Armies of the Assyrian Empire, 1363-609 BC

Assyrian armies mastered organized combined-arms tactics, specialized troops, missile forces, cavalry, and siege warfare. The Assyrians built one of the first great empires, which, under famous warrior kings such as Shalmeneser III and Senacherib, began to dominate its Middle Eastern neighbours in the ninth and eighth centuries BC and reached its apogee with the conquest of Egypt under Essahardon in the first half of the seventh century BC. Their long military supremacy was made possible by the development of a sophisticated army that was among the first to organize itself efficiently with specialized troops divided into regular units and subunits, the whole forming a true combined-arms force. In addition to giving an overview of the major campaigns and battles, Gabriele Esposito examines in detail each component of this potent army: chariots, armoured and unarmoured infantry, various kinds of missile troops, skirmishers and cavalry (an arm in which they were at the cutting-edge of development). He discusses the organization, weapons and equipment and their tactics, both in open battle and in siege warfare, a discipline in which the Assyrians excelled. The text is supported by dozens of colour images of replica weapons, armour and costume in use, bringing this fascinating and formidable army back to life.