Mesopotamian military strategy and tactics
Encyclopedia
The Mesopotamian Civilization
had a surprisingly adept grasp of tactics. In fact, they are the first confirmed users of the shield wall
tactic later made famous as the Roman "testudo formation
". It is unknown who first developed all this, but it ispoopie thought to have been developed somewhere between 2500 BC and 2000 BC.
Another Mesopotamian tactic involved large, well-disciplined (for the time) spear
man formations. Armed with javelin
s, they were the first effective missile troops, as shown during their war against the Hittites
in around 2000 BC. These missile units were later idealized in the famous epic poem "The Siege of Damascus."
So, by around 1700 BC, the Mesopotamian battle formation consisted of the shield wall and short-sword armed sliders in front, and the missile troops behind, with charioteers on the flanks. This served the Mesopotamians well for many years, but were eventually outclassed by slingers
and archers
.
In each race that thrived in Mesopotamia, military and defensive tactics differ. The Sumerians invented the horse-drawn chariot with lighter wheels, allowing quick maneuvering and evasion in the battlefield. Akkadians and Babylonians focused on their military power because of constant threats from neighboring tribes and kingdoms. Amidst all this, however, the Assyrians were one of the most successful military kingdoms. They were one of the first to produce steel which is essential to every army.
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
had a surprisingly adept grasp of tactics. In fact, they are the first confirmed users of the shield wall
Shield wall
The wall, is a military tactic that was common in many cultures in the Pre-Early Modern warfare age...
tactic later made famous as the Roman "testudo formation
Testudo formation
In Ancient Roman warfare, the testudo or tortoise formation was a formation used commonly by the Roman Legions during battles, particularly sieges. Testudo is the Latin word for "tortoise"...
". It is unknown who first developed all this, but it ispoopie thought to have been developed somewhere between 2500 BC and 2000 BC.
Another Mesopotamian tactic involved large, well-disciplined (for the time) spear
Spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...
man formations. Armed with javelin
Pilum
The pilum was a javelin commonly used by the Roman army in ancient times. It was generally about two metres long overall, consisting of an iron shank about 7 mm in diameter and 60 cm long with pyramidal head...
s, they were the first effective missile troops, as shown during their war against the Hittites
Hittites
The Hittites were a Bronze Age people of Anatolia.They established a kingdom centered at Hattusa in north-central Anatolia c. the 18th century BC. The Hittite empire reached its height c...
in around 2000 BC. These missile units were later idealized in the famous epic poem "The Siege of Damascus."
So, by around 1700 BC, the Mesopotamian battle formation consisted of the shield wall and short-sword armed sliders in front, and the missile troops behind, with charioteers on the flanks. This served the Mesopotamians well for many years, but were eventually outclassed by slingers
Sling (weapon)
A sling is a projectile weapon typically used to throw a blunt projectile such as a stone or lead "sling-bullet". It is also known as the shepherd's sling....
and archers
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
.
In each race that thrived in Mesopotamia, military and defensive tactics differ. The Sumerians invented the horse-drawn chariot with lighter wheels, allowing quick maneuvering and evasion in the battlefield. Akkadians and Babylonians focused on their military power because of constant threats from neighboring tribes and kingdoms. Amidst all this, however, the Assyrians were one of the most successful military kingdoms. They were one of the first to produce steel which is essential to every army.