The Shasta courier., 1866-09-15
COURIER.
Nineyeh and Babylon.

| Win the fortunes Vi tne lsrdeiites, OOu
chosen people; modern research has shown
that they possessed the elements of worldly
renown, aside from such connection, in re-
markable degree. The ruins that exists at
this day, even, after the lapse of centuries,
impart striking sense of their magnifcence
and grandeur, and confirm the accounts
given of them by ancient profane historians.
Rawlinson, in his work on the great mon
arches of the ancient Eastern world, has
brought together fund of valuable and in.
teresting information concerning them
| Their defenses were of the most formidable
description, consisting of vast castellated
walls, protected by broad and deep moats,
with outlying works of defence. Xenophon,
who beheld Nineveh in ruins, reckoned that
the walls were $50 feet high, and Mr.. La
yard considers it evident, from their condi-
ton at the present day, that they were 100
feet high. Their breadth, according to
Xenophon, was so feet-at the gates upward
of 100 feet. The gateways were 120 feet
wide-the outer gate being protected by two
inner gates, between which were large side
chambers in the walls in which soldiers
could be posted. These gateways were arch
tways through the wall above them were
lofty towers from whence missiles could be
hurled against an attacking foe. Other tow.
ers were erected at intervals along the walls
These immense walls were constructed of
sun dried bricks, faced externally with stone
blocks to the height of fifty feet. They
would constitute as formidable defense
against artillery as any Notifications of the
present day. On the side of the Tigris the
walls are unassailable; on the narrow south
ern front the city was protected by ravine
and water course and on the other two
fronts the walls were covered along the
whole extent by a broad moat or canal,
through which the river Khosr was turned.
In addition to these defenses there were
strong outlying works. Altogether they
were impregnable by any skill or force pos
sessed by the ancient world. Nineveh fell
at last only by mighty iuundation of the
river IIgrIs. But even when q besieging
force had penetrated into the city they would
have found other defenses of no mean
strength. The royal palaces were so con
structed that they could be turned into
citadels. They stood upon vast platforms
built of sun-dried bricks, faced on all sides
with solid stone, rising from sixty to eighty
or more feet above the plain. These plat
forms were miles in circumference. The
palaces OF the Assyrian monarchs were one
storied buildings ~with wide extent of
course, halls, and minor apartments, and as
successive monarehs added to the platforms
of mis- predecessors to erect new palaces,
these elevated areas became in time of i'm
me Sc extent. All. the chief entrances or
doorways of the palace were adorned on
either side by colossal winged bulls or lions
with the head of a man, sculptured in fine
hmestone and the chief halls and apart
ments were lined to the hight of nine or ten
feet with slabs of the same material on
which were colored representations of the ex-
ploits of the king who built the palace, with
inscriptions detailing the events of his reign
The halls were usually seventeen to twenty
feet in highth
As to the great size of Nineveh's sister
capital, Babylon, there is no doubt A hum
dred square miles of ruin attest the truthful
ness of the accounts of ancient historians.
although no distinct traces of its famous
walls have been discovered. Probably their
remains were swept away.by some tremen-
dous inundation. These walls weresfourteen
miles square and three hundred feet high
They were built chiefly of sund.ed brick,
but faced with kiln-dried brick. Along the
broad summit series of low towers, $50 in
number, served as guard rooms and watch
towers for the soldiers. Befeath along the
outer front of the wall, ran wide and deep
tions of scaling or mining were alike hope.
less. A clear open space or belt, nearly
quarter of a mile wide lay within the wall,
running all around, upon which no houses
were allowed to be built, and which was
doubtless reserved for cultivation. The city
was laid out in quadrangular blocks. Each
wall was pierced by twenty five gates, and
from these straight streets or roads ran
across the city, cutting it into squares. The
river Euphrates divided the city nearly in
half. 1t was lined on both sides by quays
OF sscoild brick, surmounted by walls, which
guarded the banks for their whole length
In each of these walls were twenty five gates,
corresponding to the number of streets
which came upon the river, and at each gate
was ferry for the conveyance of passengers
across the stream. There was also draw
bridge, and tunnel connecting the two
sides of the river.
The vast mounds which still rise above the
plain attest the magnitude of the palaces,
temples and other public building of Baby
Ion. There were three great palaces, the
chief of which was that of Nebuchadr
This vast royal residence was situated with
In triple enclosure, the innermost wall,
which was eighty feet high, being fully two
miles in circumference, and the outermost
nearly seven. On the inner walls were rep
resentations of hunting scene. The mound
on which the palace was built is 700 yards
long by 600 broad, and rises more than
seventy feet above the plain. The temple of
belus, another remarkable structure, was
600 feet high. The ascent was by an inclin-
ed plane or steps carried around the outside
u the building. 1t contained three colossal
statues OF gold-one of Bel, one of Belts and
one OF Rhea or Ishtar. In front of these
'aoies was golden statue forty feet long
and fifteen feet broad, on which stood two
huge drinking cpps, each thirty talents in
"eight. There were also various other gold
en- images and vessels, all of which fell a
spoil to the conquerors of the city. OF the
capture OF Babylosthe mighty" by Cyrus,
VINO hrst diverted the waters of the Euphrates
several miles above the city, Mr.. RawIinson
gives the following graphic account.
hen all was prepared, Cyrus deter