single one of the petty princes between whose rule Syria was divided
could defeat and destroy the largest army that Egypt had ever brought
into the field, what hope was there of victory over twenty or thirty of
such chieftains? Henceforth, until the time of the great revolution
brought about in Western Asia through the destruction of the Assyrian
Empire by the Medes, the eyes of Egypt were averted from Asia, unless
when attack threatened her. She shrank from provoking the repetition of
such a defeat as Zerah had suffered, and was careful to abstain from all
interference with the affairs of Palestine, except on invitation. She
learnt to look upon the two Israelite kingdoms as her bulwarks against
attack from the East, and it became an acknowledged part of her policy
to support them against Assyrian aggression. If she did not succeed in
rendering them any effective assistance, it was not for lack of
good-will. She was indeed a "bruised reed" to lean upon, but it was
because her strength was inferior to that of the great Mesopotamian
power.

From the time of Osorkon II., the Sheshonk dynasty rapidly declined in
power. A system of constituting appanages for the princes of the
reigning house grew up, and in a short time conducted the country to
the verge of dissolution. "For the purpose of avoiding usurpations
analogous to that of the High-Priests of Ammon," says M. Maspero,
"Sheshonk and his descendants made a rule to entrust all positions of
importance, whether civil or military, to the princes of the blood
royal. A son of the reigning Pharaoh, most commonly his eldest son, held
the office of High-Priest of Ammon and Governor of Thebes; another
commanded at Sessoun (Hermopolis); another at Hakhensu, others in all
the large towns of the Delta and of Upper Egypt. Each of them had with
him several battalions of those Libyan soldiers--Matsiou and
Mashuash--who formed at this time the strength of the Egyptian army, and