Page 84 - History of War - Issue 30-16

century they separated: Israel in the north with
its capital, Samaria (today’s Sebastiya in the
West Bank), was ruled by changing dynasties,
whereas Judah in the south was controlled from WRITTEN AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOURCES PAINT A COLOURFUL
Jerusalem by the descendants of David. PICTURE OF WARS AND WARFARE IN THE TIME OF THE ASSYRIAN
Most of the time, both kingdoms were ighting DOMINATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST
each other – with Israel usually dominating due The Old Testament (in particular the books Kings Right: The Jerusalem Prism
to a larger population and better agricultural and Chronicles) tells the history of the Hebrew (shown in the Israel Museum,
Jerusalem) contains
conditions than Judah. But both kingdoms kingdoms of Israel and Judah from the 10th to
Sennacherib’s annals
prospered in the 9th century, and the territorial the 7th century BCE. Although the story is a little written in Akkadian. In the
expansion of the Assyrians was an existential biased – especially when it comes to the enemies inscription, the Assyrian
threat looming over the Levant. A military of the Hebrews – it still remains a valuable source king presents his military
campaigns, among them the
confrontation remained only a question of time. from the period.
war against the Judean king
Israel and Judah both probably commanded Assyrian sources present us with the other side Hezekiah that has also been
over small standing armies, however, their of the story. There are numerous written records recorded in the Bible
methods of recruitment and organisation are that keep much closer to the events than the
obscure. Probably, the armies mainly consisted Bible. The annals of the kings and the eponyms modern Israel bring back to life the devastation
of infantry supported by a limited number of (lists of important Assyrian oficials) provide of Assyrian siege warfare. Findings of weapons,
chariots and cavalry units. The infantrymen speciic information about rulers and events. fortiications and the traces of siege engines help
were armed with javelins, swords and shields However, these sources were mainly produced as us to understand the events that took place 2,700
and accompanied by archers and slingers. Assyrian propaganda and are therefore far from years ago. A huge relief depicting the Assyrian
For small kingdoms like Israel and Judah, unbiased in their account. capture of the Judean city of Lachish in 701 BCE,
it was essential to form military alliances Finally, archaeology adds important insights which was unearthed in the Assyrian capital
against great powers – they rarely conducted as well, as the traces of war and destruction Nineveh, presents a unique opportunity to study
major offensive campaigns by themselves. are still visible today. The excavation of ancient not only warfare techniques, but the appearance
Most military activities focused on the cities like Megiddo, Hazor and Lachish in of soldiers and weapons as well.
preparation for sieges and the construction of
fortiications. First and foremost, securing the the construction of elaborate water systems This innovative defence design was probably
water supply was essential to survival. Springs essential. The Israelites and Judeans dug caused by siege technique. Before the
often originated outside the city walls, making immense tunnel systems to secure their access appearance of the Assyrians in the Levant,
to springs. Until today, visitors of Megiddo, attackers had captured cities or strongholds
Hazor, and Jerusalem (in today’s Israel) have through ladder assaults – with the defenders
marvelled at the effort and the advanced on their walls enjoying a tactical advantage. As
engineering skills that the contemporary people long as a city or a fortress had enough supplies
IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE ASSYRIAN invested in those infrastructure projects. in store, the defenders could simply wait until
EMPIRE THESE MEN WORE NO ARMOUR The city walls, constructed of worked ashlar the attackers ran out of money or patience.
OR FOOTWEAR, BUT WERE STILL LETHAL blocks (or mud bricks dating back to the Bronze However, the Assyrians changed siege
Deployed as support units for the archers, the Age) on a steep artiicial mound (glacis), were warfare fundamentally through the introduction
slingers provided high-angle also an important factor. In the early Iron Age, of new weapon systems and tactics. Straight
ire and tried to destroy the they had consisted of nothing more than the walls provided the ideal target for the
enemy’s shields to make them outfacing walls of private dwellings. In the 10th Assyrian tactics, whereas ramparts with
vulnerable for the archers. century, however, casemate walls prevailed – a advancing towers and battlements presented
In the 8th century BCE, the kind of rampart which had two parallel walls with less vulnerable attack points and gave the
slingers wore armour similar intersections. The space between the outer and defenders the opportunity to take the attackers
to that of the archers, inner walls accommodated soldiers or supplies in crossi re.
including lamellar in peacetime. During a siege, the defenders illed
body armour and this with earth to strengthen the rampart. Since The Assyrian attack on the Levant
iron conical the 9th century BCE, massive walls with towers Facing the Assyrian threat, 11 Levantine
helmets. and bastions had become common. kingdoms formed a defensive alliance. In 853

Right:
The Assyrian
Empire 750-
625 BCE

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