kulIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Assyria Asterius
sorcery was a constant peril and device; spirits evil and good, maleficent and beneficent, swarmed. The diagnosis of disease was recognition of obsession or
infliction of suffering or prevention 8. Magic, of health by spirits or deities who
must be driven out or exorcised or placated in order to lighten or abolish the suffering or to secure health. The formulas of magic were numerous and potent, the medicine-man or shaman as well as the priest thrived. While for king, nobility, army, and priesthood the great gods were supreme, there are hints even in the annals of the kings, and more decided proof in the collections of magical texts, of apprehensions of the lower powers, of hopes that rested not on the gods. Of incantation tablets a whole series give a ritual of " the evil demons." Parts of the body had their appropriate ritual for their preservation from disease and to banish the spirits which chose them as the spheres of their operations. The formulas arose and became fixed because the occasion which produced them appeared to be recurrent. And, as elsewhere in early religion, the exact letter, word, and intonation were essential to success in using them.
The idea of sin as transgression against the will of the gods was highly developed; and some of the penitential psalms, with the polytheistic expressions .eliminated, would fitly express the most pious sentiments of devout Christians in worship of today. The notion of communion between god and man is involved in the elaborate system of omens and oracles which obtained. For ideas of eschatology, the underworld, and future life, see Babylonia.
Geo. W Gilmorb.
Bibliography: On the explorations and discoveries: R. W Rogers, History of Babylonia and Assyria, vol. i, New York, 1900; H. V. Hilprecht, Explorations in Bible Lands, pp. 1-578, Philadelphia, 1903 (very full and fresh); A. H. Layard, Nineveh and Its Remains, 2 vols., London, 1848- 49 (an old classic and good for geographical and topographical detail), and as a companion piece, H. Rassam, Atshur and the Land of Nimrod, New York, 1897.
On the language: F. Delitzsch, Assyrische Grammatik, Leipsic, 1906, Eng. transl., 1889; J. Menant, Les Langues perdues de la Perse et de I'Assyrie, Paris, 1885; A. H. Sayce, Primer of Assyriology, New York, 1895 (deals with the people, the language, and the whole subject).
For- sources: H. C. Rawlinson, Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia, 5 vols., London, 1861-84; Assyriologische Bibliothek, begun by C. Bezold, continued by F. Delitzsch and p. Haupt, Leipsic, 1886 sqq.; Schrader, KB; H. Winckler, Sammlung von Keilinschriften, Leipsic, 1893 sqq.; J. A. Craig, Assyrian and Babylonian Religious Texts, 2 vols., ib. 1895-97; C. Johnston, Epistolary Literafwre of Assyrians and Babylonians, Baltimore, 1898; ri.- Harper' Assyrian and Babylonian Letters, 5 vols., Chicago, 1900-05; idem, Assyrian Literature, New York, 1901.
On chronology: A. Kamphausen, Die Chronologie der hebraischen Kbnige, Bonn, 1883; B. G. Niebuhr, Die chronologie Babyloniens und Assyriens, Leipsic,
On the history the best for the English reader is R. W f°gers' History of Babylonia and Assyria, ii, New York, 1900; other works are: F. Hommel, Geschichte Babyloniens und Assyriens, Berlin, 1885; C. P. Tiele, Babylonischamymche Geschichle, 1886-88; F. Miirdter and F. De- 1™cn' Geschichte von Babylonien und Assyrien, Stuttgart, j»91; H. Winckler, Geschichte Babyloniens und Assyriens, Uinsic, 1892; idem, Die Volker Vorderasiens, and Die Volihsche Entwickelung Babyloniens und Assyriens, in Der uue Orient, I, i, II, i, jb. 1899-1900; G. Maspero, Dawn
of Civilization, New York, 1894; idem, The Struggle of the Nations, 1897; idem, The Passing of the Empires, 1900; J. F. McCurdy, History, Prophecy and the Monuments, 3 vols., ib. 1894-1901 (gives the parallel development of Israel and the contemporary nations); F. Kaulen, Assyrien und Babylonien nach den neuesten Entdeckungen, Freiburg, 1899; L. B. Paton, Early History of Syria and Palestine, New York, 1901 (involves the history of Assyria); G. S. Goodspeed, History of Babylonians and Assyrians, New York, 1902 (popular).
On special subjects: G. Smith, History of Assurbanipal, London, 1871; W. Lotz, Die Inschriften Tiglath-Pilesers I., Leipsic, 1880; E. Schrader, Die Keilinschriften am Eingange. der Quellgrotte des Sebeneh-Su, Berlin, 1885 (on the reliefs of Tiglath-Pileser I, Tiglath-Ninib, and Asshurnasirpal III at Sebneh); S. A. Smith, Die Keilschrifttexte Assurbanipals, Leipsic, 1887-89; H. Winckler, Die Keilschrifttexte Sargons, ib. 1889; idem. Die Inschriften Tiglat-Pilesers I., ib. 1893; idem, Die Keilschrifttexte Assurbanipals, ib. 1895; B. Meissner and P. Rost, Die Bauinschriften Sanheribs, ib. 1893; P. Rost, Die Keilschrifttexte Tiglat-Pilesers III., ib. 1893; D. G. Lyon, Die Keilschrifttexte Sargons II., in Assyriologische Bibliothek, I, iv, ib. 1883; H. Winckler, Altorientalische Forschungen, 1st series, ib. 1893 97, 2d series, 1898-1901, 3d series, 1902, in progress (I, i, 1893, on Yaudi; I, iv, 1896, on Muzri; I, vi, 1897, on the Cimmerians; II, i, on Esarhaddon; II, ii, 1898, on Tiglath-Pileser III); O. Weber, Sanherib Kbnig von Assyrien, n Der alte Orient, ib. 1905; L. W. King, Records of the Reign of Tukulti-N inib I., King of Assyria, London, 1904; F. Delitzsch and P. Haupt, Beitrage zur Assyriologie, ih. 1890-1906 (contains a series of treatises on special topics); on Muzri, Meluhha, and Main, cf. H. Winckler, in Mitteilungen der vorderasiatischen Gesellschaft, i and iv, 1898, Schrader, KAT, i, 140 sqq., and Winckler, Geschichte Israels, i, 150-153, 2 vols., Leipsic, 1895-1900.
On the religion: M. Jastrow, Religion of Babylonia and Assyria, Boston, 1898 (revised ed., in German, issued in parts and still in progress, Berlin); J. A. Knudtzon, Assyrische Gebete an den Sonnengott, Leipsic, 1894; G. Taaks, Alttestamentliche Theologie, Hanover, 1904; A. S. Geden, Studies in Comparative Religion, London, 1898.
On the relations of Assyriology to the Old Testament: Schrader, KAT, and COT; B. T. A. Evetts, New Light on the Holy Land, ib. 1891; H. Winckler, Alttestamentliche Untersuchungen, Leipsic, 1892; A. H. Sayce, Higher Criticism and the Monuments, London, 1894; C. J. Ball, Light from the East, ib. 1899; T. G. Pinches, The Old Testament in the Light of the History . of Assyria and Babylonia, ib. 1902; H. Winckler, Keilinschriftliche Textbuch zum Alten Testament, Leipsic, 1903; J. Jeremias, Das Alte Testament im Lichte des alten Orients, ib. 1904; F. Delitzsch, Babel und Bibel, Leipsic, 1902, Eng. transl., Chicago, 1906.
Journals of note containing valuable material are: ZA; Revue d' Assyriologie et d' Archeologie Orientate, Paris; Orientalische Litteraturzeitung, Berlin; American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures, Chicago; Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, London; Transactions and PSBA, ib. Consult also the literature under Babylonia.
ASTARTE. See Ashtoreth.
ASTERIUS, as-ti're-us : Name of twenty-five writers mentioned in Fabricius-Harles (Bibliotheca GrcBca, ix, Hamburg, 1804, 513-522). The following are the more important:
1. Asterius Urbanus: Montanist, editor of a collection of oracles used by the anti-Montanist mentioned in Eusebius, Hist. Eccl., V, xvi, 17
G. KrtJger. Bibliography: ANF, vii, 333-337 (contains introduction and Eng. transl. of fragments); cf. Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. by McGiffert, NPNF, 2d series, i, 232, note 27.
2. Asterius of Cappadocia: A teacher of rhetoric, converted from paganism to Christianity. He relapsed in the persecution under Maximianus (c. 305), and, notwithstanding the support of the semi- Arian party, could not afterward attain to ecclesiastical dignities. Theologically he was a disciple
Astie Atargatis