Babylonia and Assyria. By Hugo Winckler. Translated and Edited by
James Alexander Craig. (Hodder and Stoughton. Os.) —Dr. Winckler begins by bespeaking our attention to the Baby- lonian Empire for the reason of its great importance in world history, an importance far exceeding that of Egypt. The story begins with the Sumerians, whose language still survives in numerous inscriptions, but still wants an interpreter. Then comes Semitic immigration. We find the conquerors settled at various centres, of which the best known is Ur. After this is a curious revolution. A non-Semitic people asserts its dominance ; Babylon is settled by a Canaanite race. This is somewhere about 2400 B.C. Various dynasties follow. Meanwhile the Assyrian power is growing up. It passes through various stages, and in 745 B.C. it becomes dominant in Western Asia under Tiglath-Pileser. Then decay sets in, and we have the Neo-Babylonian-Chaldaean Empire, beginning and practically ending, it may be said, with Nebuchadnezzar. This will be found a most useful and trust- worthy manual.
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