New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-29

Putnam's Sons (series of the Story of the
Nations
Seen from n vantage point, two thousand
years later in time, the origin growth, decay
and fall Of The Parthian Empire seem parts
OF an obscure episode in history. Yet Parthia
was for many generations the only rival that
could cope with Rome Her archers and her
cavalry have left deeper trace In Latin htera-
ture than almost any other foreign force. Those
wild horscmen. who could speed the unerring
arrow as they fled, were the theme not merely
IF picturesque verse. but Of words in which
were uttered the dread and anxiety of a ma
ton There were years in those centuries
when Rome and Parthia confronted each other
across the traditional backgrounds of Asia
Minor that seemed to threaten the subJuSatloh
of Eastern Europe Not since the days oil the
Achaemenide kings of Persia had the western
world seemed in such peril If ConstanuhoPle
had been the capital Of the Mediterranean
Empire instead OF Rome 1t Is more IMAM
probable that a Turanian conqueror would nave
occupied the throne of the Caesars whole
millennium befor. Mahomet H. But the COM
parative indifference of the Asatic races TO
their own annals has left the memory OF
Parthia to be gradually effaced. Save in the
coins of her kings and some trifes OF
SCULPTURE and architecture her history Is to be
read only backward. one may say. Ill 'he
dubious paragraphs of Roman historians.
Canon Rawlinson has done well to recur TO
a theme which he long ago made his OWL IN
a style mole popular than that OF MS Garner
works. he reviews anew the centuries 'ha' III
teryened between Greek domination ana 'he
rise Of the Sassanian dynasty. end shows that
they were not devoid of human interest nor oi
valuable lessons in politics He indicates ny
uniting them to an appropriate use how many
.oF,, dorm nj
,ernational controversy were applicable to the I
affairs If Asia II, agrees only in part with |
the saving of Gibbon that Parthia gave an eX- |
hibt of feudalism long before such thing was /
thought of in Europe; for he MAINTAINS 'Ha'
while the resemblance wer" si1kihg 'heS
were few whereas the differences. II OBSCURE
we're numerous One extremely important al
ference was in the way the relation between
overlords and vassals came into existence In
Europe the process was mainly !ieiui"s Vi
service that became hereditary, in return ior
nrotection In Asia it the upraising on
social structure that had existed for ages Oh
another story in the form of a new dynasty
II the MOBILES and the people were lett 10 SUCH
enjoyment of their own property as was Gus
tomary il mattered little to them WheTe inc
central power was, whether the Wieider Oh HI
neriaI sceptre was a Chaldean at Babylon
Semitic at Nineveh, an Aryan at Susa' Vi "
Turanian at Ctesiphon.. Tradition. moreover may
have enabled them to see. what the meagre rec
ords Of the East reveal to us, that Improvement
in nolitics had been a reality in the succession
# Asiatic empires The plan of local gov
srnorships adopted by the Persians, rude as IL
seemed was vast advance on the Assylldh
pan of sending out army every summer 10
.round up" the tribes like fiocks OF sheep' ana
rob them The Parthian system was prac-
tically that of ancient Persia, modihed py 'he
practice of Alexanders successors II was
more flexible than any that had preceded IT,
1t could bend even TO anarchy without DieaAA"s.
A story which illustrates this peculiarly OF ;
the Parthian is told by the author of TINS vol :
ume at considerable length. 1t is the episode Oh
Asinai and Anlai, two Jewish outlaws. From ,
the time of the Exile Jews had been growing ,
factor in the life of Mesopotama Ihey mulu-
piled where other races declined. VI couise
their history was marked by tragedy. IL mas
always been thus marked everywhere. but I
taken altogether, they got along fairy well WITH
the other races beside whom they lived and {
parthan rulers appear to have been more than i
friendly to them. Josephus boosted that he /
wrote his narrative of Jewish antiquities in his
native tongue before he turned it into Greek be- I
cause he had many readers in Parthia. The later l.
kings even went so far to stamp "A Semitic
legend on their coins. Greek having been used i
lier centuries The coins of Parthia. in fact APP o
near 10 give a succinct record of the gradual i
decay of Hellenism in Asia and the correspond f
ing rise Of native element which was symbol p
lied by its language, the Syro-Chaldean In II
this composite the Semitic was, perhaps, the J.
strongest factor THAT system of 'transplanta- L
ton of nations which was pursued on so large q
a scale by the Assyrian and Babylonian SOW b
ereigns Of the eighth, seventh and sixth centu- j
res before Christ, had introduced into the heart
of Asia a number of strange natonalities, and a
among these there was none more remarkable \
than that of the Hebrews. Whatever had be- >
come Of the descendants Of the Ten Tribes s.
whether in any places they still constituted b
distinct communities, or had long ere this been V
absorbed into the general population Of the e.
any rate colonies Of Jews dating p
from the time Of Nebuchadnezzars Captivity, IL
themselves often in a hourishng
condition, in various parts Of Babylona, IL
Armenia, Media, Mesopotama, Susiana. and :"
probably in other Parthian provinces" These Id
colonies enjoyed a liberation similar to that
accorded to both Jews and Christians in parts
Of Turkey. liberation which is always subject v
10 outbreaks of local fanaticsm and persecu-
ton. I'm many cities they formed a recognized 81
under their magistrates; some II
towns they had wholly to themselves those who 81
lwelt in Mesopotama possessed "a common VI
treasury; and it was customary for them to u
send up to Jerusalem from time to time the VI
offerings Of the faithful, escorted by convoy u
IF 10000 or 10000 armed men. 1t was odd-the III
Greeks and Syrians were always grumbling on 81
Lhe eve Of sedition; but when the Empire was III
m real trouble under the weak and disorderly =
reign Of Artabanus ILL., It was not the Greeks II
md Syrsns who started the worst uproar but ~
{ was the prosperous and accomplishing Jews ~
The two young Jews. Asnai and Anilai, were ~
yorkmen in mandatory at Nearda Ap- -
,arently they went on what would nowadays be ~
alled strike, owing to some personal griev- ~
lnce against their employer. AS they had no ID
'ther occupation, they withdrew to an un;n- ~
,ahted marsh near the River Euphrates. and III
1T I'M as robbers In short TIM 49,, ,, u"e II