The Rand-McNally Bible Atlas Part 17

4. Cilicia also appears for the first time upon the map, being situated between the Euphrates and Lydia, north of Syria, and south of the Halys river, and retained its independence until the close of the Babylonian period, when it was annexed to Persia, though even then it retained its own kings.

5. To these might be added Egypt, though outside of the Asiatic world.

It soon shook off the yoke of a.s.syria, and resumed its independence; but, endeavoring to contest with Babylon the empire of the East, was defeated at Carchemish by Nebuchadnezzar, and compelled to retire from Asia. Some suppose that it was conquered by Babylon; and it is possible that for a few years Egypt may have recognized the supremacy of Nebuchadnezzar by paying tribute, but it was never a part of his empire.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BLACK OBELISK.]

The map of the Oriental world, as thus reconstructed, lasted about a century, though with varying boundary lines; as, for instance, Elam, or Susiana, sometimes formed a part of Babylonia, and at other times of Media. During this period BABYLON was the metropolis of the East. It was raised to greatness by Nebuchadnezzar, who finished the Tower of Belus, raised the Hanging Gardens, and built great palaces. Two-thirds of the bricks unearthed in the ruins of Babylon bear his name. The city formed a square, on both sides of the Euphrates, covering an area of 130 miles, about that of the city and county of Philadelphia. It was surrounded with double walls, one of which is said to have been 300 feet high, and so wide that six chariots could be driven abreast along its summit. The greatness of the city was short-lived. It was taken by the Medes and Persians, B.C. 536, and soon began to decline, though it remained, in a decaying condition, for nearly 1,000 years afterward.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BABYLON.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: COMPARATIVE AREAS OF THE GREAT EMPIRES--a.s.sYRIAN, BABYLONIAN, PERSIAN.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE PERSIAN EMPIRE.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: DIVISION OF ALEXANDER'S EMPIRE.]

IV. =The Persian Empire=, B.C. 538-330. As the Babylonian power arose with Nebuchadnezzar, the Persian began with Cyrus the Great. He was the hereditary king of the Persians, and headed a revolt against the Medes, which resulted in reversing the relations of the two races, so that the Persians became dominant. He then led his united people westward, and conquered Croesus, the king of Lydia, thus extending his dominion from the Persian Gulf to the aegean Sea. The power of Babylon began to fall on the death of Nebuchadnezzar, whose successors were weaklings, and in B.C. 538 Cyrus took the city of Babylon. His dominions were now larger than those of the old a.s.syrian empire; and under his successors the conquests of Persia were pushed both eastward and westward, until, under Darius the Great, they embraced all the lands from the Indus to the Nile. The map represents the empire of Persia at this period, with the twenty satrapies, or provinces, into which it was divided by Darius.

This empire lasted for 200 years, until its conquest by Alexander the Great, B.C. 330, when the sceptre of the East pa.s.sed into European hands, and Greece gave law to Asia. In the extent of its territory, in the strength of its dominion, and in the consolidation of its conquests, Persia was far greater than either a.s.syria or Babylon. It will be observed that the scale of all the maps of the a.s.syrian, Babylonian and Persian Empires, is the same, so that their relative proportions may be seen.

The map of the Persian Empire represents the political state of the Oriental world at the conclusion of the Old Testament period. When Ezra and Nehemiah were at Jerusalem, and Haggai and Malachi were the prophets of Judah, all the lands were under the dominion of Persia, and were governed from "Shushan the palace," or Susa.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BABYLON.]

PERIOD OF RESTORATION 536 B.C.-70 A.D.

The closing portion of Old Testament history, from the edict of Cyrus the Great, B.C. 536, permitting the captive Jews to return to Palestine, is known as the Period of Restoration. From that time until the end of the Jewish history, the land was under foreign rule. The Period of Restoration, from the return from captivity to the birth of Christ, may be divided as follows:

1. =The Persian Supremacy=, B.C. 538-330. During the 200 years of the Persian empire, the Jews were kindly treated by their sovereigns, and permitted to regulate their own affairs. Under Darius the Great, who reigned B.C. 521-486, the second Temple was completed. Under Xerxes, the next monarch, called in the Bible, Ahasuerus, occurred the romantic events of Esther's deliverance, and the downfall of Haman. Under his successor, Artaxerxes Longima.n.u.s, B.C. 465-425, the Jewish state was reformed by Ezra, and the walls of Jerusalem were built by Nehemiah.

Soon after this occurred the separation of the Samaritans, and a rival temple was built on Mount Gerizim.

2. =The Macedonian Supremacy=, B.C. 330-321, though brief, brought to pa.s.s vast results. Alexander the Great, in a brilliant series of battles, subjugated the entire Persian empire, and became the master of the Oriental world. He dealt kindly with the Jews, notwithstanding their loyalty to the Persian throne, and permitted them to enjoy freedom of wors.h.i.+p and of government. We do not give a map of Alexander's empire, as its boundaries in Asia varied but little from those of Persia, and it has no direct relation to Bible history. Soon after Alexander's death, his generals formed a compact for the government of his empire; but it was soon broken, and out of his conquests four kingdoms arose, of which the most important were those of Seleucus in Asia, and of Ptolemy in Africa. In the first division, B.C. 323, Palestine became a part of Syria.

3. =The Egyptian Supremacy=, B.C. 321-198. Palestine was taken from Syria by Ptolemy Soter, the ruler of Egypt; and his successors, the Greek kings of Egypt, all named Ptolemy, held the Holy Land for 120 years. During this time the Jews were governed, under the king of Egypt, by their high-priests. The most important event of this epoch was the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament, made at Alexandria about 285 B.C. The map of the Division of Alexander's Empire represents the Oriental world at this period, after the lands had settled down into something like order under stable governments.

Omitting the minor states and free cities, the kingdoms of that epoch were as follows:

1. _The kingdom of the Seleucidae_, sometimes known as Syria, was founded by Seleucus, B.C. 312. It included the largest portion of Alexander's conquests, embracing most of Asia Minor, and those provinces of the Bible world known as Syria, Mesopotamia, Babylonia, Persia Proper, Southern Media, and far beyond them eastward to the Indus. Throughout its history of 250 years, it remained a Greek government, though in Asia, and introduced the Greek language and literature to all the lands of the Orient.

2. _The kingdom of the Ptolemies_ included Egypt, Libya, Palestine, Phoenicia, and the southern provinces of Asia Minor. It was ruled by a succession of Greek monarchs, descended from Ptolemy Soter, and, with changing boundaries, endured until the death of its last queen, the famous Cleopatra, when it became a part of the Roman empire.

3. There were other kingdoms in Asia at this time, appearing upon the map. _Pontus_ and _Cappadocia_ intervened between the two sections of the empire of the Seleucidae. Southwest of the Caspian, and near the sea, _Media Atropatene_ had gained its independence, and on the southeast _Parthia_ was rising to power; while beyond, on the east, was _Bactriana_. Other lands of less importance might also be named; but these are all that are necessary to the reader of the history.

During this epoch of 125 years, Palestine remained under the control of Egypt.

[Ill.u.s.tration: NINEVEH AND VICINITY.]

4. =The Syrian Supremacy=, B.C. 198-166. By the battle of Mount Panium, Antiochus of the Seleucid line wrested Palestine from Egypt. The Syrian domination, though short, brought to the Jews greater trials than any previous period in their history. Jerusalem was twice taken and sacked, the Temple was desecrated and closed, the Jewish religion was forbidden, and those who remained steadfast to it were subjected to a cruel persecution. The trials named in Heb. 11:35-87, belonged to this period, when every attempt was made by Antiochus Epiphanes to destroy the wors.h.i.+p of Jehovah, and introduce Greek customs and religion among the Jewish people. But the very violence of the tyranny reacted, and led to a complete deliverance and a more thorough devotion.

5. =The Maccabean Independence=, B.C. 166-40. A priest named Mattathias raised the banner of revolt; and, after his death, his five sons in succession led the efforts of the Jews for freedom. The greatest of them, though all were heroes, was Judas, called Maccabeus, "the hammer."

In B.C. 165 he took possession of Jerusalem; and, after his death, his brother Simon won the recognition of the freedom of Palestine. Other Maccabean princes extended the boundaries of the land over Edom, Samaria and Galilee. Under a succession of these rulers, also called Asmonean kings, Palestine was virtually independent, though nominally subordinate to either Syria or Egypt.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PALESTINE UNDER THE MACCABEES.

B.C. 100.]

6. =The Roman Supremacy=, B.C. 40-A.D. 70. Perhaps this period should begin with B.C. 63, when the Roman general Pompey entered Jerusalem, and the Romans began to exercise a controlling influence. But the representatives of the Maccabean line were allowed to reign until B.C.

40, when they were set aside, and Herod the Great, an Idumean (Edomite), was made king by the Romans. It was in the closing portion of his reign that JESUS CHRIST was born. The last 70 years of the Roman period belong to New Testament history, and will be considered in connection with the maps of that period.

THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

THE last of the Old World empires was that having its capital on the seven hills of ROME. Like most of the others, it was the dominion of a single city; but, unlike others, it represented the conquests, not of a single conquering king, as Nebuchadnezzar or Cyrus, but of a self-governing and conquering people; and, unlike its predecessors, it was not a loose aggregation of states, ready to fall apart as soon as the hand that fettered them was removed, but an empire, carefully welded together, building up in every land its own civilization, and developing a national unity which held its possessions together for a thousand years.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE COLOSSEUM AT ROME.]

At the close of the Old Testament period, the Persian empire stood in all its power. Four hundred years later, at the opening of the New Testament epoch, the Persian empire had given place to that of Alexander; that had broken up into many fragments; and most of these in turn had been united under the eagles of Rome. The world's capital had moved westward, and the Mediterranean was now a Roman lake. The princ.i.p.al provinces of this empire, omitting minor subdivisions, were:

I. =European Provinces.= 1. Italy. 2. Hispania, now known as Spain, subdivided into three provinces. 3. Gallia, now France, including also parts of Germany and the Netherlands, embracing five provinces. 4. The Danubian provinces of Rhaetia, Noric.u.m, Pannonia, and Moesia, to which Dacia was afterward added by the emperor Trajan. 5. The Grecian provinces of Thracia, Macedonia, Achaia, and Illyric.u.m.

II. =The Insular Provinces= were: 1. Britannia. 2. Sicilia. 3. Sardinia and Corsica, united. 4. Cyprus. The other islands were attached, either to these, or to governments upon the mainland.

III. =The Asiatic Provinces= were: 1. Asia, a term referring only to the western end of Asia Minor. 2. Pontus and Bithynia, united. 3. Galatia.

4. Pamphylia and Lycia. 5. Cilicia. 6. Syria, of which Palestine was a part. To these were added, after the New Testament period, Armenia, Mesopotamia, and Arabia Petraea; but they were soon lost to the empire.

IV. =The African Provinces= were: 1. aegyptus, or Egypt. 2. Cyrenaica, called, in Acts 2:10, "parts of Libya about Cyrene." 3. Africa, the district around Carthage. 4. Mauritania, now Morocco.

This empire was the most thoroughly organized and the longest in duration of any in ancient history. It lasted until Rome fell under the attacks of barbarians from the North, A.D. 476. Even after this, the eastern division of the empire remained with almost unbroken power for centuries, and was not finally extinguished until 1453, the close of the Middle Ages.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE ROMAN EMPIRE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT PERIOD.]

OUTLINE FOR TEACHING AND REVIEW.

THE ANCIENT EMPIRES.

It is desirable to let the cla.s.s see the comparative area and location of the Four Oriental Empires; hence they should be presented upon the same map. Each of these may form a separate lesson.

I. _The Early Chaldean Empire._ 1. Draw in the centre of the blackboard the outlines of the map of Chedorlaomer's Empire, on page 34, reserving s.p.a.ce enough around it to embrace all the lands of the maps on page 92.

2. Draw the four important rivers: the _Tigris_, _Euphrates_, _Jordan_ and _Nile_. 3. Show the _boundaries_ of Chedorlaomer's empire, and its princ.i.p.al places: _Babylon_, _Ur_, _Nineveh_, _Haran_, _Damascus_, _Hebron_. 4. State briefly the _history_ of the empire. 5. Review the lesson, and let the cla.s.s state all the information given.

N. B. The outlines may be drawn in advance with slate pencil or soapstone, and then traced with chalk in the presence of the cla.s.s.

Also, the initial letters only of places or rivers should be written, as a hint to the memory; afterward the initial letters should be erased, and the cla.s.s be called upon to name the places as located by the pointer.

II. _The a.s.syrian Empire._ 1. After erasing the boundaries of the first empire, leaving the general outline of sea-coast and lands the same, show the location of the conquering province, _a.s.syria_, and its capital, Nineveh. 2. Draw the _boundaries_ of the a.s.syrian empire, explain them to the cla.s.s, and have them repeated in concert. 3. Locate and name the subject provinces: _Armenia_, _Media_, _Mesopotamia_, _Susiana_, _Babylonia_, _Syria_, _Palestine_. 4. Name its most important kings: _Tiglath-adar_, _Shalmaneser_, _Sargon_, _Sennacherib_, _Esar-haddon_, _a.s.shur-bani-pal_. With each king should be named the events a.s.sociated with his reign. 5. Review the outline as before.