AnnoMaly...
As was said before, we have here a strawman ... or red herring ... or else an indication of FTF's ignorance about what 'tribute' is.
No, actually it's more of an indication of Hoffnug's ignorance of what a "tribute" or "vassalage" consisted of. He showed us the Chronicle proving Babylon plundered and conquered many nations and spoiled their resources but this is a non-sequitur, because vassalage did not consist of simply plundering a nation's spoil by force (i.e. after conquering it), but of a formal agreement of protection under the condition that the nation submitted to the King's wishes.
As Hoffnung has posted, the chronicle details how the Babylonians sacked and plundered many Assyrian strongholds. The Assyrians would not submit so Babylon forcibly took. How can tribute be given by a vassal city ruler if the ruler is dead or deposed and the city ruined?
That is precisely why Hoffnug's reference to the chronicle is ridiculous and shows his (not my) lack of understanding about what a tribute was. His point in referencing the chronicle was to show that there were nations who had in fact given a tribute that year (i.e. counterarguing my point), but his argument was moot because a tribute did not simply involve monetary gain. Thank you for asking your question, as your in agreement with me, that the chronicle does not prove that a tribute was provided that year.
Tribute isn't the issue. Servitude is. The Assyrians were in complete servitude to Babylon when they took the last stronghold and the last Assyrian king was removed.
This is hilarious. Jonnson defines the "servitude" as "vassalage" and makes an equivocation of the two. So by saying "tribute isn't the issue", "servitude is", it shows you lack a basic understanding of my argument and Jonnson's, which is quite embarassing for you. For the fifth time, if the "servitude" meant "vassalage" (i.e. a tribute) and the servitude supposedly began in 609 B.C., then Jonnson needs to provide evidence that a nation provided tribute in that year.
Particularly after Carchemish, nations in the Hatti-land didn't want the same slash and burn fate that became many Assyrian cities, so they served Babylon and gave tribute.
Thank you for proving for us, that nations did not give tributes (i.e. as vassals) until after Carchemish, which shows again that there is no evidence that a single nation provided tribute years prior in 609 B.C., the alleged starting point. You have indirectly shown you lack understanding about my argument, Jonnson's, and you've even managed to argue against Jonnson's own suppositions. It's true....sometimes no response is the best response.