The Assyrian Army I: The Structure of the Neo-Assyrian Army, 1. Infantry

336 Pages·2016·7.21 MB·English

by  Dezső T.

Asszir_borito_press_ 2012.03.21. 14:57 Page 1
Tamás Dezső
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Antiqua & orientalia
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1. INFANTRY
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EÖTVÖS UNIVERSITY PRESS
EÖTVÖS LORÁND UNIVERSITY
AssyrianArmy_I-1_:press 2012.03.21. 15:30 Page 1 (Black plate)
To the Memory of
P.R.S. Moorey
teacher, colleague, friend
AssyrianArmy_I-1_:press 2012.03.21. 15:30 Page 2 (Black plate)
Antiqua et Orientalia 2
Monographs of the Institute of Ancient Studies, Faculty of Humanities,
Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest
Assyriologia 8/1
Monographs of the Department of Assyriology and Hebrew, Institute of Ancient Studies,
Faculty of Humanities, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest
AssyrianArmy_I-1_:press 2012.03.21. 15:30 Page 3 (Black plate)
Tamás Dezső
THE ASSYRIAN ARMY
I.
T S
HE TRUCTURE OF THE
N -A A
EO SSYRIAN RMY
as Reconstructed from the Assyrian Palace Reliefs
and Cuneiform Sources
1. Infantry
Budapest, 2012
AssyrianArmy_I-1_:press 2012.03.21. 15:30 Page 4 (Black plate)
© Tamás Dezsô, 2012
Drawings: © Tamás Dezsô, 2012
ISBN 978 963 312 075 0
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
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T C
ABLE OF ONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................13
INFANTRY..............................................................................................................................................23
LIGHTINFANTRY ..................................................................................................................................25
AUXILIARYARCHERS ....................................................................................................................25
The representations (1—31) ....................................................................................................25
Cuneiform sources....................................................................................................................32
(1) Itu’a ................................................................................................................................32
(2) Ruqa‹u............................................................................................................................37
(3) ›allatu ............................................................................................................................37
(4) Iādaquand Ri‹iqu..........................................................................................................37
(5) Rubu’uand Litāmu (Lita’u) ..........................................................................................38
AUXILIARYSPEARMEN..................................................................................................................38
The representations (32—60) ..................................................................................................40
(1) Combing operations ........................................................................................................40
(2) Battle scenes....................................................................................................................40
(3) Marching scenes..............................................................................................................41
(4) Siege scenes......................................................................................................................43
(5) Guard scene 1: Siege wall scenes ....................................................................................44
(6) Guard scene 2:Stone quarry and escort scenes ..............................................................44
(7) Escorting captives and carrying booty............................................................................44
(8) Parade scenes ..................................................................................................................45
(9) Other contexts ................................................................................................................46
Cuneiform sources....................................................................................................................49
AUXILIARYSLINGERS....................................................................................................................51
AUXILIARYTROOPSOFVASSALS....................................................................................................51
REGULARINFANTRY ............................................................................................................................53
The early history of Assyrian regular infantry (883—745 B.C.)................................................53
The representations (61—70) ..................................................................................................53
Cuneiform sources....................................................................................................................56
(1) Zūku(‘infantry’)..........................................................................................................57
(2) Ummānu(‘army,’ ‘troops’) ........................................................................................57
(3) Gunu(‘horde’) ............................................................................................................58
(4) Ašarēdu(‘crack troop’?)................................................................................................58
(5) Qurādu(‘warrior,’ ‘hero’) ..........................................................................................59
(6) Munda‹%u(‘combat troop,’ fighting men,’ ‘warrior’)............................................59
(7) Muqtablu(‘fighter,’ ‘man-at-arms’)..........................................................................60
(8) Tidūku(‘warrior’)........................................................................................................60
(9) Kallāpu ('light troops')................................................................................................60
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TABLEOFCONTENTS
Regular infantry of the imperial period (745—612 B.C.)(71—89) ..........................................61
REGULARINFANTRYMEN ..............................................................................................................61
The representations (73, 75, 78—82) ......................................................................................61
Cuneiform sources....................................................................................................................64
Terms denoting infantrymen..........................................................................................64
(1)Qurādu(‘warrior,’ ‘hero’) ....................................................................................64
(2)Munda‹%u(‘fighting man’)..................................................................................65
(3)Tidūku(‘warrior’)..................................................................................................66
(4)Muqtablu(‘fighter,’ ‘man-at-arms’) ....................................................................66
(5)Zūku(‘infantry’)....................................................................................................66
(6)Zakkû(‘exempt infantry’) ....................................................................................67
(7) Kallāpu('regular infantryman') ..........................................................................69
(a) Kallāpu ..............................................................................................................71
(b) Kallāpu ša ekalli(kallāpuof the palace)..........................................................72
(c) Kallāpu šarri(kallāpuof the king) ..................................................................72
(d) Kallāpu qurbu(personal kallāpu)....................................................................72
(e) Kallāpu qurbūte (bodyguard kallāpu) ............................................................72
(f) Kallāpu ša URU.Ub-[…] (kallāpuof the town of Ub-[…])............................73
(g) Kallāpu ša LÚ.EN.NAM (kallāpuof the governor)......................................73
(h) Kallāp šipirte(‘messenger’ kallāpu)................................................................73
(i) Officers of kallāputroops ................................................................................74
(I) Rab kallāpāni(commander of kallāpu-s) ..................................................74
(II) Šaknu kallāpāni(prefect of kallāpu-s) ......................................................75
(8)&ābšarri (king’s men)............................................................................................75
Fields of employment......................................................................................................78
(1)Garrison troops........................................................................................................78
(2)Forts ........................................................................................................................79
(3)Guard ......................................................................................................................81
REGULARARCHERS ......................................................................................................................82
The representations (71, 72, 76, 77) ........................................................................................82
Cuneiform sources....................................................................................................................83
(1) Terms denoting archers............................................................................................85
(2) Ethnic and social background..................................................................................85
(3) Officers of archers....................................................................................................88
REGULARSPEARMEN ....................................................................................................................89
The representations (74, 83—89) ............................................................................................89
(1) Enemy spearmen......................................................................................................93
Cuneiform sources....................................................................................................................95
(1) Royal inscriptions....................................................................................................95
(2) Administrative texts................................................................................................96
(3) Ethnic and social background..................................................................................97
HEAVYINFANTRY..................................................................................................................................99
ARMOUREDARCHERS..................................................................................................................100
The early history of the Assyrian armoured archers (883—745 B.C.) (90—91)..............100
Armoured archers of the imperial period (745—612 B.C.) (93—109)..............................102
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ARMOUREDSPEARMEN(110—117)............................................................................................107
ARMOUREDSLINGERS(118—119)..............................................................................................112
BODYGUARDS ......................................................................................................................................115
The early history of bodyguards (883—745 B.C.) (120—126) ................................................115
Bodyguards of the imperial period (745—612 B.C.) ................................................................116
The representations (127—137) ............................................................................................116
Cuneiform sources..................................................................................................................120
Ša—šēpē(‘personal guard’) ..........................................................................................120
(1) Ša—šēpē(ša—šēpēguard, ‘personal guard’)....................................................121
(2) Ša—šēpē mār šarri(ša—šēpēguard of the crown-prince)................................122
Qurbūtu / ša—qurbūte(qurbūtubodyguard). ............................................................123
(1) Qurbūtu / ša—qurbūte(qurbūtubodyguard)....................................................124
(a) The qurbūtubodyguard’s connection with other Assyrian officials....126
(b) Qurbūtubodyguard as a court personnel................................................127
(c) The allocation of qurbūtubodyguards to the cities of the empire........129
(d) Qurbūtuas a witness in private contracts................................................131
(e) Qurbūtuas a judge or witness of court decisions ..................................133
(f) Qurbūtubodyguard delivering written orders and messages..............134
(g) Qurbūtubodyguard delivering valuables................................................134
(h) Qurbūtubodyguard gathering and escorting people............................134
(i) Qurbūtubodyguard providing escort and safety ..................................135
(j) Qurbūtubodyguard fetching deserters....................................................136
(k) Qurbūtubodyguard as supervisor............................................................136
(l) Qurbūtubodyguard collecting taxes........................................................136
(m) Qurbūtubodyguard in diplomatic context..............................................137
(n) Qurbūtubodyguard transporting horses ................................................138
(o) Military aspect of the service of the qurbūtubodyguard ......................139
(2) Qurbūtu / ša—qurbūte ša mār šarri(qurbūtubodyguard of the crown
prince) ..................................................................................................................141
(3) Qurbūtu / ša—qurbūte ummi šarri(qurbūtubodyguard of the queen
mother) ................................................................................................................142
(4) Qurbūtu / ša—qurbūte ša—šēpē (qurbūtubodyguard of the ša—šēpē
guard) ..................................................................................................................142
OFFICERSOFTHEINFANTRY ............................................................................................................143
The early history of infantry officers (883—745 B.C.) (138—146) ..........................................143
Infantry officers of the imperial period (745—612 B.C.) ........................................................144
The representations (147—172) ............................................................................................144
(1) Statistical approach..................................................................................................146
(2) Contextual approach................................................................................................149
(a)Military scenes....................................................................................................149
(b) Carrying spoil......................................................................................................149
(c) Bringing heads....................................................................................................150
(d) Escorting tribute bearers ..................................................................................150
(e) Escorting captives or deportees........................................................................150
(f) Escorting musicians............................................................................................151
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(g) Leading envoys to a royal audience................................................................151
(h) Escorting the royal chariot................................................................................151
(i) Guarding the royal throne..................................................................................152
(j) Executing captives ..............................................................................................152
Cuneiform sources..................................................................................................................154
Commander-of-10 (rabešerti)........................................................................................154
Commander-of-50 (rab‹anšê) ......................................................................................154
Cohort commander (rabki%ir) ......................................................................................157
(1) Cohort commander (rab ki%ir)............................................................................160
(a) Cohort commanders in military contexts..................................................161
(b) Cohort commanders in other contexts......................................................161
(c) Social status of cohort commanders ..........................................................162
(d) Economic background of cohort commanders........................................163
(e) Cohort commanders in witness lists..........................................................164
(f) Private archives of cohort commanders ....................................................165
(2) Cohort commander of the king(rab ki%ir ša šarri) ..........................................170
(3) Cohort commander of the palace (rab ki%ir ša ekalli)......................................170
(4)Cohort commander of the Chief Eunuch(rab ki%ir rab ša—rēšē)..................171
(5) Cohort commander of the qurbūtu bodyguard (rab ki%ir ša—qurbūte)........173
(6) Cohort commander of the ša—šēpē guard (rab ki%ir ša—šēpē) ......................173
(7) Cohort commander of the ša—šēpē guard of the palace (rab ki%ir ša—
šēpē ša ekalli)..........................................................................................................174
(8) Cohort commander of the left (rab ki%ir šumēli)..............................................174
(9) Cohort commander of the crown prince (rab ki%ir ša māršarri)....................175
(10) Cohort commander of the qurbūtu bodyguard of the crown prince
(rab ki%ir ša—qurbūte ša mār šarri)......................................................................176
(11) Cohort commander of the ša—šēpē guard of the crown prince
(rab ki%ir ša—šēpē ša mār šarri)............................................................................177
(12) Cohort commander of the queen (rab ki%ir ša MÍ.É.GAL) ............................177
(13) Cohort commander of the queen mother (rab ki%ir ummi šarri)....................178
(14) Cohort commander of the Vizier(rab ki%ir ša sukkalli) ..................................179
(15) Cohort commander of the ‘staff-bearers’ (rab ki%ir[…] LÚ.PA.MEŠ)..........179
(16) Cohort commander of the Cimmerians? (rab ki%ir Gimirrāia) ......................179
(17) Cohort commander of the town (rab ki%ir ša āli) ............................................180
(18) Deputy of the cohort commander (šanû ša rab ki%ir)......................................180
Chiliarch (rab līmi)..........................................................................................................180
Prefect(šaknu) ................................................................................................................180
(1) Prefect of the crown prince (šaknu mār šarri)..................................................185
(2) Prefect of the ša—šēpē guard (šaknu ša—šēpē) ................................................185
(3) Prefect of the ‘staff-bearers’ (šaknu ša LÚ.PA.MEŠ) ......................................186
(4) Prefects of foreign troops ..................................................................................186
(5) Prefect of the kallāpu troops (šaknu kallāpāni)..................................................186
(6) Prefect of the mā‹i%āni(šaknu ša mā‹i%āni) ......................................................187
Major-domo (rab bēti) ....................................................................................................187
Governor (bēl pī‹ati) ......................................................................................................189
(1) Troops of the governors ....................................................................................190
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(2) Provincial and foreign units (king’s men) of the ki%ir šarrūtistationed
in the provinces...................................................................................................191
(a) Regular troops – king’s men........................................................................191
(b) Auxiliary troops of governors ....................................................................192
(c) Vassal units of the provinces ......................................................................193
(3) Mobilization of provincial troops ....................................................................194
(4) Campaigns of governors....................................................................................195
(5) Borderguard duty ..............................................................................................199
(6) Supply..................................................................................................................201
Magnates (rabûti)............................................................................................................202
(1) Troops of magnates assembling........................................................................205
(2)Magnates on campaign......................................................................................206
(3) Magnates building forts ....................................................................................208
(4) Magnates bringing tribute ................................................................................208
(5) Magnates of foreign rulers................................................................................209
(6) Working and other duties of magnates ..........................................................210
High officials ..................................................................................................................210
(1) Sartennu(Chief Judge)........................................................................................211
(2) Sukkallu(Vizier) ..................................................................................................211
(3) Masennu (Treasurer) ..........................................................................................214
(4) Nāgir ekalli(Palace Herald)................................................................................216
(5) Rab šāqê(Chief Cupbearer)................................................................................217
(6) Turtānu(Commander-in-Chief)........................................................................218
(7) Rab ša—rēšē(Chief Eunuch)..............................................................................222
CHARTS..................................................................................................................................................229
BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................................................................................................................239
INDEX ....................................................................................................................................................269
Index of personal names ..............................................................................................................269
Index of the names of deities........................................................................................................278
Index of the names of people ......................................................................................................279
Index of geographical names ......................................................................................................280
PLATES ..................................................................................................................................................285
LISTOFFIGURES
Fig. 1. The basic structure of the Assyrian army ..........................................................................20
Fig. 2.The development of regular infantry..................................................................................62
Fig. 3. Different types of spearmen in the infantry of Assurbanipal ........................................92
Fig. 4. Foreign infantrymen enlisted in the royal corps(ki%ir šarrūti)........................................95
Fig. 5. Types of officers according to their equipment (statistical approach) ........................145
Fig. 6. Relative list of importance provided by omina ..............................................................153
ASSYRIAN ARMY • Infantry 9