ABSTRACT
DHEperusalofsuchanexplanationofthislearnedandcleverlycontrivedsystemaswe havejustgiven,followingcloselytheindicationsof thetexts,andgivingnoplaytoconjectureorimagination,willsufficetoshowthatitcouldnothavebeen averyprimitiveone,andthatitmusthaveexacted animmenseeffortofreligiousandphilosophical thought,whichwasprobablytheworkofmanyages inthesacerdotalschools.Andalthough,througha deficiencyofdocuments,muchisstillrequiredto completeourknowledgeoftheancienthistoryof ChaldeabeforethedevelopmentoftheAssyrian power,itissufficienttojustifyusinaffirmingthat thedefinitivesystemoftheChaldaic-Babylonian religion,withitsdivinehierarchy,anditsseriesof successiveemanations,wastheresultofagreatsacerdotalmovement.Itnearlyapproachedareligious revolution,andcorrespondedinmorethanone particularwiththetransformationwhichtheearly
VedicreligionunderwentinIndiaundertheinfluence oftheBrahmincolleges.Likethelatteritwasthe workofafirmlyconstitutedpriesthood,accustomed tothemostabstractspeculationsofthought,andto meditationonthegreatreligiousproblems,asthey presentedthemselvestomindsimbuedwithpantheisticprejudices;weshallexaminelaterthe originofthispriesthood,whichwasalsothesource ofitsreligioussupremacy.Wecanevenfixthe dateof2000B.c.,atthecommencementofthe dynastyofAganeinBabylonproper,ofwhich SargonI.wasthechief,asaboutthetimewhenthe religiousevolutionwhichweareconsidering,having nearlyarrivedatperfection,definitelytriumphed,and extendeditsempireoverthewholecountry.The establishmentofthesameruleinthenorthernand southernprovinces,inChaldeaandinBabylon,first underthedynastyofAgane,andthenunderthenew familywhichHammurabiplacedonthethroneby hisconquests,verymuchfacilitateditstriumph.
