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Iron: Assyria and Persia Iron • Historians have argued that iron gave an unstoppable edge to armies that used it • Capable of stopping or cutting through bronze weapons • This is false for several reasons – Iron at the time was crude and hard to make – Against a better organized force, special weapons weren’t enough Assyrian Empire • Based out of the city of Ashur – Built on major trade routes • Became a center of trade, and learning and thus a center of military advancement Assyrian Technology • The Recurved Bow – Added a re-curve to the bow in order to extend its firing power without extending its length Siege Equipment • Assyrian army famous for taking cities • Turtle Battering Ram – Armored battering ram that protected forces as they approached city gates Assyrian Cavalry • First use of effective horsemen in battle • Rode in tandem, one man controlling reigns, the second firing bow or using spears • Iron: required high temperature smelters – Extremely rare in Assyrian army – Used as prestige weapons, only by generals and Kings Assyrian Power • True strength of the Assyrians was their psychological tactics • Army moved in tight units – Presented the image of an invincible force – Enemy leaders, when captured would be flayed, their skin displayed on the walls of their own city – Terror tactics used against rebellions – Those who cooperated got to stay on as vassal kings – Gave impression of Assyrians being dangerous and unstable foes Assyrian power • Assyrian palaces decorated with images of conquering Assyrian army and fate of those conquered The myth of Assyrian warmongering • Assyrians careful with their conquest • Only attacked areas that were vital to their trade interest or threatened wealth Fall of Assyria • Assyrian reliance on myth of invincibility proved to be downfall – Collapse of Assyrian army during siege of Jerusalem – Assyria loses major battle to Babylonian, Chaldean, and Medes alliance. Leads to panic and collapse Persia • Persian Empire rose in what is now Iran • First great Persian ruler was Cyrus (560530BCE) – Conquered nearby Medians and adopted much of the trappings of their Empire – Political vacuum created by fall of Assyria allowed Persia to conquer vast stretches of land Persian Army • Persian army famous for its discipline • Core of the army focused on The Immortals – Elite group of 10,000 warriors – Used coordinated archery and infantry charges – Fired arrows in synchronized volleys to protect infantry as they advanced – Closed quickly to hide losses, giving impression of immortality Persian conquests • Persians take all of Assyria and Babylon • End the Babylonian exile in exchange for promise of tribute from new Jewish Kingdom • Conquer Egypt Immortals Persian Army • Core of army supported by client armies – Armies raised from vassal states – Made up of large numbers of often poorly trained men – Created the image of a vast, powerful and unstoppable force – Each client army fought according to their own customs and traditions Arab Dromedary Corps • Used camels instead of horses • Capable of striking out of deserts or mountain areas • Trained as an anti-cavalry force, used lassos to entangle feet of enemy cavalry Psychological Effect • Like the Assyrians, Persians relied on psychological effects of war • Massive armies meant enemies typically fled or surrendered • Iron Immortals became a terrifying legend Feeding the Army • Persians had to master logistics – The work of organizing, feeding and coordinating movement of an army – Corps of highly trained engineers and supply officers sent ahead of army to establish supply dumps for approaching soldiers – Extensive use of camp followers including women to maintain army in the field – Meant army could only advance slowly Persian Soldier • Typically outfitted with wooden or wicker shield • Widespread advancements in smelting led to use of Iron “Fish Scale” armor – Tiny iron plates riveted to a leather jacket – Impressive looking but not very effective • Heavy use of spears and bows The Greek-Persian Wars • First time the Persian Army faced an equally organized force in the form of the Greeks • Began when Persian colonies near Greece began to rebel, urged on by Athens • Persian King Darius I demanded tribute from Greek city-states and an end to interference • Greek refusal led to Persians sending a 1.7 million man army to make an example of Greeks (492 BCE) Persia and Greece Battle of Marathon • Background: Persians sought to land overwhelming forces on Greek coast with goal of marching on and destroying Athens • Greek forces arrayed in order to stop landing before it could take hold Order of Battle • Greeks used around 7,000 hoplites – Heavy infantry arrayed in tight battle formation called phalanxes Order of Battle • Persian fleet consisted of 600 triremes – Standard naval ship of the time – Literally means “Three oar” – Three decks of rowers guide ship • Ram on front to allow for attacking enemy vessels • Carried a crew of 200 Battle • Athenians initially told to wait for approaching Spartans • Entire Athenian army deployed – All in battle, no reserves, no one defending Athens • On seeing Persians landing cavalry, choose to attack at once Battle • Greeks use feint to draw Persians up to the center • Hoplite forces then attack Persian flanks in a double envelopment maneuver – Simultaneous attacks on both flanks. If carried out correctly, enemy surrounding and thrown into disarray Battle of Marathon Outcome • Despite being outnumbered 2-1, Persian forces routed and flee back to ships. • Hundreds slaughtered in the water • 7 Persian triremes captured several more burned Outcome • Greeks see battle as a major psychological victory, proof that massive Persian force can be defeated • Minor annoyance to Persians, requires redeployment of forces The Battle of Thermopylae • Darius I dies shortly after Battle of Marathon, his successor Xerxes plans to utterly crush Greek city-states • Massive Persian army, including Xerxes, and his train land in Southern Greece • Spent several years preparing for expedition, giving Greeks ample time to prepare Battle of Thermopylae • Size of Persian army hampers travel north • Xerxes knows he can’t afford delays, would allow city-states to further unite against him • Reaches high mountain pass at Termopylae to find it defended by a tiny, elite force of Spartan warriors – Believes this will be an easy victory The 300 Background • Sparta ruled by council and two kings • Any major decision requires both kings and council to act unanimously • Disagreement between Kings means that full Spartan army cannot be deployed • King Leonides decides to “take a walk” with 300 companions (all armed to the teeth) Spartan warriors • Spartan citizens (vast minority of population) required to undergo military training at age 20. • Served in active military until 30. • Bound by strict honor code in which worst crime was cowardice in battle Spartan Warriors • Heavily armored in Bronze • Trained to used spears at medium range then switch to long sword • Bronze shields • Highly skilled in tight quarters • Had little mobility The Battle • Spartans and allies arrange themselves to block Pass (only 50 meters wide) • Hold out against army for 3 days – Often used false retreat to lure Spartan army in and destroy them – Defeated Immortals in battle thanks to shields being able to withstand arrow volleys The Battle • On 4th Day, Xerxes learns of a second path through mountains from Greek traitor • Spartans send their allies back in order to warn rest of army, hold pass alone • Spartans fight to the last man Outcome • Greeks defeated, but Persian army takes overwhelming losses • Persians march to Athens, find it deserted and burn it • The Persians, having suffered heavy losses attempt to reinforce by sea • Athenian navy draws Persian fleet into a narrow channel and destroys it – Xerxes forced to retreat, despite victory, suffers heavy losses due to starvation and disease The Final Straw: Battle of Mycale • Persians succeed in crushing Greek supported rebellions in Ionia, leaves Greeks once again vulnerable • Allied city states prepare a fleet of triremes to attack Persians and rally Ionian rebels • Xerxes readies fleet in preparation for Greek attack Prelude • Knowing Greek army is landing, Xerxes has forces beach several ships and build a palisade – A fort made of makeshift walls – Gives away chance to attack Greek navy at sea • Expects victory, watches battle from hilltop on a golden throne • Greeks land successfully and put out call to Ionians to assemble behind them for one last battle Battle • Persians unable to break heavy Greek lines • Forced to fall back to palisades • Greeks engage Persians, holding them long enough for Ionian allies to circle around behind and attack the camp • Persian army slaughtered, Xerxes personally watches his army crumble Mycale Decline of the Empire • Loss of Persian army leads to successful Egyptian revolution • Greeks never again have to worry about Persian invasion • Persian army begins adopt Greek tactics and weapons – Adopts them just in time for a more technologically advanced army led by Alexander the Great to permanently end their Empire Conclusion • Persians and Assyrians demonstrate that better technology and weapons are no match for superior tactics • Demonstrate both the success and limits of psychological warfare