... Prof. T. R. Birks, of Cambridge, Eng., suggests that as Shalmaneser III. is not mentioned in the inscriptions, he and Sargon are the same person.  Sargon means king de facto, or usurper, and is a title; so that the king's name was Shalmaneser Sargon (B.C. 729-714) the 15 years of Sargon covering those attributed to Shalmaneser, and beginning in 729... (Peloubet's Select Notes on the International Lessons, 1885)

    Sargon I.  See Sargina.
    Sargon II., who claimed descent from Bel-bani, an ancient king of Assyria, and took the name of the old Babylonian hero king, was an officer who usurped the throne of Assyria on the death of Shalmaneser, B.C. 722.  His first campaign was against Khumba-nigas, of Elam.  In B.C. 721-20 he captured Samaria, carrying away 27,200 of its inhabitants.  Ilu-bihdi of Hamath, who had organised a confederacy against him, was defeated and flayed alive in B.C. 720, Hamath colonised by 4300 Assyrians, and Khanun of Gaza and Sibahe of Egypt defeated at Raphia.  The Minnians were overthrown in B.C. 719; and the allied armies of Pisiris of Carchemish and Mita (Midas) of the Moschi in B.C. 717; Carchemish, with all its treasures, falling into Sargon's hands.  The Armenians, Moschi, and Minnians, were defeated in B.C. 716, and the capital of the latter destroyed; and in B.C. 715 the whole country of the Minni was overrun by Sargon, while an expedition was also sent into Arabia.  In B.C. 714 the Minni were completely subdued, Ursa of Armenia forced to escape to the mountains, and Muzazir (Southern Armenia) ravaged.  Media submitted in B.C. 713, and Ambaris of Tubal (the Tibareni) was conquered.  In B.C. 711, Sargon overran Palestine, breaking up the confederacy of Egypt, Moab, Edom, Judah, and the Philistines, and destroying Ashdod (see Isa. xx. 1).  In B.C. 710, Merodach-Baladan, and his ally Sutruk-nan-khundi of Elam, were defeated, and Babylon taken; Sargon henceforth assuming the title of "King of Babylonia."  Merodach-Baladan was pursued to the shores of the Persian Gulf in B.C. 709, and there captured.  Seven of the kings of Cyprus sent tribute in B.C. 708, and Sargon set up a stele in the island.  The kingdom of Comagene was also reduced.  Dur-Sargina (Khorsabad) was finished about this time, and another war with Elam broke out.  Sargon was murdered on the 12th day of the month Ab (July), B.C. 705, and was succeeded by his son, Sennacherib. (An Archaic Dictionary, Cooper, 1876).