Heraclidae, already mentioned, and which hap- 69, pened about 900 B. C. was followed by a considerable increase in the civilization of Greece; which was still further promoted by the revival of the Olympic games, which, by furnishing a certain and decisive epoch, facilitated not only the writing of the Grecian history, but of those of all other nations. 748. In the last year of the seventh Olympiad, the foundation of Rome was laid by Romulus. or 770. B. C. THIRD PERIOD, From the Beginning of profane History to the End of the fabulous Times. THE third general period properly begins at the re-institution of the Olympic games, when Corœbus obtained the prize. From this 568. æra, profane history rises in accuracy and B. C. authenticity, and the histories of different nations are consequently more to be depended upon. Our employment in this place will be, simply to give a concise delineation of the general state of the world at the conclusion of the period. The northern parts of Europe were probably but thinly inhabited with unknown and barbarous nations; yet whose posterity, in after ages, overran and subdued the empire of Rome. France and Spain were peopled by the Gomerians or Celtes. Italy was divided into a number of petty states, from colonies of Gaulish and of Grecian extraction, among which, Rome had already become one of the principal, and was now under the government of Servius Tullius. The Romans had enlarged their dominions, by the conquest of several neighbouring cities, particularly that of Alba Longa, whose inhabitants they had removed to Rome. The Athenians and Spartans, having become pre-eminent in Greece, were rivals of each other. The former were flourishing under the laws of Solon, actively engaged in navigation and commerce, and growing rich from their emoluments; the latter, under the martial institutions of Lycurgus, had become the most honoured and powerful people of Greece. Corinth, Thebes, Argos and Arcadia, had also arisen to considerable respectability. The ancient kingdom of Assyria Assyria was destroyed by Arbaces, governor of Media, and Belesis, governor of Babylon, and Sardanapalus, its weak, effeminate, and last emperor, consumed in the flames of his capital; and the inhabitants of Nineveh carried to Babylon. Even the materials of which it was built were removed, to strengthen or adorn that proud city, the most spacious and magnificent in the world. Nebuchadnezzer, a wise and valiant prince, now filled the throne. In the year 587 B. C. he had totally overthrown the kingdom of Judea; razed the city of Tyre three years before, and over-run the whole kingdom of Egypt. Josephus asserts, that he even conquered Spain, and reigned there nine years, when he abandoned it to the Cartha ginians; but there is some improbability in this narration. The extent of the Babylonian empire, though not certainly known, must have been of prodigious magnitude. According to scripture, it surpassed in riches any which succeeded. It is certain that it comprehended Phoenicia, Palestine, Syria, Babylonia, Media, and Persia, and perhaps India; all of which countries, abounding in riches, contributed to increase the splendour and magnificence of Babylon, and to swell the wealth and power of the Babylonian monarch. When we consider all these circumstances, we can no longer think incredible the accounts of Herodotus respecting the unexampled grandeur of the city; nor can we hesitate to believe, that its king must have been the most opulent and powerful upon earth. At this period there is a chasm in the history of Carthage for 300 years, FOURTH PERIOD, From the End of the fabulous Times to the Conquest of Babylon by Cyrus. B. C. THE commencement of the fourth general period is dated from the end of the fabulous times, to the conquest of Babylon by 569. Cyrus, and includes only the short space of thirty-one years. The occasion of this revolution was the following: Evil-merodach, son of Nebuchadnezzer, in a great hunting-match, on his marriage, entered the country of the Medes. This occurred in the life-time of his father. It happened, that some of his troops came up, at this conjuncture, to relieve the garrisons on the frontiers. These he joined to those within, and, with wanton and unprovoked hostility, began to plunder and lay waste the adjacent country. A revolt of the Medes immediately ensued, which soon became general over Media and Persia. Evil-merodach was repulsed, with great slaughter, by Astyages and his son Cyaxares. It does not appear that a reconciliation ever took place; on the contrary, the breach continued to widen; till Cyrus, the grandson of Astyages, completed the B. C. conquest of Babylon. 538. About the time of Nebuchadnezzer's death, which happened in the year 562, Croesus, king of Lydia, subdued the Ionians, or Grecian colonies in Asia-minor. These, though obliged to pay tribute, and to furnish him some forces in time of war, were yet free from every oppression, and were therefore attached to his government. Now Croesus was regarded by the Babylonians, if not as a subject, at least as a faithful ally accordingly, when Cyrus was proceed |