The last of the Old World empires was that having its capital on the seven hills of Rome. Like most of the others, it was the dominion of a single city; but, unlike others, it represented the conquests, not of a single conquering king, as Nebuchadnezzar or Cyrus, but of a self-governing and conquering people; and, unlike its predecessors, it was not a loose aggregation of states, ready to fall apart as soon as the hand that fettered them was removed, but an empire, carefully welded together, building up in every land its own civilization, and developing a national unity which held its possessions together for a thousand years.

At the close of the Old Testament period, the Persian empire stood in all its power. Four hundred years later, at the opening of the New Testament epoch, the Persian empire had given place to that of Alexander; that had broken up into many fragments; and most of these in turn had been united under the eagles of Rome. The world's capital had moved westward, and the Mediterranean was now a Roman lake. The principal provinces of this empire, omitting minor subdivisions, were:

I. European Provinces. 1. Italy. 2. Hispania, now known as Spain, subdivided into three provinces. 3. Gallia, now France, including also parts of Germany and the Netherlands, embracing five provinces. 4. The Danubian provinces of RhÆtia, Noricum, Pannonia, and Moesia, to which Dacia was afterward added by the emperor Trajan. 5. The Grecian provinces of Thracia, Macedonia, Achaia, and Illyricum.

II. The Insular Provinces were: 1. Britannia. 2. Sicilia. 3. Sardinia and Corsica, united. 4. Cyprus. The other islands were attached, either to these, or to governments upon the mainland.

III. The Asiatic Provinces were: 1. Asia, a term referring only to the western end of Asia Minor. 2. Pontus and Bithynia, united. 3. Galatia. 4. Pamphylia and Lycia. 5. Cilicia. 6. Syria, of which Palestine was a part. To these were added, after the New Testament period, Armenia, Mesopotamia, and Arabia PetrÆa; but they were soon lost to the empire.

IV. The African Provinces were: 1. Ægyptus, or Egypt. 2. Cyrenaica, called, in Acts 2:10, "parts of Libya about Cyrene." 3. Africa, the district around Carthage. 4. Mauritania, now Morocco.

This empire was the most thoroughly organized and the longest in duration of any in ancient history. It lasted until Rome fell under the attacks of barbarians from the North, A.D. 476. Even after this, the eastern division of the empire remained with almost unbroken power for centuries, and was not finally extinguished until 1453, the close of the Middle Ages.

It is desirable to let the class see the comparative area and location of the Four Oriental Empires; hence they should be presented upon the same map. Each of these may form a separate lesson.

I. The Early Chaldean Empire. 1. Draw in the centre of the blackboard the outlines of the map of Chedorlaomer's Empire, on page 34, reserving space enough around it to embrace all the lands of the maps on page 92. 2. Draw the four important rivers: the Tigris, Euphrates, Jordan and Nile. 3. Show the boundaries of Chedorlaomer's empire, and its principal places: Babylon, Ur, Nineveh, Haran, Damascus, Hebron. 4. State briefly the history of the empire. 5. Review the lesson, and let the class state all the information given.

N. B. The outlines may be drawn in advance with slate pencil or soapstone, and then traced with chalk in the presence of the class. Also, the initial letters only of places or rivers should be written, as a hint to the memory; afterward the initial letters should be erased, and the class be called upon to name the places as located by the pointer.

II. The Assyrian Empire. 1. After erasing the boundaries of the first empire, leaving the general outline of sea-coast and lands the same, show the location of the conquering province, Assyria, and its capital, Nineveh. 2. Draw the boundaries of the Assyrian empire, explain them to the class, and have them repeated in concert. 3. Locate and name the subject provinces: Armenia, Media, Mesopotamia, Susiana, Babylonia, Syria, Palestine. 4. Name its most important kings: Tiglath-adar, Shalmaneser, Sargon, Sennacherib, Esar-haddon, Asshur-bani-pal. With each king should be named the events associated with his reign. 5. Review the outline as before.

III. The Babylonian Empire. This may be given upon the same map as the two preceding. 1. Show the location and relations of the four kingdoms: Babylonia, Media, Lydia, Cilicia. 2. Give an account of Babylon, and its fall.

IV. The Persian Empire. Leaving the coast-line of the former maps on the board, add to it the lines in all points of the compass requisite to show the boundaries of Persia. The provinces, or satrapies, need not be specified (unless detailed knowledge is desired), for they do not relate to Bible history. Name the leading monarchs, Cyrus, Darius, Xerxes, Artaxerxes Longimanus, and give an account of the fall of the empire.

V. The Empire of Alexander. 1. This may be shown in outline; and its history be given. 2. The division of the empire and its leading kingdoms should be mentioned.

VI. The Roman Empire. This will require a new map. Draw in outline the lands around the Mediterranean Sea, and enumerate the provinces: European, Asiatic, African.