Of these nations the Babylonians were the most highly civilized, and,
did time permit, we might find much that would interest and instruct in
examining the various facts relating to the arts and sciences amongst
these nations. We know that arts and sciences must have been diligently
cultivated amongst them, and that magic and astrology were held in high
repute.

That the Persians were well acquainted with other nations is shown
clearly from the remains of their great city of Persepolis, where the
sculptured figures represent many types of mankind--the negro, with
thick lips and flat nose, and with his crisp, wooly hair, clearly cut;
and the half-naked Indian, with his distinguishing features, being
easily singled out from many others.

Persia held sway over a huge district of India--the limits of this are
not known; but, in addition, they were well acquainted with a large
portion of the north-western part of India.

The traditions and historical records of the Persians are contained in
the famous series of writings culled the Zend-avesta. These writings
are, it is thought, of an age even before the Persian dynasty was
established; and it has been shown by the researches of M. Anguetil and
Sir W. Jones that there is indeed a great probability of the Zend having
been a dialect of the ancient Sanscrit language. In the vocabulary
attached to M. Anguetil’s great work on the Zend-avesta no less than 60
to 70 per cent. of the words are said to be pure Sanscrit.

As the oldest known language of Persia was Chaldæic, we are again thrown
back on Indian sources for the origin of the great book of the ancient