Asszir_borito_Cavalry_ 2012.06.12. 2:16 Page 1 Tamás Dezső Tamás Dezső Tamás THE ASSYRIAN ARMY Antiqua & orientalia I. THE STRUCTURE OF THE NEO-ASSYRIAN ARMY 2. CAVALRY AND CHARIOTRY THE ASSYRIAN ARMY I/2 EÖTVÖS UNIVERSITY PRESS EÖTVÖS LORÁND UNIVERSITY AssyrianArmy_I-Cavalry_:press 2012.06.18. 12:37 Page 1 (Black plate) To the Memory of my Father AssyrianArmy_I-Cavalry_:press 2012.06.18. 12:37 Page 2 (Black plate) Antiqua et Orientalia 3 Monographs of the Institute of Ancient Studies, Faculty of Humanities, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest Assyriologia 8/2 Monographs of the Department of Assyriology and Hebrew, Institute of Ancient Studies, Faculty of Humanities, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest AssyrianArmy_I-Cavalry_:press 2012.06.18. 12:37 Page 3 (Black plate) Tamás Dezső THE ASSYRIAN ARMY I. THE STRUCTURE OF THE NEO-ASSYRIAN ARMY as Reconstructed from the Assyrian Palace Reliefs and Cuneiform Sources 2. Cavalry and Chariotry Budapest, 2012 AssyrianArmy_I-Cavalry_:press 2012.06.18. 12:37 Page 4 (Black plate) © Tamás Dezsô, 2012 Drawings: © Tamás Dezsô, 2012 ISBN 978 963 312 076 7 ISSN 0209 8067 ISSN 2063 1634 www.eotvoskiado.hu Executive publisher: András Hunyady Editorial manager: Júlia Sándor Printed by: Multiszolg Bt. Layout and cover: Tibor Anders AssyrianArmy_I-Cavalry_:press 2012.06.18. 12:37 Page 5 (Black plate) TABLE OF CONTENTS CAVALRY ................................................................................................................................................13 THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE ASSYRIAN CAVALRY (883—745 B.C.) ........................................................14 The representations (1—4)..............................................................................................................14 Cuneiform sources ..........................................................................................................................16 THE CAVALRY OF THE IMPERIAL PERIOD (745—612 B.C.) ......................................................................19 The evolution of the Assyrian cavalry (5—22) ............................................................................19 Types of cavalry (regular cavalry – bodyguard cavalry)............................................................21 Lancers (mounted spearmen)..................................................................................................22 Mounted archers ......................................................................................................................23 Cavalry bodyguard ..................................................................................................................23 (1) Pēt‹alli šēpē (cavalry of the ‘personal guard’) ........................................................28 (2) Pēt‹alli ša—qurbūte (cavalry of the ša—qurbūte bodyguard) ................................29 (3) Pēt‹al qurubte (cavalry bodyguard)..........................................................................29 Home based units of the Assyrian cavalry (ki%ir šarrūti): the ‘city units’..........................32 Foreign units of the Assyrian cavalry ....................................................................................32 Cavalry of the high officials and governors ..........................................................................35 Cavalry officers and other cavalry personnel ..............................................................................39 Cavalry officers..........................................................................................................................39 (1) Šaknu (prefect) ............................................................................................................42 (2) Rab mūgi ša—pēt‹alli (cavalry commander) ............................................................42 (3) Rab ki%ir ša—pēt‹alli (cohort commander of the cavalry)......................................43 (4) Rab pēt‹alli (cavalry commander) ............................................................................43 (5) Mušarkisu (recruitment officer) ................................................................................43 Grooms ......................................................................................................................................44 The use of cavalry ............................................................................................................................45 Size of cavalry units ........................................................................................................................50 CHARIOTRY ..........................................................................................................................................55 THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE ASSYRIAN CHARIOTRY (1317—745 B.C.) ..................................................56 The representations (23—25)..........................................................................................................56 Cuneiform sources ..........................................................................................................................60 THE CHARIOTRY OF THE IMPERIAL PERIOD (745—612 B.C.)....................................................................65 The representations (26—32)..........................................................................................................65 Cuneiform sources ..........................................................................................................................68 ASSYRIAN ARMY • Cavalry and Chariotry 5 AssyrianArmy_I-Cavalry_:press 2012.06.18. 12:37 Page 6 (Black plate) TABLE OF CONTENTS Chariotry units reconstructed from cuneiform sources ......................................................69 Headquarters staff: chariotry element ..........................................................................69 (1) Ša—šēpē chariotry ................................................................................................70 (2) Ta‹līpu chariotry....................................................................................................70 (3) Pattūte chariotry ....................................................................................................71 Deportee unit ....................................................................................................................72 Chariot owners ................................................................................................................72 Palace chariotry ................................................................................................................74 Chariotry bodyguard ......................................................................................................76 Chariotry of the ša—šēpē guard......................................................................................76 Chariotry of the bodyguard of the ša—šēpē guard......................................................77 Open chariotry of the bodyguard of the ša—šēpē guard ............................................78 The ‘city units’ ..................................................................................................................78 (1) Aššurāia ..................................................................................................................78 (2) Arrap‹āia ................................................................................................................78 (3) Armāia ....................................................................................................................79 (4) Arzu‹ināia ..............................................................................................................79 (5) Arbailāia ..................................................................................................................80 Foreign units of the Assyrian cavalry of the royal corps (ki%ir šarrūti): The ‘provincial units’ ......................................................................................................81 (1) Unit 1 (Šarru-ēmuranni) ........................................................................................81 (2) Unit 2 (Marduk-šarru-u%ur) ..................................................................................82 (3) Unit 3 (Chaldean unit)............................................................................................83 (4) Unit 4 (Nabû-bēlu-ka’’in) ......................................................................................83 (5) Unit 5 (Taklāk-ana-Bēli)..........................................................................................84 (6) Unit 6 (Adallal) ......................................................................................................85 (7) Unit 7 (Nergal-šarrāni) ..........................................................................................85 Unit of stable officers ......................................................................................................87 Chariotry of the crown prince........................................................................................88 Open chariotry of the crown prince ..............................................................................88 Chariotry of the high officials and governors..............................................................88 Foreign chariotry..............................................................................................................92 The chariot crew and other chariotry