themselves to the bare registration of the fact in their annals at the
appointed date, without comment, and Nabonidus in no way deviated from
the pious routine which it had hitherto pleased him to follow. Under
a sovereign so good-natured there was little likelihood of war, at all
events with external foes, but insurrections were always breaking out in
different parts of his territory, and we read of difficulties in Khumê
in the first year of his reign, in Hamath in his second year, and
troubles in Plionicia in the third year, which afforded an opportunity
for settling the Tyrian question. Tyre had led a far from peaceful
existence ever since the day when, from sheer apathy, she had accepted
the supremacy of Nebuchadrezzar.*

* All these events are known through the excerpt from
Menander preserved to us by Josephus in his treatise
_Against Apion_.

Baal II. had peacefully reigned there for ten years (574-564), but after
his death the people had overthrown the monarchy, and various _suffetes_
had followed one another rapidly--Eknibaal ruled two months, Khelbes ten
months, the high priest Abbar three months, the two brothers Mutton
and Gerastratus six years, all of them no doubt in the midst of endless
disturbances; whereupon a certain Baalezor restored the royal dignity,
but only to enjoy it for the space of one year. On his death, the
inhabitants begged the Chaldæans to send them, as a successor to the
crown, one of those princes whom, according to custom, Baal had not long
previously given over as hostages for a guarantee of his loyalty, and
Nergal-sharuzur for this purpose selected from their number Mahar-baal,
who was probably a son of Ithobaal (558-557).* When, at the end of four
years, the death of Mahar-baal left the throne vacant (554-553), the
Tyrians petitioned for his brother Hirôm, and Nabonidus, who was then