72-AN-1103 ASSYRIAN SHIELD WALL WITH ARCHERS

The Assyrian infantry, and more precisely the infantry of the New Assyrian state (from around 930 to 612 BCE), was undoubtedly the most numerous type of armed force in the army of this state. It was also a much cheaper type of armed force than cavalry. It also turned out to be much more effective - for example, in the course of siege works. Assyrian infantry units were composed of both native Assyrians and soldiers descended from conquered peoples, the latter most often serving as auxiliary and secondary roles. The main weapon of the Assyrian infantry, until the time of Tiglathpilesar III (reigned 744-727 BC), was the bow. Very often the archer units were protected by the so-called shield-bearers, i.e. soldiers wearing large shields intended to protect both the soldiers who wear them and the archers. It is worth adding that the Assyrians used different types of bows with different ranges and penetrating power. Some changes to the Assyrian infantry came as a result of a reform introduced by Tiglathpilesar III that added units of spearmen that may have been well armored with bronze armor. Nevertheless, the exact defensive armament of these spearmen is not clear and may have evolved in the 8th-7th centuries BC.