Arbaces

ARBACES, General of the Medes, and Governor of Media by the appointment of Sardanapalus King of Assyria¹. He seeing the softness and effeminate manners of Sardanapalus, could not prevail with himself to obey him any longer. He took arms against him in conjunction with the principal Officers of the Median Army: He made an alliance with Belesis Governor of Babylon, and both together attacked Sardanapalus with an Army of four hundred thousand men. Arbaces was worsted in the three first battles which he fought with the King of Assyria: but in the fourth the Bactrians coming over to him, he fell suddenly in the night upon Sardanapalus, and drove him from his Camp. This Prince retired to Nineveh, and gave the command of the Army to Salamenes his wife’s brother. Salamenes lost two battles against the conspirators, and almost all his Troops were cut in pieces. Nineveh was besieged three years, from the year of the world 3254 to 3257. But this last year, the river Tigris, being swelled in an extraordinary manner by reason of the rains, overflowed its banks, and beat down two and twenty furlongs, or two thousand five hundred and fifty paces of the city wall. The conspirators hereupon entred the Breach and saluted their principal Commander Arbaces , as their King. But Arbaces was content with having restored his Country to its liberty, and would not take upon him the title of King. After his death, there was an interregnum, which lasted to the year 3296, when Dejoces was acknowledged to be King of the Medes.

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