short time, a nominal dependency of Egypt. But, as soon as
the conqueror quitted the country, Pharaoh, who had been
left in charge, constructed strongholds, as a protection against
future incursions.1
The glory of Sesostris was not confined to his conquests, for
he appears to have been almost equally celebrated for his good
Sesostris’ government, and his management of the resources of the
Egypt™™ ° country: the subdivision of Egypt into thirty inferior kingdoms,
or nomes, is said to have been his arrangement. The
discovery of the canicular period of 1460 years, in which the
festivals of the sacred year (containing 365 days without a
fraction) would return to the same seasons as at the commencement,
is no doubt due to the ancient Egyptians ; and, according
B.C. 1327. to Strabo,2 Plato, who resided during several years in Egypt,
learned from the priests of that country what portion of a day
was to be added to 365 days in order to make up a complete
tropical year, or the period in which the sun, setting out from
the first point of Aries, returns to the same point.
1 Hist, of Armen., by J . Avdall, Esq., vol. I ., p. 260.
! Lib. X V II., p. 806.
CHAPTEK Y.
OUTLINE OF EGYPTIAN AND JEWISH HISTORY, FROM TH E IR SETTLEMENTS
IN PHOENICIA AND PALESTINE, IN 1584 B.C., TO THE
DESTRUCTION OF THE ASSYRIANS UNDER SENNACHERIB, ABOUT
709 B.C.
Egyptian Religion and Philosophy carried into Greece.—The Shepherds
settle in Phoenicia, and the Hebrews in Palestine.—Colonies proceed from
Phoenicia and Egypt to Greece.—Origin of the Argonautic Voyage.—§§
The Fleet returns from Colchis to Byzantium, plunders Troy, and proceeds
to Spain.—Some of the A rgonauts return to Greece by sea, others
by land, with the booty acquired.—Lydia and Assyria.—IS in us succeeds
to the Throne of the latter Kingdom.—He conquers Bactria, and marries
Semiramis.—This Queen becomes a great conqueror, and founds the City
of Shemiramgerd.—Inscriptions regarding Semiramis found near Lake
Van.—Ninus succeeds and organizes the Kingdom.—Period of the Trojan
War.—Memnon serves at the siege with an Armenian contingent.—Establishment
o f the Hebrew Kingdom.—David succeeds Saul, and is acknowledged
by the Twelve Tribes.—He makes Jerusalem the capital, and
establishes his dominion over Judea, Syria, and a part of Mesopotamia.—
Accession of Solomon.—The Court and Regal Establishments of this
Monarch.—Cost of the great Temple at Jerusalem.—Solomon erects
another Temple for his Egyptian Queen, and constructs Tadmor and the
other Store Cities.—Inquiry concerning the position o f Ophir.—Visit of
the Queen of the South, or Abyssinia.—Her Posterity by Solomon reign.
■—Saba and Sheba synonymous.—The Himyarites and Sabeeans of Africa
the same people.—Early Land Trade, and difficulties attending Ship
Caravans or Mercantile Fleets.—Products of the Countries on the Mozambique.—
Distance, and Time required for a Voyage to this Coastal?«-.
The other, or Eastern Voyage, was probably founded on a previous
Caravan Trade to India.—Sanscrit Karnes of the Merchandize.—Aurea
Chersonesus supposed to be Ophir,^-Distance, and Time required for a
Coasting Voyage to the Straits of Malacca.—Trade by Barter.—The
Tyrians employed by Solomon.—The Tyrian Hercules, and early Colonies
of Tyre.—Establishment o f Carthage, and various Settlements made by
this commercial kingdom in Spain and elsewhere.—Accession of Reho-
boam, and separation of the Ten Tribes.—Shishak invades Judea.—Consolidation
of the Armenian Kingdom.—Invasion of Zerah the Ethiopian.
- The Kings of Assyria, according to Ctesias.—Invasion of Judea by