'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎119] (172/905)

chap. vi.]
ancient assyria.
119
earliest occupiers of that line of country; from whence, at a
later period, when more powerful as well as more numerous,
they sent colonies into Upper Mesopotamia. Strabo says that
Semiramis and Ninus were Syrians; and he calls Nineveh
itself the metropolis of Syria. 1
A ncient A ssyria.
Athur (from Asshur, Shem's son) was originally of small Assyria,
extent, and formed the second part of the kingdom usurped
by the giant warrior 2 who built, or rather restored, the three
cities, Rehoboth, Calah, and Resen, besides the capital,
Nineveh.
The ruins of the latter city are sufficiently known to the
general reader, from the descriptions of Rich, Ainsworth, and
earlier travellers. They are in Assyria Proper, on the left
bank of the Tigris, opposite Mosul, and the natives still call
them by the original name.
Of the three former cities, the brief notices which imme
diately follow comprehend all that the researches of travellers
have been able to discover. On the right bank of the
Euphrates, at the north-western extremity of the plain of
Shinar, and three and a half miles S.W. of the town of
Mayadin, are extensive ruins around a castle, still bearing the
name of Rehoboth. 3
In several old maps, we find Calah marked at someCakh.
distance eastward of the river Tigris ; and Major Rawlinson
appears to have identified the ruins of Holwan, situated near
the river Diyalah, and about 130 miles N.E. of Baghdad,
with those of this ancient city. 4
There are also fair grounds for supposing that the extensive
ruins which lie between Nineveh and Calah, or Holwan, 5
near the village of Derawish, 22| miles S.S.E. of Mosul, and
1 Geography, lib. II. p. 138, 139 ; also lib. XVI.
2 Gen. x. 11, 12.
3 See " Expedition."
4 See Vol. IX. p. 35, of the Royal Geographical Journal; and sequel of
Major Rawlinson's Notes. 5 See Vol. III.