Chaldaea

CHALDAE'A, a country anciently situated on both sides of the river Euphrates, and bordering on the Persian Gulf. It had an estimated area of 23,000 square miles, about the same as the modern kingdom of Denmark, or half that of Louisiana in the Mississippi Delta. In later times, and in a more extended sense, it included a territory about 450 miles long by 100 to 130 miles wide. It occupied the southern portion of the great Mesopotamian plain, the most fertile part of that country. It was rendered still more productive by numerous canals, which were used for defence, for commerce, and for navigation. The country was naturally divided into two portions, the larger part lying between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, and the smaller portion lying on the southwestern side of the latter river. It was also divided into Northern and Southern Chaldaea, each having four important cities. In later times the "land of the Chaldaeans" was applied to all Babylonia, and to the whole of the empire over which the Chaldaeans ruled. Physical Features and Products. -The chief features of the country were the rivers, for on all sides it was a dead level, broken now only by solitary mounds, old ruins, marshes, and streams. The summers are hot, the winters rainy, and seldom colder than 30F. Wheat, millet, barley, dates, and fruits of all kinds were abundant. Its fertility and productions were proverbial in ancient times. For sketch-map of Chaldaea, see Assyria. History. -It is noticed in Scripture as the native country of Abram, Gen 11:31; its people attacked Job, Job 1:17, and it was the term by which the empire of Nebuchadnezzar was sometimes called. Originally it was the district in the south of the "land of Shinar" where Nimrod built four cities. Gen 10:10. Chaldaea soon extended its influence and sway, until in the time of Abraham its conquests reached nearly to the sources of the Euphrates, and westward into Canaan and Syria. Among the four great kingdoms or empires on the Euphrates, secular historians usually place the Chaldaean as the first in order or earliest, lasting for about ten centuries, from b.c. 2300 to about b.c. 1300; the Assyrian empire next, lasting about six and a half centuries, from b.c. 1270 to b.c. 625; the Babylonian empire third in order, continuing from about b.c. 625 to B.C. 538; and the Medo-Persian fourth. Some of these kingdoms in their earlier history no doubt existed contemporaneously for a time. Chaldaea and Assyria were at times independent of each other; hence the order given above applies chiefly to them as empires. The great cities of the Chaldaean empire were Ur, Ellasar, Babylon, Erech, Accad, Calneh, Sepharvaim, Ahava, and Cutha. Its great rulers were Nimrod, Urukh, and Chedorlaomer. The latter marched an army for 1200 miles on a conquering tour to the Dead Sea, and held Canaanitish nations in subjection for 12 years. Gen 10:9; Gen 14:1-4, The Chaldaeans, according to Rawlinson and others, were chiefly of Cushite origin, while their more northern neighbors were Semitic. After the lapse of centuries the former lost their Cushite character, and became a people scarcely distinguishable from the Assyrians. After their subjugation, in b.c. 1300, they held an insignificant place in history for over six centuries, but recovered themselves in b.c. 625, and established a new kingdom, known as the Babylonian empire. For the later history see Babylon, Assyria, and Nineveh.

CHALDAE'A, a country anciently situated on both sides of the river Euphrates, and bordering on the Persian Gulf. It had an estimated area of 23,000 square miles, about the same as the modern kingdom of Denmark, or half that of Louisiana in the Mississippi Delta. In later times, and in a more extended sense, it included a territory about 450 miles long by 100 to 130 miles wide. It occupied the southern portion of the great Mesopotamian plain, the most fertile part of that country. It was rendered still more productive by numerous canals, which were used for defence, for commerce, and for navigation. The country was naturally divided into two portions, the larger part lying between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, and the smaller portion lying on the southwestern side of the latter river. It was also divided into Northern and Southern Chaldaea, each having four important cities. In later times the "land of the Chaldaeans" was applied to all Babylonia, and to the whole of the empire over which the Chaldaeans ruled. Physical Features and Products. -The chief features of the country were the rivers, for on all sides it was a dead level, broken now only by solitary mounds, old ruins, marshes, and streams. The summers are hot, the winters rainy, and seldom colder than 30F. Wheat, millet, barley, dates, and fruits of all kinds were abundant. Its fertility and productions were proverbial in ancient times. For sketch-map of Chaldaea, see Assyria. History. -It is noticed in Scripture as the native country of Abram, Gen 11:31; its people attacked Job, Job 1:17, and it was the term by which the empire of Nebuchadnezzar was sometimes called. Originally it was the district in the south of the "land of Shinar" where Nimrod built four cities. Gen 10:10. Chaldaea soon extended its influence and sway, until in the time of Abraham its conquests reached nearly to the sources of the Euphrates, and westward into Canaan and Syria. Among the four great kingdoms or empires on the Euphrates,

secular historians usually place the Chaldaean as the first in order or earliest, lasting for about ten centuries, from b.c. 2300 to about b.c. 1300; the Assyrian empire next, lasting about six and a half centuries, from b.c. 1270 to b.c. 625; the Babylonian empire third in order, continuing from about b.c. 625 to B.C. 538; and the Medo-Persian fourth. Some of these kingdoms in their earlier history no doubt existed contemporaneously for a time. Chaldaea and Assyria were at times independent of each other; hence the order given above applies chiefly to them as empires. The great cities of the Chaldaean empire were Ur, Ellasar, Babylon, Erech, Accad, Calneh, Sepharvaim, Ahava, and Cutha. Its great rulers were Nimrod, Urukh, and Chedorlaomer. The latter marched an army for 1200 miles on a conquering tour to the Dead Sea, and held Canaanitish nations in subjection for 12 years. Gen 10:9; Gen 14:1-4, The Chaldaeans, according to Rawlinson and others, were chiefly of Cushite origin, while their more northern neighbors were Semitic. After the lapse of centuries the former lost their Cushite character, and became a people scarcely distinguishable from the Assyrians. After their subjugation, in b.c. 1300, they held an insignificant place in history for over six centuries, but recovered themselves in b.c. 625, and established a new kingdom, known as the Babylonian empire. For the later history see Babylon, Assyria, and Nineveh.