Neo-Assyrian Army 2. Cavalry and Chariotry, The

Tamás Dezső

THE ASSYRIAN ARMYI. THE STRUCTURE OF THE NEO-ASSYRIAN ARMY

2. CAVALRY AND CHARIOTRY

Antiqua & orientalia

EÖTVÖS UNIVERSITY PRESSEÖTVÖS LORÁND UNIVERSITY

Tamás D

ezsőTH

E ASSYR

IAN

AR

MY I/2

Asszir_borito_Cavalry_ 2012.06.12. 2:16 Page 1

To the Memory of my Father

AssyrianArmy_I-Cavalry_:press 2012.06.18. 12:37 Page 1 (Black plate)

Antiqua et Orientalia 3

Monographs of the Institute of Ancient Studies, Faculty of Humanities, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest

Assyriologia 8/2Monographs of the Department of Assyriology and Hebrew, Institute of Ancient Studies,

Faculty of Humanities, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest


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


ISBN 978 963 312 076 7

ISSN 0209 8067

ISSN 2063 1634

www.eotvoskiado.hu

Executive publisher: András HunyadyEditorial manager: Júlia SándorPrinted by: Multiszolg Bt.Layout and cover: Tibor Anders

© Tamás Dezsô, 2012

Drawings: © Tamás Dezsô, 2012


TABLE OF CONTENTS

CAVALRY ................................................................................................................................................13

THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE ASSYRIAN CAVALRY (883—745 B.C.) ........................................................14The representations (1—4)..............................................................................................................14Cuneiform sources ..........................................................................................................................16

THE CAVALRY OF THE IMPERIAL PERIOD (745—612 B.C.) ......................................................................19The evolution of the Assyrian cavalry (5—22) ............................................................................19Types of cavalry (regular cavalry – bodyguard cavalry)............................................................21

Lancers (mounted spearmen)..................................................................................................22Mounted archers ......................................................................................................................23Cavalry 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’ ..........................32Foreign units of the Assyrian cavalry ....................................................................................32Cavalry of the high officials and governors ..........................................................................35

Cavalry officers and other cavalry personnel ..............................................................................39Cavalry 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 ......................................................................................................................................44The use of cavalry ............................................................................................................................45Size of cavalry units ........................................................................................................................50

CHARIOTRY ..........................................................................................................................................55

THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE ASSYRIAN CHARIOTRY (1317—745 B.C.) ..................................................56The representations (23—25)..........................................................................................................56Cuneiform sources ..........................................................................................................................60

THE CHARIOTRY OF THE IMPERIAL PERIOD (745—612 B.C.)....................................................................65The representations (26—32)..........................................................................................................65Cuneiform sources ..........................................................................................................................68

ASSYRIAN ARMY • Cavalry and Chariotry 5


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chariotry units reconstructed from cuneiform sources ......................................................69Headquarters staff: chariotry element ..........................................................................69

(1) Ša—šēpē chariotry ................................................................................................70(2) Ta‹līpu chariotry....................................................................................................70(3) Pattūte chariotry ....................................................................................................71

Deportee unit ....................................................................................................................72Chariot owners ................................................................................................................72Palace chariotry ................................................................................................................74Chariotry bodyguard ......................................................................................................76Chariotry of the ša—šēpē guard......................................................................................76Chariotry of the bodyguard of the ša—šēpē guard......................................................77Open chariotry of the bodyguard of the ša—šēpē guard ............................................78The ‘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 ......................................................................................................87Chariotry of the crown prince ........................................................................................88Open chariotry of the crown prince ..............................................................................88Chariotry of the high officials and governors..............................................................88Foreign chariotry..............................................................................................................92

The chariot crew and other chariotry personnel ..................................................................93Mukil appāte (chariot driver) ..........................................................................................93

(1) Chariot driver of the king (mukil appāte ša šarri) ..............................................93(2) Chariot driver of the crown prince (mukil appāte ša mār šarri)........................94(3) Chariot driver of the queen mother (mukil appāte ummi šarri)........................95(4) Chariot drivers of the high officials ..................................................................95(5) Chariot drivers of governors ..............................................................................96(6) Chariot drivers of other officials ........................................................................96(7) Chariot driver of the treasury/storehouse or reserve horses..........................97(8) Other types of chariot drivers ............................................................................97

Māru damqu (chariot warrior) ........................................................................................99(1) Chariot warrior of the king (māru damqu šarri) ................................................99(2) Chariot warrior of the […] unit (māru damqu piri […]) ..................................100(3) Chariot warrior of the bodyguard (māru damqu ša qurub) ............................100(4) Chariot warrior of the crown prince (māru damqu ša mār šarri)....................100

6 ASSYRIAN ARMY • Cavalry and Chariotry


Table of contents

(5) Chariot warrior of the lady of the house (māru damqu ša bēlet bēti) ............100(6) Chariot warriors of Assyrian officials ..............................................................101(7) Chariot warriors of the gods ............................................................................101

Tašlīšu (‘third man,’ shield bearer) ..............................................................................102(1) ‘Third man’ of the king (tašlīšu ša šarri) ..........................................................103(2) ‘Third man’ of the crown prince (tašlīšu mār šarri) ........................................104(3) ‘Third man’ of the queen mother and the queen (tašlīšu ummi šarri, ša

MÍ.É.GAL)............................................................................................................105(4) ‘Third man’ of high officials ..............................................................................105(5) ‘Third man’ of governors and other officials ..................................................105(6) ‘Third man’ of the left and right ......................................................................107(7) Officers of ‘third men’ ........................................................................................107

(a) ‘Chief third man’ (tašlīšu dannu)..................................................................107(b) ‘Deputy third man’ (tašlīšu šanû) ................................................................108(c) ‘Commander-of-50 of the third men’ (rab ‹anšē ša tašlīšāni) ....................108

LÚ.GIŠ.GIGIR (susānu/šušānu, ‘chariot man,’ ‘chariot troop,’ ‘chariot horsetrainer,’ ‘Pferdeknecht’) ................................................................................................109

(1) Chariot man / chariot horse trainer (LÚ.GIŠ.GIGIR) ....................................109(2) Chariot man / chariot horse trainer of the crown prince (A—MAN) ........114(3) Chariot man / chariot horse trainer of the open chariotry (DU8.MEŠ) ......114(4) Chariot man / horse trainer of the open chariotry of the crown prince

(GIGIR A—MAN DU8.MEŠ (A—MAN?)) ......................................................115(5) Chariot man / horse trainer of the ta‹līpu chariotry (ša GIŠ.ta‹-líp) ............115(6) Chariot man / horse trainer of the reserve horses (na-kám-ti) ......................115(7) Chariot man / horse trainer of the qurbūtu bodyguard (qur-bu-[ti]) ............116(8) Chariot man / horse trainer of the ša—šēpē guard (ša—šēpē (GÌR.2)) ..........116(9) Chariot horse trainer of the team commander (ša GAL urât) ......................117(10) Chariot man / horse trainer of eunuchs (ša SAG.MEŠ) ..............................117(11) Chariot man / chariot horse trainer of the god Aššur (ša Aššur) ..............117

Murabbānu (‘horse raiser’) ............................................................................................117Raksu (‘recruit’) ..............................................................................................................118

(1) Recruit (raksu) ......................................................................................................118(2) Recruit of the chief eunuch (raksu ša rab ša—rēšē) ..........................................119(3) Recruit of the chariotry (raksu mugerri)............................................................119

Horse keeper of a god....................................................................................................120Chariot supervisor ........................................................................................................120

Officers of the chariotry..........................................................................................................120Prefect (šaknu) ................................................................................................................122

(1) Stable officer (lit. prefect of stables, šaknu ša ma’assi) ....................................122(2) Prefect of the ta‹līpu charioteers (šaknu LÚ.GIŠ.GIGIR ta‹-líp)....................122(3) Prefect of the horses of the chariotry of the left (šaknu šumēli sīsê mugerri) ......122(4) Prefect of the recruitment officers (šaknišunu ša mušarkisāni) ......................122(5) Prefect of the horses of the new house (šaknu ša sīsê bīt ešši) ........................122(6) Prefect of the horse trainers (šaknu ša susāni)..................................................122

Recruitment officer (mušarkisu) ....................................................................................122(1) Recruitment officer of the chariot owners (mušarkisu bēl mugerri) ..............127(2) Recruitment officers of the palace chariotry (mušarkisāni ša mugerri ekalli)127



TABLE OF CONTENTS

(3) Recruitment officer of the chariotry bodyguard (mušarkisu ša mugerri qurubte) ................................................................................................................127

(4) Recruitment officer of the deportees (mušarkisu ša šaglūte) ..........................128(5) Recruitment officer of the governor (mušarkisu ša šakin māti) ......................128

Cohort commander (rab ki%ir) ......................................................................................128Team commander (rab urâte) ........................................................................................130

(1) Team commander of the cavalry bodyguard (pēt‹al qurubte) ......................130(2) Team commander of the provincial units ......................................................131(3) Team commander of the chariotry bodyguard (rab urâte ša mugerri

qurubte) ................................................................................................................131(4) Team commander of the palace chariotry (rab urâte ša mugerri ekalli) ........131(5) Team commander of the stable officers (rab urâte ša šaknūte ša ma’assi)......131(6) Team commander of the Chief Eunuch (rab urâte ša rab ša—rēšē)................131(7) Team commander of the horse trainers ..........................................................132

Chariotry or cavalry commander (rab mūgi) ..............................................................132(1) Rab mūgi of the chariotry (LÚ.GAL—mu-gi ša GIŠ.GIGIR) ..........................134(2) Rab mūgi of the cavalry (LÚ.GAL—mu-gi ša BAD-‹al-li) ..............................135

Commander-of-50 (rab ‹anšê) ......................................................................................135(1) Commander-of-50 of the chariotry (rab 50 GIŠ.GIGIR.MEŠ) ......................135(2) Commander-of-50 of the ‘third men’ (rab 50 tašlīšāni )..................................135(3) Assyrian commander-of-50 of the ‘third men’ (Aššurāia rab 50 ša tašlīšāni) ......135(4) Commander-of-50 of the ‘third men’ of the ša-šēpē guard (rab 50 ša

tašlīšāni ša—šēpē) ................................................................................................136The size of the chariotry units ..............................................................................................136

(1) Reconstruction of the size of chariotry units using the number of chariots ................................................................................................................136

(2) Reconstruction of the size of chariotry units using the number of officers ..................................................................................................................138

(3) Reconstruction of the size of chariotry units using the number of soldiers..................................................................................................................143

(4) Reconstruction of the size of chariotry units using the number of horses ....................................................................................................................144

SUMMARY: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEO-ASSYRIAN ARMY......................................147

Assurnasirpal II (883—859 B.C.) ..................................................................................................147Shalmaneser III (858—824 B.C.) ..................................................................................................150Tiglath-Pileser III (745—727 B.C.)................................................................................................152Sargon II (721—705 B.C.) ..............................................................................................................154Sennacherib (704—681 B.C.) ........................................................................................................156Esarhaddon (680—669 B.C.) ........................................................................................................159Assurbanipal (668—631 B.C.) ......................................................................................................160

8 ASSYRIAN ARMY • Cavalry and Chariotry


Table of contents

CHARTS ................................................................................................................................................165Chart 1 Equestrian army of Sargon II ..........................................................................................165Chart 2 Officers and other military personnel of the Rēmanni-Adad archive

(671—660 B.C.) ..................................................................................................................166Chart 3 Officers and other military personnel of the Šumma-ilāni archive

(709—680 B.C.) ..................................................................................................................184Chart 4 Number of chariots and horses mentioned in the Assyrian royal inscriptions ........186Chart 5 Chariot drivers (mukil appāte) ..........................................................................................192Chart 6 Chariot warriors (māru damqu) ........................................................................................194Chart 7 ‘Third men’ (tašlīšu) ..........................................................................................................196Chart 8 Chariot men / chariot horse trainers (LÚ.GIŠ.GIGIR) and chariot owners

(bēl mugerri) ........................................................................................................................198Chart 9 The stucture of texts CTN III, 99, 102, 103, 108, 111 and the reconstruction of

Assyrian army units ..........................................................................................................202Chart 10 The reconstruction of equestrian units of two texts of Nimrud Horse Lists ............204Chart 11 Reconstruction of the Assyrian army – Infantry (ratio of the different arms

represented on the palace reliefs)....................................................................................206Chart 12 Reconstruction of the Assyrian army – Cavalry and Chariotry (ratio of the

different arms represented on the palace reliefs)..........................................................208Chart 13 Reconstruction of the Assyrian army (ratio of the different arms represented

on the palace reliefs)..........................................................................................................208

BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................................................................211

INDEX ....................................................................................................................................................241

PLATES ..................................................................................................................................................253

LIST OF FIGURESFig. 1. Reconstruction of the Assyrian cavalry of the Sargonides ..................................................38Fig. 2. Officers of the Assyrian cavalry ..............................................................................................44Fig. 3. Officers of the chariotry..........................................................................................................121Fig. 4. Number of recruitment officers mentioned in cuneiform sources ..................................126Fig. 5. List of tribute distributed to equestrian officers at court (FALES – POSTGATE 1995, 36) ..134Fig. 6. Numbers of chariots mentioned in Assyrian royal inscriptions ......................................137Fig. 7. Number of equestrian officers (cavalry and chariotry) listed in CTN III, 99 ................139Fig. 8. Number of equestrian officers (cavalry and chariotry) listed in the Nimrud Horse

Lists ..........................................................................................................................................140Fig. 9. The division of officers concerning ADD 857 ....................................................................160Fig. 10. Structure of the armies of Assyrian kings............................................................................163









Tamás Dezső

THE ASSYRIAN ARMYI. THE STRUCTURE OF THE NEO-ASSYRIAN ARMY

2. CAVALRY AND CHARIOTRY

Antiqua & orientalia

EÖTVÖS UNIVERSITY PRESSEÖTVÖS LORÁND UNIVERSITY

Tamás D

ezsőTH

E ASSYR

IAN

AR

MY I/2

Asszir_borito_Cavalry_ 2012.06.12. 2:16 Page 1

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Neo-Assyrian Army 2. Cavalry and Chariotry, The