magnificent description of the war-horse in the book of Job is familiar to every reader.* At a later period the plains of Babylonia furnished horses to the Persians, both for the private use of the king and for his troops. The rich pasture-grounds of Mesopotamia must have always afforded them ample sustenance, whilst those vast plains, exposed to the heats of summer and cold of winter, inured them to hardships and fatigue.

The lower series of bas-reliefs contained three subjects-the siege of a castle, the king receiving prisoners, and the king, with his army, crossing a river. The first occupied the under compartments of three slabs. The castle had three towers, and apparently several walls, one behind the other, all surmounted by angular battlements. The besiegers having brought a battering-ram to the outer wall, one of the besieged was endeavouring to catch the engine, and to break the blows, by a chain lowered from the walls; whilst two warriors of the assailing party were holding the ram in its place by hooks. This part of the bas-relief illustrates the account in Chronicles and Josephus, of the machines for battering walls, instruments to cast stones, and grappling irons made by Uzziah. † Another warrior was throwing fire (traces of the red paint being still visible in the sculpture) from above upon the battering-ram; whilst the besiegers endeavoured to quench the flames, by pouring water upon them from the moveable tower. Two figures, in full armour, were undermining the walls with instruments like blunt spears; whilst two others appeared to have found a secret passage into the castle. Wounded men were falling from the walls; and upon one of the towers were women, tearing their hair and extending their hands to ask for quarter. The enemy were mounting to the assault, by scaling ladders placed against the walls. The king, discharging an arrow, and protected by a shield held by a warrior in complete armour, stood on one side of the castle. He was attended by two eunuchs, one holding the open umbrella, the other his quiver and mace.

*Ch. xxxix. 19. † 2 Chron. xxvi. 15., and Josephus, lib. ix. c. 10.

Behind them was an Assyrian warrior leading three women and a child, and driving three bullocks, as part of the spoil. It was thus that the Assyrians carried away captive the people of Samaria, replacing the population of the conquered country by colonies of their own. The women were represented as tearing their hair and throwing dust upon their heads, the usual signs of grief in the East.

On the other side of the castle were two kneeling figures, one discharging an arrow, the other holding a shield for his companion's defence. Behind them was the vizir, also shooting an arrow, and protected by the shield of a second warrior. He was followed by three warriors, the first an archer kneeling, the others an archer and his shield-bearer in complete armour, erect. They had left their chariot, in which the charioteer was still standing, the horses being held by a groom. Behind the chariot were two warriors, each carrying a bow and a mace. The shields represented in this bas-relief were probably of wickerwork, and were chiefly used during a siege. They covered the whole person of the archer, who was thus able to discharge his arrows in comparative security. Such were probably the bucklers which Herodotus describes as forming a complete fence before the Persian archers at the battle of Platea. †

The three following bas-reliefs represented the king receiving captives, apparently of the same nation as those portrayed in the upper part of the hall, and already described. Behind the chariot of the king were two other chariots, each containing a charioteer alone; passing under the walls of a castle, on which were women, apparently viewing the procession, and discussing the results of the expedition.

In these bas-reliefs the harness and trappings of the horses and chariots are remarkable for their richness and elegance. Above the heads of the horses rise gracefully plumes and fanciful crests, ornamented with long ribands or streamers, which were probably of many colors. Like the Arabs and Persians of the present day, the Assyrians appear to have been lavish of tassels * 2 Kings, xvii. 6. † Lib. ix. c. 61.

of silk and wool, which were attached to all parts of the harness. The bridle consisted of a headstall, a strap divided into three parts joining the bit, and straps over the forehead, under the cheeks, and behind the ears. We find sacred emblems used as ornaments in the trappings of horses, as on the robes of figures; the winged bull, the sun, moon, stars, and horned cap being frequently introduced.

Three richly embroidered straps, passing round the body of the horse, kept the harness and chariot-pole in their places, and were attached to a highly decorated breast-band. To the yoke was suspended an elegant ornament, formed by the head of an animal and a circle, into which was generally introduced a winged bull, a star, or some other sacred device.

Embroidered trappings, such as are described by Ezekiel * as the precious clothes for chariots, coming from Dedan, covered the backs of the horses. Their bits, as well as the metal used in the harness, may have been of gold and other precious materials, like those of the ancient Persians. † Their manes were either allowed to fall loosely on the neck or were plaited, and their tails were bound in the centre with ribands adorned with tassels.

In the Bible frequent mention is made of the use of chariots and horsemen both in sieges and battles. "The choicest valleys shall be full of chariots, and the horsemen shall set themselves in array against the gate." Amongst the tributaries of the Assyrians, the Elamites were celebrated for their chariots carrying archers. § The Jewish kings appear to have granted certain privileges to cities equipping chariots, hence called "chariot cities," which in the time of Solomon supplied no less than one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen. Chariots of iron were used in Palestine from the earliest period, and appear to have been so formidable in war, that the Israelites were long unable to contend with them. T

* xxvii. 20.
† 1 Esdras, iii. 6.;
Isaiah, xxii. 7. § Isaiah, xxii. 6.
Judges, i, 19., and iv. 3.

Xenophon, Cyrop. lib. i. c. 3.
|| 2 Chron. i. 14.; Isaiah, xxii.

The three remaining bas-reliefs. the passage of the river. were highly interesting and curious. In the first was a boat containing a chariot, in which stood the king. In one hand he held two arrows, in the other a bow. An eunuch, standing in front of the chariot, appeared to point to some object in the distance, perhaps the stronghold of the enemy. Behind the chariot was a second eunuch, holding a bow and mace. The boat was towed by two naked men; four men sat at the oars, and one oar with a broad flat end, attached to a thick wooden pin at the stern, served both for steering and propelling. It is singular that this is precisely the kind of vessel used by the natives of Mosul to this day; and such probably were the Babylonian boats described by Herodotus, constructed of willowboughs and covered with skins. A man, standing in the vessel, held the halters of four horses, swimming over the stream, in which was a naked figure on an inflated skin. This bas-relief, with the exception of the king and the chariot, might represent a scene daily witnessed on the banks of the Tigris, probably the river here represented. On the next slab were two smaller boats; one carrying the couch of the king and a jar or large vessel; the other an empty chariot: they were impelled by two rowers, seated face to face. Five men, two leading horses by their halters, were swimming on skins.

On the third slab was represented men embarking the chariots and preparing to cross the river. The proceedings were su

perintended by officers, one of whom, an eunuch, held a whip, which was probably used as in the army of Xerxes to keep the soldiers to their duty, and prevent them flying from the

enemy.

*

On the opposite side of the hall, between the entrances, only one slab was discovered in its original position. The upper

compartment was almost completely defaced; in the lower was represented a battle between Assyrian warriors, in chariots, and

*Herod. lib. vii. ch. 56., in which Xerxes is described as seeing his troops driven by blows over the bridge across the Hellespont; it was also the custom for the officers to carry whips to urge the soldiers to the combat: lib. vii. ch. 223.