During the first millennium BCE, warfare with neighboring civilizations was a constant possibility. The only way a society would be safe would be by having an advantage over its attackers. The Assyrians found that advantage in the new technology of iron weapons. The Assyrian empire reached its height between the ninth and seventh centuries B.C.E., and although it would be in constant war with their various rivals, which included the Babylonians, Egyptians, and the Hittites, their military was much better equipped.1
By 800 B.C.E., the Assyrian army was ruthlessly conquering other territories with their use of iron weaponry, which was superior to the brittle bronze weapons that were still being used at the time. They adopted the Hittite’s technique of smelting iron and were the first to incorporate it in their variety of weapons. The process used involved extracting oxygen from metal ore using charcoal, leaving just the metal alone.2 Most of the iron produced at that time was used for making weapons for both short and long range, as well as armor for protection.
The short ranged weapons included iron swords, daggers, javelins, and spears.3 Iron swords were used for close combat and they gave the Assyrians a great advantage. Unlike their bronze sword counterparts, iron swords suffered less damage, and if bent, they were able to return to their original shape. The daggers were also sturdier and were used commonly on enemies. They were carefully crafted and modeled like combat knives, which were highly valued.4 The next two weapons are considered mid-ranged since they could be thrown if need be. Both spears and javelins were long pointed sticks. The spear was usually a wooden shaft with an iron spearhead and usually measured around five feet. They were used on opponents themselves, while the javelins were used to break their opponents’ shields or puncture their armor.
Other forms of weaponry included those that were long ranged. One of the two main long ranged weapons included the sling. A strong army included specialist slingers who could aim a sling bullet to fire up to 1300 feet.5 It was very practical due to its cheap production cost and lightweight structure. Many soldiers were stationed at a hill fort, and with these iron slings they were able to aim their slings better. The other weapon was the bow, which either used iron tipped arrows or flaming arrows, and they had a range of up to 700 yards.6
Finally, the Assyrian army used three main iron shields, all of which were superior to previous models that had been made of either bronze or wood. The most common shield was the round shield, which could sometimes contain embedded spikes. Another shield was the convex shield, which was similar to a rectangle in shape and could also include spikes to be used as a weapon if need be. Lastly, the conical shield, like its name, was cone-like in shape. 7
Due largely to the fact that the Assyrians were the first to incorporate iron into their daily lives, they were able to build a powerful army. Assyria is remembered for its strong military, improvements in weaponry, and numerous conquests, all of which would not have been made possible without the cheap yet efficient use of iron.
- John Marriott and Karen Radner, “Sustaining the Assyrian Army Among Friends and Enemies in 714 BCE,” Journal Of Cuneiform Studies 67 (2015): 129. ↵
- A. J. Arkell, “The Iron Age in the Sudan,” Current Anthropology 7, no. 4 (1966): 451-52. ↵
- Mark Healy and Angus McBride, The Ancient Assyrians (London: Osprey, 1991), 12. ↵
- Vagn Fabritius Buchwald, Iron and Steel in Ancient Times (Copenhagen: Det Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskab, 2005), 63-65. ↵
- Salem Press Encyclopedia, January 2016, s.v. “Clubs, maces, and slings.” by Scott M. Rusch. ↵
- Salem Press Encyclopedia, January 2015, s.v. “War and Weapons in the Ancient World,” by Wilton Eckley. ↵
- A. J. Arkell, “The Iron Age in the Sudan,” Current Anthropology 7, no. 4 (1966): 451-52. ↵
35 comments
Raymond Davila
This article does well to describe just how significant the discovery and usage of iron was during war and what it was used for. Today this might seem like something insignificant but back then it had a huge impact. The fact that iron weapons sustained less damage when used and if bent was easily fixed, was far superior when compared to the previously used bronze.
Ezequiel De La Fuente
Good job on the very well written informative article! I’m tacking Mr. Bradford’s class right now and I read this article at the perfect time. We are learning about ancient societies right now and I enjoyed reading this more detailed article of how the Assyrians used Iron in war and to defend their selves. Usually when I think of their weapons, I only think of swords and shields. Nice to find out they had such a broad variety.
Samuel Sanchez
It’s amazing how the Assyrians were able to create their weapons out of iron. They were able dominate other territories because of their innovation in their weapons. I liked how you were able to list all the weapons they used in their fights. If it wasn’t for their use of iron I do not think they would have been as successful. Overall great article
Natalia Zuniga
Great article! I had never heard of the Assyrian army and now wonder why of they were so powerful and innovative with their weapony. i can tell you did a lot of research. The photograph of King Ashurbanipal was great, as well as your cover graphic gave me a better idea of what the article was about. Overall great job!
Cesar Zavala
It’s surprising how iron, a commodity that is very common and fairly cheap nowadays, could have such a drastic advantage on the battle field. And to have been able to create iron such a long time ago makes it that much more remarkable to me. Overall this was a very well-written, entertaining, and informative article on the early emergence of iron in the battle field.
Justin Sassman
A very interesting article about how the early use of iron implemented well into a civilization can secure their power among other civilization like a world superpower but one of that time period. Also the detailing of how each weapon of their arsenal and how it was used at the time was very interesting, like the spear and javelin, over all a very good article.
Ivanna Rodriguez
Excellent article! I had never realized how powerful the Assyrian army was. Now I know that their immense power came from the use of iron. It’s incredible how they innovated their weapons just by using iron. Their innovation with iron weaponry allowed to the Assyrians to become fierce conquerors. If it weren’t for the incorporation of iron, the Assyrians wouldn’t have succeded. This was an extremely well-organized and researched article. Awesome job Diana!
Jezel Luna
I have always known that swords and spears were used during combat. However, I was unaware of the process Assyrian’s used to make them. It’s amazing how the soldiers in ancient history had to come closer in contact in order to kill the enemy. Today it can be done with bombings or even weapons that can fire from long ranges. Even with technology not being as efficient as it is today, the Assyrian’s sling bullet could fire up to 1300 feet. I really enjoyed how you went into detail with each of the weapons.
Aylin Salinas
It’s quite interesting how the Assyrian army created their weapons and how they developed the different weapons used in wars. Your examples really gave light to what it was that was created by the Assyrian army. It’s crazy to think how far we’ve come from that point in time!
Rachel White
While reading this article, I could not help thinking about my Environmental Science class and the process of mining, processing and enhancing minerals to create usable substances. This in mind, I was surprised my how advanced this society must have been to be able to come up with techniques that would give the same result as the heavy machinery we use today. It also puts into perspective how long the process of making the iron tools that idly sit by my fireplace would have taken then compared to now; let alone how arduous making the weaponry they did would have been. Great job writing the article and interesting topic.