The Art of War in Ancient Assyria

In the 7th century BC, the Assyrians carved out the first great empire in history under the leadership of a line of powerful kings from the Sargonid dynasty. Its power was based on a well-equipped and highly organized army led by the Great King himself. This army comprised infantry and cavalry, chariots, craftsmen, engineers, and sappers. In its ranks served native Assyrians and foreign mercenaries, regular soldiers fought alongside local levies, vassal troops and allied contingents. A wealth of resources, but also booty taken in war and a refined tribute system made sure that the Assyrian army could rely on equipment and supplies of the highest standards. Since Assyria had already entered the Iron Age by the time of its ascent, weapons and armour were manufactured of both bronze and iron. For more than a century, Assyria’s neighbours proved incapable of resisting its insatiable lust for conquest and expansion. At the height of its power, the Assyrian Empire stretched from the shores of the Mediterranean to the Zagros Mountains, and from Armenia to the Persian Gulf. Even Egypt temporarily fell under the Assyrian yoke. Based on archaeological finds, this volume provides a detailed overview of the Assyrian military from its apogee to the fall of Nineveh.