|
On the death of Phraortes his son Cyaxares ascended the throne. Of
him it is reported that he was still more war-like than any of his
ancestors, and that he was the first who gave organisation to an
Asiatic army, dividing the troops into companies, and forming
distinct bodies of the spearmen, the archers, and the cavalry, who
before his time had been mingled in one mass, and confused together.
He it was who fought against the Lydians on the occasion when the day
was changed suddenly into night, and who brought under his dominion the
whole of Asia beyond the Halys. This prince, collecting together
all the nations which owned his sway, marched against Nineveh,
resolved to avenge his father, and cherishing a hope that he might
succeed in taking the town. A battle was fought, in which the
Assyrians suffered a defeat, and Cyaxares had already begun the siege
of the place, when a numerous horde of Scyths, under their king
Madyes, son of Prtotohyes, burst into Asia in pursuit of the
Cimmerians whom they had driven out of Europe, and entered the
Median territory.
|
|