greatness can only be regarded as the foremost of their feudatories. Like the other subject nations she re- tained her own monarchs, and from time to time, for a longer or a shorter space, asserted and maintained her independence. But generallj' she was content to acknowledge one or other of the two leading powers as her suzerain. Towards the close of the Assyrian period she is found allied with Babylon, and engaged in hostilities with Assyria ; but she seems to have de- clined in strength after the Assyrian empire was de- stroj-ed, and the Median and iNIacedonian arose upon its ruins, Elam is clearly a " province" of Baljylonia in Belshazzar's time (Dan. viii, 2), and we may pre- sume that it had been subject to Babylon at least from the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. The desolation which Jeremiah (xlix, 30-3-1) and Ezekiel (xxxii, 24, 25) foresaw was probably this conquest, which destroyed the last semblance of Elamitic independence. It is uncertain at what time the Persians added Elam to their empire. Possibly it onlj' fell under their domin- ion together with Babylon ; but there is some reason to think that it may have revolted and joined the Persians before the citj' was besieged. The prophet Isaiah in two places (xxi, 2; xxii, 6) seems to speak of Elam as taking part in the destruction of Babjdon ; and, unless we are to regard him with our translators as using the word loosely for Persia, we must suppose that, on the advance of Cyrus and his investment of the Chaldsean capital, Elam made common cause with the assailants. She now became merged in the Per- sian empire, fonning a distinct satrapy (Herod, iii, 91), and furnishing to the crown an annual tribute of 300 talents. Susa, her capital, was made tlie ordinary res- idence of the court, and the metropolis of the whole empire. This mark of favor did net, however, prevent revolts. Not only was the Magian revolution organ- ized and carried out at Susa, but there seem to have been at least two Elamitic revolts in the early part of the reign of Darius Hystaspis {Behistun Inscr. col. i, par. 16, and col. ii, par. 3). After these futile cfibrts, Elam acquiesced in her subjection, and, as a Persian ])rovince, followed the fortunes of the empire. Th.ese historic facts illustrate the prophecj' of Jeremiah (xlix, 35-39), "And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and I will scatter them towards all these winds." The situation of the country exposed it to the invasions of Assyrians, Medes, and Babylonians ; and it suffered from each in succession before it was finally embodied in the Per- sian empire. Then another part of the prophecy was also singularly fulfilled: "I will set nij" throne in Elam, and I will destroy from thence the king and ])rinces." The present state of the Persian emjiire, in which Elam is included, may be a fulfilment of the concluding words of the passage: "But it shall come to pass in the latter days that I will bring again the captivity of Elam" (Y awK, Nineveh and Persepolis, p. 85 sq.). See Persi.\.
Herodotus gives the name Cissia to the province of which Susa was the capital (iii, 91) ; Strabo distin- guishes between Susiana and the country of the Ely- ma?ans. The latter he extends northwards among the Zagros mountains (xi, 361; xv, 503; xvi, 507). Pliny says Susiana is separated from Elymais by the River Eula?us, and that the latter province extends from that river to the confines of Persia (Hist. Nat. vi, 27). Ptolemy locates Elj-mais on the coast of the Persian Gulf and regards it as part only of Susiana (Georrpr. vi, 3). According to Jrse]ihus, the Elymajans were the progenitors of the Persians (.1?;/. i, 6, 4); and Strabo refers to some of their scattered tribes as far north as the Caspian Sea. From these various notices, and from the incidental allusions in Scripture, we may conclude that there was a little province on the east of the Lower Tigris called Elymais ; but that the Eh-- maaans, as a people, were anciently spread over and ruled a much wider district, to which their name was
ELAM
113
ELASAH
often attached. They were a warlike people, trained to arms, and especially skilled in the use of the bow (Isa. xxi, 2 ; Jer. xlix, 3o) ; tliey roamed abroad like the Bedawin, and like them, too, were addicted to plunder (Strabo, xi, .'501). Josephus mentions a town called Elymais, which contained a famous temple ded- icated to Diana, and rich in gifts and votive offerings (Ant. xxii, 9, 1) ; Appian says it was dedicated to Ve- nus (Bochart, Ojip. i, 70 sq.). Antiochus Epiphanes attempted to plunder it, but was repulsed (1 Mace. vi). It is a remarkable fact that little images of the god- dess, whose Assyrian name was Anaitis, were discover- ed by Loftus in the mounds of Susa (Chal(l<ea, p. 379). The Elamites who were in Jerusalem at the feast of Pentecost were probably descendants of the captive tribes who had settled in Elam (Acts ii, 9).
It has been repeatedly observed above that Elam is called Cissia by Herodotus, and Susiana by the Greek and Roman geographers. The latter is a term formed artificiallj' from the capital city, but the former is a genuine territorial title, and probably marks an impor- tant fact in the liistory of the country. The Elamites, a Shemitic people, who were the primitive inhabitants (Gen. X, 22), appear to have been invaded and con- quered at a very earty time by a Hamitic or Cushite race from Babylon, which was the ruling element in the territory from a date anterior to Chedor-laomer. These Cushites were called b}' the Greeks C'jA-i'ians (Ki'crcrioi) or C(wsa!ans (Koo-ffoioi), and formed the dom- inant race, while the Elamites or Elymceans were in a depressed condition. In Scripture the country is call- ed liy its primitive title without reference to subse- quent changes ; in the Greek writers it takes its name from the conquerors. Tlie Greek traditions of Mem- non and his J-J/Iiioptans are based upon this Cushite conquest, and rightly connect the Cissians or Cossasans of Susiana with the Cushite inhabitants of the upper vallej' of the Nile.