Castor on the Assyrian history (1)

Text
Eusebius, Chronographia:
‘Belus’, says Castor, ‘was the king of the Assyrians; and under him the Cyclops assisted Aramazd with thunderbolts and lightnings in his battle agains the Titans. At that time the kings of the Titans became to be known, one of them was Ogygos the king.’ After a short digression he proceeds to say that ‘the Giants attacked the Gods and were slain because Heracles and Dionysus assisted the Gods, who were themselves of the Titan race. Belus, whom we have mentioned above, was esteemed after his death as a God. After him, Ninus reigned over the Assyrians fifty-two years. He married Šamiram, who after his death reigned over the Assyrians forty-two years. Then reigned Zames, who is Ninyas.’ Then he enumerates each of the successive Assyrian kings in order, and mentions them all, down to Sardanapalus, by their respective names: whose names, and the length of their reigns, we shall also give presently. Castor mentions them in his Canones in the following words: ‘We have first presented the kings of the Assyrians, beginning with Belus, but since we have no certain tradition in respect to the length of his reign, we have only mentioned his name, and we begin the chronological series from Ninus; and have concluded it with another Ninus, who obtained the empire after Sardanapalus; that in this manner the whole length of the time, as well as of the reigns of each king, might be plainly set forth. Thus it will be found, that the complete sum of the years amounts to 1280.’

Sources (list of abbreviations)
Castor of Rhodes 1
Eusebius, Chronographia

Amar Annus

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