CH. XXV.] BOCCHORIS AND SABACO. 445 succeeded Piankhi at Napata, reclaimed the dominion. which Piankhi had held, it is evident that Bocchoris was unable to make a prolonged resistance. Sabaco, a genuine Ethiopian, not (like Piankhi) more than half an Egyptian, used his rights of conqueror to the full, employed large numbers of the inhabitants in forced labours, and, by way of a warning to others, burnt Bocchoris alive for his rebellion.3 2 Herod. ii. 137. Herodotus says those whom he thus employed were ber (forty-four) is exceptionally 3 Manetho ap. Syncell. Chronograph. p. 74 B. 1 The reign of Shabak, ML, or Sabaco, over Egypt is estimated by Manetho at twelve years; and this date is also found upon the monuments as a minimum one, which may have been exceeded. According to Herodotus,' he transferred his residence. from Ethiopia to Egypt, where he certainly set up memorials, both at Thebes and at Memphis. It was probably soon after his accession that he received an embassy from Hoshea, king of Israel, entreating his assistance against Assyria, and had to consider whether he would venture to provoke the hostility of that mighty empire. 5 3 A time had been when Egypt was the aggressor, and carried her arms deep into Asia, robbing (as we have seen) Assyria of a province, and forcing her kings to pay an annual tribute. But that time was a very distant one; seven centuries, or more, had passed away since the great Pharaohs of the eighteenth dynasty harried the Mesopotamian plains and struck terror into the hearts of the Kings of Asshur. Now for above a century and a half the power of Assyria had been in the ascendant; she had continually (Chabas, Mélanges Egyptologiques, 3me série, vol. i. p. 248). Rosellini has some representations of his sculptures (Monumenti Storici, pl. cli. Nos. 2 and 3), but does not say where they were set up. 4 Hoshea's embassy cannot have been sent later than B.C. 723, since it preceded the commencoment of the siege of Samaria by Shalmaneser, which was at the latest in that year. It was most probably sent in B.C. 724, which I incline to regard as the year of Sabaco's accession. Supra, pp. 234–5. See the author's Ancient Monarchies, vol. ii. pp. 83-133, 2nd ed. Cn. XXV.] REIGN OF SHABAK OR SABACO. 447 advanced her limits; the Euphrates had been crossed; Upper Syria, Phœricia, Hamath, the kingdom of Damascus, brought under subjection; and at length an attack was made upon that country which Egypt might well consider almost her last bulwark upon the north-east, which she looked upon as properly her own, and over which, so late as the time of Sheshonk I., she had actually exercised sovereignty. Shabak, as an Ethiopian, might not feel keenly the change in the relative position of the two countries; but he had enough of political sagacity to perceive the peril of the situation, and enough of boldness to resolve on meeting it halfway, and not remaining wholly upon the defensive. He encouraged Hoshea to defy the power of the Assyrians; and though, from circumstances which are unknown to us, he did not march to his aid, yet, a year or two later (B.c. 720), he met the advancing tide of Assyrian conquest on the southern limits of Palestine, and fought a great battle in defence of the country whereof he had become king. The battle of Raphia is one of the turning-points in the world's history. Then for the first time was the relative strength of Asia and Africa tested in open combat on a fair field. It was ominous of the future that Africa succumbed. Shabak was completely defeated by the great Sargon, the builder of Khorsabad, and founder of the last and greatest Assyrian dynasty. His army was routed, and he was forced to seek safety in flight. It was probably soon afterwards that he concluded that treaty with the Assyrians, the seal of which, containing his cartouche, was found by Layard on the site of Nineveh.2 If Shabak reigned twelve years only, he must have 1 pp. 2 12. Ancient Monarchies, vol. ii. PP. p. Layard, Nineveh and Babylon, 142-5, 2nd ed. been succeeded by Shabatok, M, about B.C. 712. Sargon was at this time still king of Assyria, and at the zenith of his power. In B.C. 715, he had conquered part of Arabia, and received tribute from Egypt; in B.c. 711, he took Ashdod,' as noticed by Isaiah.2 In the same year he claims to have received the submission of Ethiopia. The king of Meroë,' he says, 'who dwelt in the desert, and had never sent ambassadors to any of the kings, my predecessors, was led by the fear of my majesty to direct his steps towards Assyria, and humbly bow down before me.' 3 Oppert, Inscriptions des Sar 1 Ancient Monarchies, vol. ii. PP. gonides, p. 27. 145-7. 2 Isaiah xx. 1. CH. XXV.] REIGN OF SHABATOK. 449 Shabatok is probably the monarch intended; and it would seem that, through fear of the Assyrian power, he must have undertaken a journey into some part of Sargon's dominions for the purpose of bowing down. 1 before his footstool and doing him homage. Shabatok probably reigned about fourteen years 2from B.C. 712 to B.C. 698. He has left very few memorials of himself. In a sculpture, given by Rosellini, he makes an offering to Ammon-Ra and Maut; in one, given by Mariette, he receives life from Neith; and a sitting statue of him, much broken, has been found on the site of Memphis.5 On this last he calls himself Mi-Phthah, 'lover of Phthah;' but his more ordinary epithet was Meri-Ammon, 'beloved by Ammon.' In personal appearance he would seem to have much resembled Shabak, who was probably his father; but his eye was larger, his nose shorter, and he represents himself as without a beard. It is remarkable that both he and his predecessor went back for their throne-names to the early period of Egyptian history, Shabak calling himself Nefer-ka-ra, 。JL, a form of name not borne by any king since the tenth dynasty, and Shabatok Tatkaura, U 1, borne since the fifth.7 It is not necessary to suppose that he really went to Assyria.. The Assyrian kings often held courts for the express purpose of receiving homage at provincial towns in their dominions. Tiglath-Pileser held such a court at Damascus, where A haz did homage (2 Kings xvi. 10). 2 This is the length of reign that Manetho gave him, according to Africanus (ap. Syncell. Chronograph. p. 74 B). It is adopted by Bunsen (Egypt's Place, vol. ii. p. VOL. II. one not G G |