The Shasta courier., 1868-07-25
The Assyrians and Babyionians.

Nothing whatever is known of the world
before the food, except from the sacred writ
ings; and very little indeed is known of the
times Immediately after that awful catastro-
phe.
Mankind, however, increased greatly on
the earth. The descendants of Sham are
supposed to have inhabited that part of the
earth between the Tigris and the Euphrates.
Ihe descendants of Ham are thought to have
peopied Africa; while those of Japheth pro-
ceeded westward, and laid the foundations
of the present European nations. Probably
Japhsth was the Jat Ter of the Greels.
IL- Feople who settled near the river Eu.
pirates were probably governed by Ashur.
the grandson Of Noah. who was their pro.
genitor. So far as ancient record can be re.
iieI upon, about 2, 1923 years before Christ, he
nuiit the city of Nineveh; and founded the
Assyrian or Ashurian empire.
1his city Is said to have been very exten.
sive. 1t Is stated to have been hundred
miles IN circumference, its walls a hundred
feet high. 1t had fifteen hundred towers.
each two hundred feet to its top.
In al probability Nimrod, the great grand
son OF Noah, who was, perhaps, afrerward
w"rshipped as Il god, un Ter the name of
beius, founded the kingdom of B,bylun,
and built The city of that name. The word
belus, or Baal signifies Lord.
Babylon was more famous than Nineveb.
Its walls were three hundred and frty feet
high, and 81 thick that eight chariuts could
run abreast on their top, tLeir thickness be-
ing eighty-se, en- feet.
The city was built in the form of per.
feet square. each side of which was fifteen
miles, making circuit of sixty miles round.
On the outside of these walls was large
ditch, nearly as deep as the walls were high.
On every side Of the great square were
twenty-five brazen gates. being one hundred
altogether. Between every two of these
gates were three towers, and four very large
ones at each corner of the city wall.
FROM the twenty-five gates on the four
sides OF the city were twenty-five streets, in
straight lines, leading quite across it either
way. 80 that the whole number of streets
were fifty, crossing each other at right an
| giles.
The river Euphrates ran through the GEN.
ter OF the city from the north to the south
side. and ON each side Of the river was QUAY.
lhe wall was carried along the banks ot the
river, anc had gates of brass to CONNECT il
with the city. There was also bridge in
the center, connecting one side of the river
with the other. This was furlong broad,
and thirty feet wide
AT the two ends of the bridge we're two
palaces, which had communication with
each other by vault under the bed of the
river, similar to the Thames tunnel. The
old palace which st0ud On the east side of ,he
city was thirty furlongs in compass. near
which stood the temple of Belus The new
palace. which stood on the west side IF the
river, was seven miles in circumference. and
was surrounded with three walls, one within
the other.
In this new palace were the celebrated
hanging gardens. They were trdens form
ed upon terraces rising one above another
as high as the walls of the city They were
Sustained upon arches raised upon other
arches. The mold laid upon these arches
was deep enough for the largest tree to take
root In. The whole of these garden terraces
were watered 10y an engine which drew the
water from the river. In the space between
the arches were various apartments, which
commanded beautiful prospect
Another of the great works at Babylon
was the temple OF Belus, which stood near
me old palace. 1t was remarkable for pro-
digious tower erected in the center of it. IL
was square at the bottom and was about half
mile round. 1t consisted of eight towers,
built one above another, and is thought TO
~ "SoiiJ quarter Vi mile NIGH
On the top OF 1t was golden or brazen image
OF Belus, the hight of which was forty feet.
In the different stories of the towers were
many large rooms, and the ascent to the top
was by a spiral line or staircase, eight times
round. The top tower was devoted to the
purposes OF astronomy. and contained an OBJ
servatory. The sciences of astronomy and
astrology were favorte studies among the
priests of the temple of Baal, and they made
great progress in the former.