65. Capture of Jerusalem by Pompey. Palestine becomes a part of the
Roman province of Syria.
(2) As we now know, the methods of chronological computation adopted by
the Assyrians were particularly exact. Every year a special officer was
appointed, who held office for that year, and gave his name to the year;
and "canons," or lists, of these officers have been discovered,
extending from 893 to 666 B.C.[49] The accuracy of these canons can in
many cases be checked by the full annals which we now possess of the
reigns of many of the kings--as of Asshur-nazir-abal or Assur-nasir-pal
(885-860 B.C.), Shalmaneser II. (860-825), Tiglath-pileser IV.
(745-727), Sargon (722-705), Sennacherib (704-781), Esarhaddon
(681-668), and Asshurbanipal or Assur-bani-pal (668-626). Thus from 893
B.C. the Assyrian chronology is certain and precise. Reducing now both
the Assyrian and Biblical dates to a common standard,[50] and adopting
for the latter the computations of Ussher, we obtain the following
singular series of discrepancies:--
Dates according Dates according
to Ussher's to Assyrian
Chronology. Inscription.
B.C. B.C.
Reign of Ahab 918-897
Ahab mentioned at the battle of
Karkar 854
Reign of Jehu 884-856
Jehu pays tribute to Shalmancser II. 842
Reign of Menahem 772-761
Menahem mentioned by Tiglath-pileser
IV. .. 738