the present day, in a sand-choked and ruined condition, spread like a
perfect network over the face of the country (see cut, p. 41).

The productions of Babylonia are very like those of the Nile valley. The
luxuriant growth of grain upon these alluvial flats excited the wonder of
all the Greek travellers who visited the East. Herodotus will not tell the
whole truth, for fear his veracity may be doubted. The soil is as fertile
now as in the time of the historian; but owing to the neglect of the
ancient canals, the greater part of this once populous district has been
converted into alternating areas of marsh and desert.

THE THREE GREAT MONARCHIES.--Within the Tigris-Euphrates basin, three
great empires--the Chaldaean, the Assyrian, and the Babylonian--
successively rose to prominence and dominion. Each, in turn, not only
extended its authority over the valley, but also made the power of its
arms felt throughout the adjoining regions. We shall now trace the rise
and the varied fortunes of these empires, and the slow growth of the arts
and sciences from rude beginnings among the early Chaldaeans to their
fuller and richer development under the Assyrian and Babylonian
monarchies.

THE CHALDAEANS A MIXED PEOPLE.--In the earliest times Lower Chaldaea was
known as Shumir, the Shinar of the Bible, while Upper Chaldaea bore the
name of Accad. The original inhabitants were conjecturally of Turanian
race, and are called Accadians.

[Illustration: ANCIENT BABYLONIAN CANALS.]

These people laid the basis of civilization in the Euphrates valley, so
that with them the history of Asian culture begins. They brought with them