Assyria

Sources from old books

1638. The merchants mappe of commerce wherein by Lewes Roberts.

Assyria hath on the East Media, on the West Mesopotamia, on the North Armenia minor, on the South a part of Persia; in which I find no Citie at present of any note: heere is seene to this day the ruines of that Ni•…iveh whose walles were of three dayes iourney in compasse about, one hundred foot high, and thirtie foot broad, and beautified with 1500 Towres of 200 foot high; through which ran the famous River of Euphrates, and to which place was Ionas sent to preach; heere being 120000 persons found so ignorant in the things of God, that they are said in Scripture not to know the right hand from the left.

1676. A most exact and accurate map of the whole world by Donald Lupton.

XXIII. Assyria,

E. Media, W. Mesopotamia. N. Turcomania, where Christianity was planted by St. Jude, and corrupted by the Nestorians; hath

1. Calach.
2. The fruitful, well-seated, and well-shaded Sittace.
3. Arbela, neer which they say Noah built the Ark.
4. Apollonia.
5. Geguamela.
6. Rhezen, which was once delivered up, because the Inhabitants were frighted with an Ecclips of the Son.
7. Mosul, the chief City of Assyria, raysed upon the Ruines of Nineveh, whereof there are hardly any foot-steps, and the seat of the Patriarch of the Nestorians, who call the Pope, the Reprobate Bishop.
8. Strong Arzeri and Scheheruzal.

1693. A geographical dictionary representing the present and ancient names by Edmund Bohun.

Mosul, Assyria, a Region of Asia, the Seat of the first General Empire. Till of late it was under the King of Persia; but now almost entirely under the Turks. It has this name from Mosul, a City upon the Tygris; thirty five Miles from Amida to the North-East: thought to be Ninive.

1694. The great historical, geographical and poetical dictionary by Louis Moreri.

Assyria, now call'd Arz•rum, a large Province of Asia, under the Grand Signior, bounded with Media, Susiana, Mesopotamia, and Armenia. The chief Cities whereof are Mosul, which is the ancient Ninive, Ct•siphon the Royal Seat of the Parthians, Arbelle now a Village famous for Darius's defeat by Alexander, Schiarazur towards Persia, &c. The first Monarchy of the World began in Nimrod, who without dispute was the Assyrian Belus, and the Country was call'd Assyria from Assur or N•nus his Son, for the Dynasties of the Egyptians, & Antiquities of the Celtes, Spaniards, Cimbrians, Scythians, Arabians, &c. are but Fables. Nimrod, whom prophane Authors call Belus, was its first King A. M. 1879, 2175 years before Christ, he began his Reign at Babylon, which he built upon the Euphrates, and liv'd there 65 years. Ninus his Son succeeded, and removed the Royal Seat to Ninive, which he built upon the Tigris, Semiramis Reigned after her Husband Ninus, and Ninyas or Zames succeeded her, betwixt whom to Sardanapalus there are none famous in History. Arbaces revolted from this last King, and oblig'd him to burn himself at Ninive in An. M. 3178, 876 before Christ, and 100 years before the first Olympiad. The Kings of Assyria are reckoned 37 from Nimrod the first, to Sardanapalus the last, and the duration of the Monarchy is reckoned 1300 years. The name of K. is also given in the Scrip. to several Governors of Nineve, as Ziglath Pilnezer, &c. Just. Clem. Alex. St. Aug. lib. 12. de Civ. Dei.