Fresh Light from the Ancient Monuments. By A. H. Sayoe,
(Religious Tract Society.)—Professor Sayoe sums up in this con- venient little volume the results of recent discovery in the history of the Empire of the East. The Hittites, Cyrus, and Pithoin, one of the cities built by the Israelites, are, perhaps, the most important of the matters on which our knowledge has been increased. With regard to. the Hittites, indeed, it has been rather commenced than increased. Equally interesting is the chapter on the Assyrian invasion of the Jewish kingdom. It is a little startling to be told that Cyrus was not a king of Persia at all, that he was not a monotheist, monotheism not being the dominant faith of Persia till it was introduced by Darius, the son of Hydaspes. Babylon was, it would seem, never. besieged by Cyrus, who, indeed, took it without a struggle ; and the "Darius the Mede " of Daniel was not, as has been thought, Astyages, the father-in-law of Cyrus, but the Darius who is so well-known to us in connection with Greek history. But to learn all about these and other interesting conclusions the reader must go to Professor Sayce's volume. Belonging to the same series, "By-Paths of Bible Know- ledge," we have also Recent Discoveries on the Temple Hill, by the Rev. J. King, M.A., giving "the results of the explorations made on the Temple Hill at Jerusalem during the last twenty years."
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