Under this monarch the citadel of Van became the great stronghold of the
people of Urartu, for he added to the natural strength of the position
by the construction of walls built between the rock of Van and the
harbour. The massive blocks of stone of which his fortifications
were composed are standing at the present day, and they bear eloquent
testimony to the energy with which this monarch devoted himself to the
task of rendering his new citadel impregnable. The fortification and
strengthening of Van and its citadel was carried on during the reigns of
his direct successors and descendants, Ispui-nis, Menuas, and Argistis
I, so that when Tiglath-pile-ser III brought fire and sword into the
country and laid siege to Van in the reign of Sarduris II, he could not
capture the citadel.
[Illustration: 419.jpg PART OF THE ANCIENT FORTIFICATIONS OF THE CITY OF
VAN, BETWEEN THE CITADEL AND THE LAKE.]
It was not difficult for the Assyrian king to assault and capture the
city itself, which lay at the foot of the citadel as it does at the
present day, but the latter, within the fortifications of which Sarduris
and his garrison withdrew, proved itself able to withstand the Assyrian
attack. The expedition of Tiglath-pileser III did not succeed in
crushing the Vannic empire, for Rusas I, the son and successor of
Sarduris II, allied himself to the neighbouring mountain races and gave
considerable trouble to Sargon, the Assyrian king, who was obliged to
undertake an expedition to check their aggressions.
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