Assyrian Empire

Assyrian Empire

Underdog Story Small kingdom on the Tigris Trading Center Mesopotamian Culture Previously Subjugated Began to expand

Pre-Reform Similar to the other Mesopotamian armies mostly raised farmers

Problems with Farmer Soldiers?

Reforms of Tiglath-Pileser III Introduction of a standing army Meritocracy Fully utilized Iron weapons Engineers Army Boots Brutal “Feudalism”

Chariots The core of the army heavy four horse chariots. contain more men (four in total). smashed into enemy formations Assyrian cavalry and infantry could exploit the gap

Calvary Influenced by Iranian Medes. cavalry are depicted in pairs, with one rider holding both reins and the other shooting with a bow. experienced fewer problems with cavalry when deployed as lancers (still paired) formed the core of the later Assyrian armies. Horses became extremely valuable

Siege Warfare Battering Rams Within towers Six wheels Shielded with metal plates Archers placed to attack those on the wall

Tactics and Strategies Frontal “Shock Assaults led by chariots Destroy enemies ability to fight Colonize new territory Total Destruction Deportations General Terror

Cost of Losing Uprooted populations Removal of parts Impaling and Flaying Taxes and Tributes One King committed suicide after amere threat

Maintaining an Empire Garrisoned Troops Built Roads Created a Post System Taxes and Tribute Expanded Economy Fear Phoenicians spared for Silver trade from Iberia

Assyrian Equipment

HELMETS Conical Helmet rises to a point above the head iron or bronze additional cheek or ear pieces added later

CUIRASS Laminar Armor scale armor Originally covered entire body, later shortened

CUIRASS Irtu circular flat plate attached to the center of the chest by leather straps. bronze or iron

Shields Round shield convex shield Conical shield

Battles and Wars of Assyria

Battle of Nihriya (1237) between the Hittites and the Assyrians control over the former empire of Mitanni Assyrians slowly conquered Hittite Lands and/or vassal states Assyria won a decisive victory and would play a key role in the destruction of the Hittite Empire

Battle of Qarqar (853 BCE)

Prelude (cont.) The Assyrian army reached modern day Aleppo Then invaded southwest to Hamath They Pillaged the land trying to force battle. “I approached the cities of [king] Irhuleni, the Hamathite. I captured Adennu, Parga, and Argana, his royal cities. I carried off captives, his valuables, and his palace possessions. I set fire to his palaces.”

Prelude (cont.) The army of Salmanesers continued to the Qarqar Likely knew his enemies were there/arrivng logical for the coalition to try to liberate this Pattina, a newly conquered state.

Salmaneser describes the fight “I fought with them. I decisively defeated them from the city of Qarqar to the city of Gilzau. I felt with the sword 14,000 troops, their fighting men. Like Adad, I rained down upon them a devastating flood. I spread out their corpses and I filled the plain. I felled with the sword their extensive troops. I made their blood flow in the wadis. The field was too small for laying flat their bodies; the broad countryside had been consumed in burying them. I blocked the Orontes river with their corpses as with a causeway. In the midst of the battle I took away from them chariots, cavalry, and teams of horses.”

Aftermath the battle of Qarqar had not been decisive, continuous warfare followed ended in the inevitable Assyrian victory Assyrian power in Syria was to last for two centuries

Assyrian Siege of Lachish (701) Several kingdoms in the Levant ceased to pay taxes Sennacherib set out to again subjugate them The Jewish King, Hezekiah was among them One his way to Jerusalem he came across Lachish, the second most important among the Jewish cities.

Battle Assyrian Army attacked from the south military engineers built a ramp to the east of the main gate close combat followed siege engines broke the wall the Jewish defenders retreated leaders of Lachish tortured to death

Elam Destroyed (639 BCE) In 648 BC, the City of Susa was razed to the ground; last and most glorious act of retribution and conquest Slaughter their elites Deported its people Stole the bones of its dead kings Sowed salt in the earth to ruin future harvest Assurbanipal “For a distance of a month and twenty-five days' journey I devastated the provinces of Elam. Salt and sihlu I scattered over them... The dust of Susa, Madaktu, Haltemash and the rest of the cities I gathered together and took to Assyria... The noise of people, the tread of cattle and sheep, the glad shouts of rejoicing, I banished from its fields. Wild asses, gazelles and all kinds of beasts of the plain I caused to lie down among them, as if at home.”

Battle of Ninevah (612 BCE) Alliance of Babylonians, Medes (Iran), Persians (Iran), Cimmerians (Steppe) and Scythians (Steppe) Destruction of one of the great cities of the world The Assyrians refused to submit, fought out of the city and established a new capital The beginning of the end

Battle of Megiddo (609 BCE) Pharaoh Necho II of Egypt was attempting to join with Neo-Assyrian Empire forces in Northern Syria This required passing the Kingdom of Judah. King Josiah refused. They fought at Megiddo Josiah died Judeah became a vassal state of Egypt.

Battle of Carchemish (605 BCE)

Background Assyrian capital Nineveh was overrun in 612 Assyrian capital Harran was captured by the alliance in 609 BC the capital was then moved to Carchemish Egypt was allied with the Assyrians and marched to their aid in 609 BCE Egyptian Assyrian alliance attempted to retake Harran but failed

Battle Egyptian-Assyrian Alliance (40,000) fought the Babylonian and Median army (18,000) at Carchemish. The enemy was led by Nebuchadnezzar II Egyptian and Assyrian forces were destroyed. Assyria ceased to exist Egypt retreated and was no longer a significant force. Babylonia reached its economic peak