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Relief of early wagons on the Standard of Ur, ca. 2600 BC

First depictions of four wheeled wagons pulled by semi-domesticated onagers and other available animals come from the Sumerians. Standard of Ur ca. ... Standard of Ur ca. ... A wagon (in British English waggon) or dray is a wheeled vehicle, ordinarily with four wheels, usually pulled by an animal, or animals, such as horses, mules or oxen and used for transport of heavy goods. ... The Standard of Ur The Standard of Ur (also known as the Battle Standard of Ur, or the Royal Standard of Ur) is a Sumerian artifact excavated from what had been the Royal Cemetery in the ancient city of Ur (located in modern-day Iraq south of Baghdad). ... A wagon (in British English waggon) or dray is a wheeled vehicle, ordinarily with four wheels, usually pulled by an animal, or animals, such as horses, mules or oxen and used for transport of heavy goods. ... Sumer (or Shumer, Egyptian Sangar, Bib. ...

Approximate historical map of the spread of the chariot, 2000 –500 BC.

Against infantry the fast chariots used tactics of wearing down the enemy by missile fire, deploying heavy troops and running down enemies. Image File history File links by en:User:Dbachmann File links The following pages link to this file: Chariot User talk:Wiglaf ... Image File history File links by en:User:Dbachmann File links The following pages link to this file: Chariot User talk:Wiglaf ... Hittite chariot (drawing of an Egyptian relief) Approximate historical map of the spread of the chariot, 2000 –500 BC. A chariot is a two-wheeled, horse-drawn vehicle. ...

The area of the oldest spoke-wheeled chariot finds within the Sintashta-Petrovka culture is indicated in purple.

The next step was towards faster chariots with spoke-wheels. Lighter wheels made altogether lighter constructions possible. This made it feasible to outrun light infantry and other chariots. Long range weapons could be employed effectively against massed troops, moving always out of close combat range. Bows and arrows gave the marksmen a devastating effect against unarmored opponents. Slingers and javeliners who could counterattack and protect the other troops, had no armor protection. They were skirmishers, keeping out of enemy range. But the moving chariots were difficult to hit, while showering them with arrows. So they were rendered helpless against these. The role and tactics of war chariots are often compared to tanks in modern warfare. Image File history File links by en:User:Dbachmann File links The following pages link to this file: Chariot User talk:Wiglaf Andronovo culture Indo-Iranians ... Image File history File links by en:User:Dbachmann File links The following pages link to this file: Chariot User talk:Wiglaf Andronovo culture Indo-Iranians ... The Andronovo culture in the context of late 3rd millennium Indo-European expansion The Andronovo culture, is a name given by archaeologists to a group of Bronze Age communities who lived in western Siberia, Russia and parts of Kazakhstan during the second and first millennium BC. The culture is named... Hittite chariot (drawing of an Egyptian relief) Approximate historical map of the spread of the chariot, 2000 –500 BC. A chariot is a two-wheeled, horse-drawn vehicle. ... A spoke is one of some number of rods radiating from the center of a wheel (the hub where the axle connects), connecting the hub with the round traction surface. ... Bow may mean: Bow (knot): A type of knot Bow (music): A device used to play string instruments Bow (ship): The foremost point of the hull of a ship or boat Bow (weapon): An archery weapon that uses elasticity to propel arrows Bow (human): Bowing is the act of lowering... Japanese arrow (ya) and head // Weapon An arrow is a pointed projectile that is shot with a bow. ... A marksman is mostly to be found in a military context. ... Home-made sling. ... Hunting spear and knife, from Mesa Verde National Park. ... Modern warfare is a complex affair, involving the widespread use of highly advanced technology. ...

Chariots, carts and wagons still had the disadvantage of using more than one horse per transported soldier. The horses' collars strangled their breath seriously if the pulling force was too strong. It took till to the 9th century to invent the breastcollar and solve this problem. Riders achieved supremacy through greater manoeuvreability than chariots in the 1st millennium BC, as soon as the domesticated horse had been bred large enough to carry an armed man. As a means of recording the passage of time the 9th century was that century that lasted from 801 to 900. ... Tack is any of the various accessories worn by horses in the course of their use as domesticated animals. ...

Chariot and elephant warfare

The chariot was restricted to terrains with level ground and plenty of space. It was the core of most cavalrys, while it developed into shock-troops and commanding centers. Then it was replaced by the war elephants with its supreme abilities in melée. Agile infantry and early troops on horseback provided them protection and additional fighting power.

Light and medium chariots

Relief of Ramses II located in Abu Simbel fighting at the Battle of Kadesh. Note that there are two archers riding in the chariot, one of them having the reins tied around his body to free his hands. Archers in a chariot could use strong infantry bows, but while moving the undamped shaking lessened the ability to aim at specific targets.

There were two different ways for light chariots to operate on the battelfield. One was deploying heavily armed troops and giving them a fast moving platform, the other was using ranged weapons. A confrontation between these two concepts was the battle of Kadesh. When the movement of the Egyptian chariots could be blocked the medium Hittite chariots were in favor. They fought with a protected archer while deploying close combat troops. When the Egyptian chariots where able to surround them, their supreme firepower was an advantage, but they could not keep the enemy contained. Hittite chariots forced a retreat, because of their supremacy in close combat. Light chariots could be carried across unfavorable terrain, heavier types not. This limited their efficiency for warfare. Ramses II at the Battle of Kadesh (relief at Abu Simbel) The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... Ramses II at the Battle of Kadesh (relief at Abu Simbel) The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... Usermaatre-setepenre The Justice of Re is Powerful, Chosen of Re Nomen Ramesses (meryamun) Born of Re, (Beloved of Amun) Horus name Kanakht Merymaa Nebty name Mekkemetwafkhasut Golden Horus Userrenput-aanehktu Consort(s) Isetnofret, Nefertari Maathorneferure Issues Bintanath, Khaemweset, Merneptah, Amun-her-khepsef Meritamen Father Seti I Mother Queen Tuya... Model showing the relative positions of the Abu Simbel temples before and after relocation Categories: Ancient Egypt stubs | Wonders of the World ... Combatants New Kingdom of Egypt Hittite empire Commanders Ramesses II Muwatalli Strength ca. ... Combatants New Kingdom of Egypt Hittite empire Commanders Ramesses II Muwatalli Strength ca. ... Hittite can refer to either: The ancient Anatolian people called the Hittites; or The Hittite language, an ancient Indo-European language they spoke. ...

The Celtic chariot (essedum) was the longestlasting to be used in battles. It had a light and agile structure. A heavily armoured warrior stood on a small platform with two independent running spoken wheels. His charioteer was sitting on a thick rope and net connecting the platform to the horses. It could quickly carry the nobleman into battle and evacuate him in case of trouble. His preferred way of fighting was close combat. Fighting not on horseback was common among early cavalrys. This tactic is similar to the dismounted men-at-arms or modern mechanized infantry. A Celtic cross. ... Men at Arms is the 15th Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett. ... Mechanized infantry are infantry equipped with armored personnel carriers (APCs), or infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) for transport and combat (see also mechanized force). ...

Heavy chariots for shock-troops

These were, until war elephants came up, the only cavalry shock-troops available. Usually they were employed besides troops on horseback. Up to three men stood on a chariot, wielding polearms and close combat weapons. Javelins and bows were employed for range fighting. The chariot was a heavy construction and moved relatively slow. Light infantry could keep up with them. The momentum of this heavy chariot was sufficient to break through enemy formations, causing an effect similar to heavy cavalry with lances. It was tried to widen the gaps it caused, by attaching sickles or scythes to the axis. These should threaten to cut the calfs when passing. This tactic has been tried several times with different arrangements and weapons, but was never successful on the battlefield. Shock troops are group troops, typically infantry formations and their supporting units, intended to lead an attack. ... A pole weapon or polearm is a close combat weapon with the main fighting part of the weapon placed on the end of a long shaft, typically of wood. ... An army unit consisting of mounted soldiers are commonly known as cavalry. ...

Indian chariots and war elephants

Indian chariots combined the security of a chariot with the impact of a war elephant. In meantime infantry had learned to avoid chariots by forming passages and then attacked them in the back. Now the elephant rushed into the formation. He was equally dangerous for the infantry from the front or behind. The chariots could relatively secure follow him and assist with arrowfire into the gaps. After the Greek had their first contact in the battle of Gaugamela, this new tactic soon totally substituted chariots among shock-troops around the Mediterranean. Polybius tells that the Asian elephant "Suru" was the last one surviving after Hannibal`s passage over the Alps. Charging elephants caused terror and panic, and their thick hides made them difficult to injure or kill. ... Combatants Macedon other Greek allies Persia Commanders Alexander the Great Darius III Strength 50,000 infantry 7,000 cavalry (according to Arrian) 250,000 Persian infantry, 35,000 cavalry 200 scythed chariots war elephants (according to Curtius) Some historians claim the entire army was under 100,000 men Casualties 3... Polybius (c. ... Binomial name Elephas maximus Linnaeus, 1758 Asian Elephant range The Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus), sometimes known by the name of its nominate subspecies (the Indian Elephant), is one of the three living species of elephant, and the only living species of the genus Elephas. ... Hannibal is one of the most common prenames in Punic and we know several military commanders (strategos) with this prename during the Punic Wars, while their family names or nicknames are often not recorded. ...

War elephants

A war elephant with a mahout on top was already a weapon, replacing the heavy chariots. With thick skin they were difficult to kill. Additional armor made them appear invincible. Troops who had never faced such an animal before often retreated. Atop of them a light tower was mounted, carrying several marksmen with bows and javelins or sarissae. They are most likely compareable to modern tanks. Charging elephants caused terror and panic, and their thick hides made them difficult to injure or kill. ... A mahout is a person who drives an elephant. ... The sarissa (or sarisa) was a 3 to 7 meter (13-21 feet) long double pointed pike used in the Macedonian phalanx. ...

The Indian chariots were supplanted by skirmishers with range weapons. The higher density of shots and better aiming of infantry upgraded this weapon system. Elephants were used for frontal assaults against heavy infantry and for massive flanking manoeuvers. They move unequipped at a maximum speed of 30 km/h. Depending on their grade of equipment it was now possible for cheaper light infantry to stand their ground against their heavy counterpart. The moving of an elephant through most battle formations seemed at first unstoppable. Skirmishers are infantry soldiers who are stationed ahead or to the sides of a larger body of friendly troops. ... The military tactic of frontal assault is a direct, hostile movement of forces towards enemy forces in a large number, in an attempt to overwhelm the enemy. ... Four OS2U Kingfisher airplanes flying in right echelon formation. ...

African forest elephants and Asian elephants were employed. The Asian counterpart was considered far easier to handle and it was stronger, allowing to carry more battle gear. The bigger African bush elephant is not mentioned to be employed. Horses were frightened by the smell of the elephants which allowed them to be used as massive organic fortifications against cavalry maneuvers on the battlefield. In the battle of Raphia a direct confrontation between the two elephant species on the wings ended with a victory of the more powerful Asians. Binomial name Loxodonta cyclotis Matschie, 1900 The African Forest Elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) was until recently considered a subspecies of the African Bush Elephant (Loxodonta africana); however, DNA testing has now shown that there are in fact three extant elephant species: the two African types (formerly considered to be different populations... Binomial name Elephas maximus Linnaeus, 1758 Asian Elephant range The Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus), sometimes known by the name of its nominate subspecies (the Indian Elephant), is one of the three living species of elephant, and the only living species of the genus Elephas. ... Binomial name Loxodonta africana (Blumenbach, 1797) The African Bush Elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the better-known and larger of the two species of African elephants. ... The Battle of Raphia, also known as the Battle of Gaza, was a battle of the Syrian Wars between Ptolemy IV of Egypt and Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. ...

According to Polybius, Greeks and Romans showed the weaknesses of elephants. To avoid damage, heavy troops make columns for the elephants to pass without resistance and the light troops kill them afterwards. They are easy to scare by noise, especially the screams of pig's burning alive frightens them. Massed fire of javelins makes them nervous so they equally damage friend and enemy. To panic them it was advised to chop of their proboscis and to stop them their legs were attacked with axes. In case an elephant paniced and endangered own troops, Carthaginian mahouts were equipped to kill them. War elephants came totally out of use with the introduction of accurate field artillery. They were an easy target and could not be protected in the field. Polybius (c. ...

Sources

Polybius on the Celtic Chariot and warfare