6

carpets,' one of the principal objects of luxury in the East, the floors of the rich being generally covered with them, were no where so finely woven, and in such splendid colours, as at Babylon. Particular representations were seen on them of those wonderful Indian animals, the griffin and others, with which we have become acquainted by the ruins of Persepolis, whence the knowledge of them was brought to the west. Foreign nations made use of these carpets in the decoration of their harems and royal saloons; indeed this species of luxury seems no where to have been carried farther than among the Persians. Not only the floors, but even the beds and sofas in the houses of their nobles, were covered with two or three of these carpets; nay, the oldest of their sacred edifices, the tomb of Cyrus at Pasargada, was ornamented with a purple one of Babylonian workmanship.

['Babylonian garments were not less esteemed; those in particular called sindones were in very high repute. It appears that they were usually of cotton, and the most costly were so highly valued for their brilliancy of colour, and fineness of texture, as to be compared to those of Media, and set apart for royal use. The superiority of Babylonian robes and carpets will not be a matter of surprise when we consider how near Babylon was to Carmania on the one side, and to Arabia and Syria on the other, and that in these countries the finest cotton was produced.

['Large weaving establishments were not confined to the capital, but existed likewise in other cities and inferior towns of Babylonia, which Semiramis is said to have built on the banks of the Euphrates and the Tigris, and which she appointed as marts for those who imported Median and Persian goods. These manufacturing towns also were staples for land traffic. The most famous of them was Borsippa, situated on the Euphrates, fifteen miles below Babylon, and mentioned in history before the time of Cyrus. These

were the principal linen and cotton manufactories, and they still existed in the time of Strabo."

[To this country belongs the honour of commencing the rudiments of physical science, particularly of astronomy. Its cool and serene atmosphere, together with the pastoral habits of the original inhabitants, who spread themselves, by night as well as by day, over the flat and level plains, early drew attention to the phenomena of the sky; and in process of time, as society advanced, the observations which preceding ages had made, and carefully registered, on the state of the weather and the motions of the heavenly bodies, became a branch of study, which, both from the facilities the climate afforded, and the peculiar importance attached to it, was cultivated by the Babylonians with extraordinary ardour and success. During the entire history of the Babylonian empire, the national taste ran strongly in this direction, although it must be acknowledged that in later times it was fostered not so much from a pure love and devotion to science, as from blind credulity in the supposed influence of the stars on the fortunes of men, and the events of this lower world. So far was this superstition carried, that no matter of importance, whether in public or in private life, neither war nor peace could be proclaimed,— neither a journey undertaken, nor a building commenced, nor an engagement contracted,-till means had been adopted for ascertaining the favourable or unfavourable aspect of the heavens. This much-valued knowledge resided with a privileged caste of literati, who, like the same order among the Egyptians and Persians, were probably divided into several classes, as magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, soothsayers, stargazers, monthly prognosticators, &c.; but all of whom went under the distinguishing name of wise men, or Chasdim, i. e. Chaldeans. The prodigious influence the sages of Babylonia had acquired by the successful

* Heeren on the Politics, &c., of Asiatic Nations.

application of their pretended science, is evident from the official station they held at court, and from their forming a prominent part in the retinue of the monarch, in all his royal progresses or exhibitions of state. On the triumphal entry of Nebuchadnezzar into Jerusalem, Jeremiah mentions, among others of his courtly attendants, the chief of the Magi.*

['Respecting the government of this country, some few particulars have been preserved, principally by the prophet Daniel. A ruler with despotic power; a court in which eunuchs held the highest offices; an empire divided into satrapies, governed by rulers, among whom a regular gradation of rank and title was found, and where the civil and military offices were often, though not always, separated; collectors of tribute in the provinces; higher and inferior judges. We find also a priestcraft or priesthood comprised under the names of Magians and Chaldeans, and which, principally by astrology and soothsaying, had a considerable influence upon the government. In what relation to society did this class stand? and how came the term Chaldeans, which originally belonged to a people, to become the name of the priesthood? These are questions which have been often agitated, but, from want of sufficient information, can never be satisfactorily answered. Although Babylon did not become a mighty empire till after the Chaldean conquest, yet every thing leads us :) suppose that it had long before been the seat of cience and civilization, though principally confined to the order of priests. Unless this had been the case, how could those great works, more especially the mighty canals and lakes, ascribed to their earlier rulers, without which the city could not have existed, or the land have been cultivated, have been executed? There is no doubt that astronomy formed a great branch of their learning; and whatever opinion may be formed of the degree of perfection to which they had carried these *Isaiah xlvii. 13; Daniel i. 20; ii. 2; iv. 7; v. 11.

sciences, it seems an indisputable fact, that, at the time of Alexander's conquest, astronomical observations were imputed to them, which are affirmed to reach back for nineteen centuries. Astrology, however, was the chief support of the Magians and the priesthood, and it was principally by its practice that they maintained their authority and influence in the state. They formed the chief caste in Babylon. It is certainly possible that, according to rule, the son succeeded the father; but that the priest-caste was not strictly hereditary, that even foreigners might be admitted to this office, if their previous education had fitted them for it, is shown by the example of Daniel and his companions.* At their head was the high Magian, whose influence was so great, that upon the death of the father of Nebuchadnezzar, he administered the affairs of the empire until after the arrival of that prince from Judea. They dwelt not only in the capital, but also in various places, and among others, probably in establishments, of which the mound of bricks, as at Akkerkoof, Al Himar, and Borsippa, where was one of their principal schools, are the remains. Their connexion with the kings is clearly shown from the history of Nebuchadnezzar. Their influence was founded on their knowledge; but their power seems never to have been so great as in the Persian court, if we may judge from the manner in which they were treated by Nebuchadnezzar; unless, indeed, we may attribute this to the personal character of that formidable conqueror.'+

[Chaldea, though as has been already remarked, it came eventually to be synonymous with Babylonia, was strictly speaking a separate and remote district to the northward, situated among the Carduchian mountains (now the seat of the Curds), and anciently inhabited by a people called Chasdim, who, in all probability were descendants of Kesed, son of Nahor. They were a horde of roving mountaineers, who in

* Daniel i. 4.

† Heeren, vol. ii. p. 188-193.

spired terror by their warlike habits, and lived by committing lawless depredations on the pastoral tribes in their neighbourhood, but who on the Assyrians pushing the tide of conquest north and westward, fell under the power of that rising dynasty, and were, according to a favourite plan of their conquerors, removed from their native mountains to the south-west of Babylonia, to serve as mercenaries in repelling the troublesome attacks of the Arabs on their confines. These marauders, being gradually reduced to the discipline of their masters, were afterwards incorporated with the native Babylonians, and formed the main strength of the Assyrian army, insomuch that to their feats of daring and persevering valour Salmanasar was indebted for his success at Tyre.* Nay, it appears that so steadily did they advance in power and influence in their adopted country, that after the reign of Esarhaddon, the Chaldeans furnished the race of kings that sat on the throne of the Assyrian empire, which in this Chaldaeo-Babylonian form, rose to an extent and a splendour of which the world had seen no previous example. Of this dynasty Nabopalassar was the first, and when, after a long and prosperous reign, he found himself in his old age opposed by Pharaoh-Necho, who succeeded in gaining over some of the remoter provinces to the Egyptian yoke, he adopted into his government his son and successor Nebuchadnezzar, a young prince of a most aspiring and determined spirit, by whose energetic conduct not only the revolted provinces were recovered from the arms of the king of Egypt, but resolving by way of reprisals to carry his troops to the territories of his adversary, he invaded Judea, laid waste Jerusalem, and erected the Assyrian flag successively in Tyre, Moab, Ammon, Edom, and

*Habakkuk i. 6. [The Chaldean cavalry were proverbial for swiftness, courage, and cruelty, and are compared by the prophet to leopards, which are allowed to be the fleetest of all quadrupeds.] -Editor.