real beings, whose memories had been preserved by tradition, or whose
monuments were still existing in certain localities. Towards the end of
the XXVth century before our era, however, a dynasty rose into power of
which all the members come within the range of history.*

* This dynasty, which is known to us in its entirety by the
two lists of G. Smith and by Pinches, was legitimately
composed of only eleven kings, and was known as the
Babylonian dynasty, although Sayce suspects it to be of
Arabian origin. It is composed as follows:--

[Illustration: 039.jpg TABLE]

The dates of this dynasty are not fixed with entire certainty. The first
of them, Sumuabîm, has left us some contracts bearing the dates of one
or other of the fifteen years of his reign, and documents of public or
private interest abound in proportion as we follow down the line of his
successors. Sumulaîlu, who reigned after him, was only distantly related
to his predecessor; but from Sumulaîlu to Sam-shusatana the kingly power
was transmitted from father to son without a break for nine generations,
if we may credit the testimony of the official lists.*

* Simulaîlu, also written Samu-la-ilu, whom Mr. Pinches has
found in a contract tablet associated with Pungunila as
king, was not the son of Sumuabîm, since the lists do not
mention him as such; he must, however, have been connected
with some sort of relationship, or by marriage, with his
predecessor, since both are placed in the same dynasty. A
few contracts of Sumulaîlu are given by Meissner. Samsuiluna
calls him "my forefather (d-gula-mu), the fifth king before