Tiglath-Pileser in Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Related to Atargatis (Syriac), Dargeto, "great fish," tutelary god of the first Assyrian dynasty. 2 Kings 16:7; less correctly in 1 Chronicles 5:26, and 2 Chronicles 28:20, Tilgath Pilneser. G. Rawlinson identifies Tiglath Pileser with Tiglathi-nin, "be worship given to Nin" or Hercules (the same as Pal-zira, i.e. son of Zira, from whom Calah is called Bitzirah, because he had a temple at Zira or Calah). Oppert explains it, "let there be adoration to the son of the zodiac," i.e. to Nin or Hercules. The earlier Tiglath Pileser reigned about 1130 B.C. Two cylinders in the British Museum mention him. Tiglath Pileser the second (745-728 B.C) founded a new dynasty succeeded Pul and preceded Shalmaneser; six years before Tiglath Pileser's accession (751 B.C.) we find him exacting tribute from a Merodach Baladan who ruled in southern Babylonia on the shores of the Persian gulf, a district of marsh lands for many centuries a refuge for Assyrian rebels. (Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archaeology 6:16.) Probably an usurper, for he makes no mention of his father or ancestors; and Berosus (Eusebius Chronicles Can. 1:4) and Herodotus (1:95) state that in the latter half of the eighth century B.C. there was a change of dynasty from that which ruled for 520 years to the dynasty which came in not long before Shalmaneser, probably at the time of the era of Nabonassar, 747 B.C. Sylla's friend, Alex. Polyhistor, who had access to Berosus' writings makes Beletaras (another form of Pal-tzira or Pileser) a gardener of the royal palace originally. Afterward, he gained the sovereignty in an extraordinary way and fixed it in his own family. Conquered Rezin of Damascus and Pekah of Israel at Ahaz' solid citation. (See REZIN; PEKAH.) The Assyrian inscriptions mention that Menahem of Samaria (probably about 743 B.C.) paid him tribute, Jahuhazi (Ahaz) also, and that he set Hoshea on the Israelite throne at Pekah's death...