SARGON ( Isaiah 20:1 ). The father of Sennacherib and successor of Shalmaneser iv., king of Assyria (b.c. 722 705). Samaria was captured early in his reign, and Sargon carried away 27,200 of the chief inhabitants, the city being placed under Assyrian governors Sargon’s advent to the throne marked a change of dynasty, and he had to subdue Insurrection right and left. Merodach-baladan, once king of the Chald¿an State of Bît-Yakîn, seized Babylon, and was supported by the Elamites. Sargon defeated the latter, but was obliged to leave Merodach-baladan undisturbed for twelve years, while he subdued the northern rivals of Assyria, Armenia and its neighbours. In b.c. 720 he faced a combination of the W. States under Ilu-bihdi, who drew Hamath, Arpad, Damascus, and Palestine into revolt. This was soon put down, Hamath was colonized by Assyrians, and the Philistines and Egyptians were defeated at Raphia. Then Carchemish was captured and absorbed into the empire (b.c. 717). But Sargon’s greatest difficulty was with Armenia, and the rebellions it perpetually stirred up. He was, however, successful in the end, and subdued all the region S. of the Caucasus and parts of Cilicia, as well as parts of Media. In b.c. 711 an Assyrian army was sent against Palestine, where Merodach-baladan had been intriguing and had drawn Hezekiah into the conspiracy. Ashdod was captured, and Judah, Moab, and Edom submitted. Merodach-baladan was expelled from Babylon (b.c. 709), and then chased from Bît-Yakîn, whither he had retreated. Sargon was welcomed as the deliverer of the native Babylonians, and became king of Babylon. He sent his statue to be erected at Idalion, in Cyprus. In b.c. 708 Commagene was annexed. Sargon was killed b.c. 705, how or where is not yet clear. He founded a magnificent city at Dûr-Sargon, the modern Khorsabad.
C. H. W. Johns.