CHAPTER II.

TOPOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF MEDIA.

HALAH, HABOR, AND HARA.

THESE three cities are mentioned 2 Kings xvii. 6, and 1 Chron. v. 26, as cities of the Medes, to which the captive tribes of Israel were transported by Shalmaneser and Tiglathpileser, kings of Assyria, who, according to history, both sacred and profane, possessed the country of Media as part of their empire. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh, were sent thither by Tiglath-pileser, about B. c. 740, and the remaining seven tribes and a half, about B. c. 719, by his successor, Shalmaneser.

It is interesting to observe, that the names of all these places have been satisfactorily traced by Major Rennel, and other travellers, in the remote northern district of Media, towards the Caspian sea and the province of Ghilan; or, more definitely, in the neighbourhood of the river Kizil-Ozan, the ancient Gozan, which now forms the southern limit of the two most northern provinces of Persia, those of Aderbijan and Ghilan.

The river Gozon is spoken of in the text as watering the country where these cities stood; and on a branch of it is found a city named Abhar, or Habar, which is reputed to be exceedingly ancient, and which evidently refers to Habor. The name of it is given variously by geographers, as Abhar by Abulfeda; Abher, Herbelot; Abar, Hanway; Habar, Tavernier; Abhor, Della Valle; Ebher, Chardin; Ebbeher, Olearius; and Abhar, in the tables of Nasereddin and UlughBegh. A remarkable circumstance connected with this place, and which is supposed to confirm its identity with the ancient Habor, is, that it is the first place, in coming from the west, where Persian is spoken, and from thence eastward all the way to Hindostan. Morier, however, a later traveller,

who traversed Aderbijan in various directions, mentions a great and snowy mountain, called Ak-Dagh, or the white mountain, sixty-six English miles south-east of Ardebil, thirty five of Iris, and thirty-five east of the Kizil-Ozan, and belonging to the range of Talish, which bounds the district of Chalcal on the east. At the base of this snow-clad peak, is a city 'called Herah, as large as the town of Zengan, in Media, which, as it is in the very district of Chalcal, and on the north of the Kizil Ozan, and as it seems to be a mere transposition of the word Habor, is thought, by some, more likely to be the Habor, to which the ten tribes were carried, than Abher.

Bordering on the Kizil-Ozan itself, is a district of some extent, and of great beauty and fertility, named Chalcal, and having in it a remarkably strong position, of the same name, situated in one of the hills adjoining to the mountains, which separate it from the province of Ghilan. Allowing for the change of spelling and pronunciation in so many ages, this name is not far removed from Halah, or Chalach. This district is described by Olearius, Della Valle, Rennel, and Morier; the latter of whom, who traversed it in his journey from Ardebil to the Kizil-Ozan, says: "At Iris we had entered the large and fertile district of Chalcal, justly called the granary of Aderbijan, and esteemed the finest part of Albas Mirza's government. As we advanced from Iris into Chalcal, the country progressively improved in richness of soil and extent of cultivation. Quitting the high country, we commenced a gradual descent to the Kizil-Ozan, and stopped at the village of Paras, where are some striking masses of rock, from the summit of one of which we enjoyed an extensive view; for the deep dell of the river was at our feet, and at a very great distance, just delineated in the horizon, were the snowy summits of the range of Sahund. The descent from Paras to the Kizil-Ozan was extremely grand, presenting many fine outlines of deep chasms and impending rocks."

There is also a district named Tarom, or Tarim, bordering on the Ozan, and occupying the intermediate space between Abhar and Chalcal. This, also, is but a little removed from Hara. There is, however, a city mentioned by Morier, which has a much better claim to be the Hara of Scripture than the Tarom of Rennel. This is called Ahar, and is described as being the capital of the district of the KaraDaghler, or black mountains, stretching north and north-east to the Araxes and the plain of Mogan, and placed by him forty English miles north-east of Tabriz. Ahar is exactly

Hara by the transposition of the aspirate; and a transposition of syllables or letters in words, having nearly the same sound, is usual in the east; as, Lezgee for Legzee, Corbal for Colbar, Tilgath for Tiglath.

Major Rennel conceives, that both in the Assyrian and Babylonish captivity of the two remaining tribes, which composed the kingdom of Judah, by Nebuchadnezzar, the whole mass of the people was not carried away, but only the principal inhabitants, as the nobles, soldiers, artizans, merchants, and men of letters, who would be useful in their new settlements, by bringing with them their superior knowledge and skill in arts and manufactures. That some of the captives rose to high rank and estimation, even at Nineveh, Babylon, Ecbatana, and Rages, the seats of government in the Assyrian, Chaldean, and Median empires, is evident from the books of Daniel and Tobit.

is in full Median habit. bound with a fillet.

:

In his travels through the western part of the Persian empire, Sir R. Ker Porter mentions a remarkable sculptured rock, calleh Be-Sitoon, in the range of mountains that skirt the plains of Kermanshah to the north-east. One of the groups transcribed thereon, is supposed by this traveller to refer to the captivity. In it there are fourteen figures, one of which is in the air. The first to the left carries a spear, and His hair is in a similar fashion, and The second holds a bent bow in his left hand his dress is much the same, with the addition of a quiver slung at his back by a belt crossing his right shoulder, and his wrists are adorned with bracelets. The third figure is much larger than any in the group, which is a usual symbol of royalty in oriental description, and from its air and attitude undoubtedly denotes a monarch. The costume, excepting that the beard is not quite so long, is precisely that which denotes royal dignity, and as exhibited in the bas reliefs of Nakshi Roostam and Persepolis, that of the pontiff and sovereign combined; the robes being the ample vesture of the one, and the diadem the simple band of the other. This figure has also bracelets on his wrists, and is holding up his hand in a commanding or admonitory manner; the two forefingers being extended, and the other two doubled down in the palm; an action, also, common on the tombs at Persepolis, and on the monuments. In his left hand, a bow is grasped, and this bow, together with his left foot, rests on the body of a prostrate captive, who lies on his back, with outstretched arms, as if imploring mercy. This figure, and

His

also the first in the string of nine, which advance towards the king, are very much injured; but enough remains to show that they are intended to signify captives. The hands of all are tied behind their backs, and the cord is very distinct which binds the neck of the one to the other, till the mark of bondage reaches to the last of the nine. If it were originally attached to the leader, the cord is now not to be seen there, but the position of his hands show that he was originally in the same trammels as his followers. The second figure, apparently, has his head shaved, and a sort of caul covers it from the top of the forehead to the middle of the head. dress is a short tunic, reaching down no farther than his knees, and which is fastened round his waist by a belt; his legs are bare. The third figure appears much older, and it has rather a pointed beard and bushy hair, and a similar caul covers the top of his head. He has also a short tunic, with something like the trowsers or booted appearances seen on some of the figures at Persepolis. The preceding figure and this are fastened together by a rope round their necks, running onwards, and noozing all that follows in one string. This last figure has the peculiarity attached to him of the skirt of his garment being covered entirely with an arrow-headed inscription. Next in the train is a figure in a long vestment, with full hair, without the caul. He is succeeded by one in a short plain tunic, with naked legs. A second long-robed personage succeeds him, and after him comes another in a short plain tunic, and a head apparently bald. A third longrobed personage follows next, and the ninth figure, who follows him, is in a short tunic and trowsers, and has the singularity of wearing a prodigious and high pointed cap. His beard and hair are much more ample than any of his companions, and his face denotes greater age.

This, as stated before, is considered by Sir R. Ker Porter to refer to the captivity. He conceives that the large figure represents Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, and the prostrate captive, Hoshea, king of Israel. This prostrate person is not a private individual, for on none such would the foot of a haughty eastern monarch deign to tread; he must, therefore, have been a captive prostrate monarch. The nine captives are doubly bound, in token of a double offence; and the offence of Hoshea and his subjects was double. He had professed homage to the king of Assyria, who not only spared him, but confirmed him on the throne of Samaria. He, however, ungratefully rebelled, being stirred up by So, the king

In

of Egypt; and, therefore, the double badge of bondage may be supposed to represent the double offence of Hoshea. cluding the fallen monarch, the captives are just ten, representing the ten tribes, the king being considered as the head of his own tribe. The last personage in the procession, wearing the high conical cap, Sir Robert conceives may represent the tribe of Levi, who, in compliance with the wishes of the kings of Israel and Judah, had adopted the worship of the golden calves of Dan and Bethel. But this latter conjecture is entirely unfounded. Levi was not one of the ten captive tribes of Israel: it counted as a thirteenth tribe when Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh, as in the instance of the captivity) counts as two; and the number ten is therefore made out without Levi.

It is difficult to determine whether this sculpture refers to the captivity or not. The captives have that peculiar cast of physiognomy which distinguishes the Jews, and the suppositions of our author, except the last, render it probable. Those, however, who hesitate to accept it as an illustration of the captivity, will, nevertheless, value it as a most authentic representation of the mode in which captives were wont to be treated by oriental conquerors, and to which there are frequent allusions in Scripture.

ECBATANA.

Ecbatana, which is generally thought to be the Achmetha of Ezra, chap. vi. 2, and the Hamadan of the present day, was the summer capital of the sovereigns of the Persian empire, from the time of Cyrus; while the winter metropolis was Susa. The situation of Ecbatana was remarkable for the coolness of its temperature. Della Valle observes, that the ink froze in the room in which he was writing; a sure proof of the great elevation of the soil, in the latitude of only 35°, which is farther proved from the great mountain Alwend, the Orontes of the Greeks, only a league distant, being covered with snow. The periodical change of residence by the Persian kings, attracted the attention of many ancient writers, and one of them, Ælian, compares them to cranes for this

reason.

Ancient historians tell us, that Ecbatana was built by De joces, called, in the book of Judith, Arphaxad, the first king of Media, after the inhabitants had shaken off the yoke of the Assyrians. There is no reason, however, to think that De