Chapter III: Lands of the Mediterranean

These lands will receive more extended treatment in connection with other maps, so that we give them only a brief mention here.

1. =Asia Minor= scarcely enters the field of the Old Testament, except as the "land of the Hittites." It will be noticed under the topic of the Journeys of the Apostle Paul, page 117.

2. =Syria=, in the Hebrew Aram, is a name of indefinite signification, sometimes embracing all the territory north of The Wilderness of the Wandering, and therefore including Palestine and the provinces around it. But Syria Proper seems only to indicate the territory bounded by the Amanus and Taurus ranges of mountains on the north, by the Euphrates and the desert on the east, by Palestine, beginning with Mount Hermon, on the south, by the Mediterranean and Phoenicia on the west. It reaches the Mediterranean only near the mouth of the Orontes. It consists of three portions: On the north an elevated tract, never thickly populated, having Carchemish and Samosata as its principal cities; between the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon ranges of mountains a great valley, called Coele-Syria, "hollow Syria," forming the bed of the Orontes, flowing north, and the Leontes (_Litany_), flowing south; and on the east a level country reaching to the desert, containing the cities of Damascus on the south, Tiphsah (Thapsacus) on the north, and Tadmor (Palmyra) in the desert. During the times from Jeroboam to Jehoash, Syria was an independent kingdom, the rival of Israel, with which its political relations may be seen on the map on page 86. In the Old Testament period, Damascus was its principal city, and exercised sovereignty; but later, Antioch, in the north, became more prominent, and was the Greek and Roman capital of the province.

3. =Phoenicia= is a narrow strip of territory between the Mediterranean Sea and Mount Lebanon, north of Palestine and south of the Orontes. Its two great cities were, Zidon, the mother of Mediterranean commerce; and Tyre, her daughter. Its boundaries were never extensive; but its vessels traded with every land, and its colonies were planted all along the shores of the Mediterranean.

4. =Palestine= lies south of Phoenicia, between the Mediterranean and the desert. It will be described in connection with the Physical Map of Palestine, page 29, and Moab and Edom, near it, on pages 39 and 45.

5. South of Palestine is =The Wilderness=, a part of Arabia, in which the Israelites wandered during forty years. Its description may be found on page 42.

6. =Egypt= lies in the northeastern corner of Africa. See its description on page 41.

OUTLINE FOR TEACHING AND REVIEW.

1. Let the teacher state the EXTENT of the Old Testament World, and its comparison in size with the United States, as given in the description; the class taking down the figures in their note-books.

2. Let the teacher draw upon the blackboard the SEAS of the map, in presence of the class, describing each as it is drawn. If drawn in advance with an ordinary slate pencil, the mark cannot be seen by the class, but can be traced by the teacher with white chalk. Do not try to make the lines exact. A general sketch will answer far better than finished work. Write upon each its initial letter, but let the class give its full name; and at the same time follow the teacher by drawing the map on slates or in note-books. Review the names of the seas: _Caspian_, _Persian Gulf_, _Red Sea_, _Mediterranean_ or _Great Sea_, _Dead Sea_, _Lake Arsissa_ or _Van_, _Lake Urumiyeh_.

3. Draw next the most important of the MOUNTAIN RANGES, showing their general lines, in blue or green color, naming each as drawn, requiring the class to repeat its name, and to review at the close all the names: _Ararat_ (including _Masius_, _Niphates_, _Abus_), _Caspian_, _Zagros_, _Lebanon_, _Taurus_.

4. Draw the RIVERS in white chalk, and drill the class upon their names as the course of each is shown: _Araxes_, _Tigris_, _Euphrates_, _Orontes_, _Jordan_, _Nile_. Review the names of seas, mountains, and rivers, before beginning the next subject.

5. Show the LANDS in their three classes, and drill the class upon their names. (1.) MOUNTAIN LANDS: _Armenia_, _Media_, _Persia_. (2.) LANDS OF THE PLAIN: _Assyria_, _Elam_, _Mesopotamia_, _Chaldea_, _Arabia_. (3.) LANDS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN: _Asia Minor_, _Syria_, _Phoenicia_, _Palestine_, _Wilderness_, _Egypt_.

Review the entire map, from the beginning; then erase it, and call for the class to give the names as they are indicated by the pointer without marking.

ANCIENT WORLD, AND DESCENDANTS OF NOAH.

ONE of the most ancient and valuable accounts of the races of mankind is found in the tenth chapter of Genesis. It states the location and, in large degree, the relationship of the various families upon the earth, as they were known to the descendants of Abraham.

In the interpretation of this "Table of Nations" certain facts and principles are to be borne in mind. 1. It is _incomplete_; not undertaking to name all the races of mankind, but only those in the Hebrew, Egyptian, and Assyrian sphere of interest. Neither the yellow, the brown, or the black races are represented upon it, and only a portion of the ruddy or white race. 2. It is _popular_ and not scientific. The Orientals never wrote with the precision of modern students. Hence find in this document terms employed in a general and indefinite manner. 3. It is, in reality, _geographical_ rather than racial. For example, when it says "the sons of Canaan," we are not always to infer a literal descent, but a location in the land of Canaan. The names upon this table are generally not those of individuals, but of tribes. In some instances relationship may be indicated; but generally propinquity of settlement is all that can positively be affirmed. 4. It arranges the nations _according to zones_, in a general direction from northwest to southeast; not by continents, as was formerly supposed. The nations of the Japhetic family are found in Asia and Europe; the Shemites, or Semites, in Asia; the so-called Hamitic races, in Asia and Africa. After the deluge an instinct of migration took possession of the human family. From the original home (long supposed to be near the Caspian Sea, but now uncertain as to locality) clans moved in all directions, and nations arose, occupying different lands.