I. 1.2 ’City units’
I.2. Provincial troops
I.2.2 Drafting troops into the Assyrian army from within the Empire
As has been discussed above, the Assyrian kings conscripted relatively large numbers of troops from the conquered and/or allied nations of the Empire. Such a case is known from the Babylonian Chronicle, when the majordomo of Esarhaddon (680—669 B.C.) conscripted troops in Akkad in 679,172677173and 676 B.C.174
A Nimrud administrative text (ND 2619)175provides the total number of equestrian troops conscripted from different parts of the Empire (Fig. 14).176 This text altogether lists 1,669 cavalrymen, 577+ chariot drivers, and 1,164 ‘third men’ – a remarkable force under the command of the sukkalluand other officers. Sargon II sent an order to Šarruēmuranni to Babylonia to mobilize and bring the conscripts (raksu)177of DūrLadini, DūrBali‹āia and Larak.178Such a case is known from a letter, in which an unknown Assyrian official reports to the king at the beginning of the muster season (5thof Nisan (I)) that the Larakeans have not provided their king’s men yet. They only gave 200 men, the rest are missing. The fragmentary letter in all probability also refers to the Babylonians in a similar context. It seems that the Assyrians imposed a quota of providing king’s men (%āb šarri) and their reserves179onto the conquered tribes.180£āb%il
Ēšarra (governor of Aššur) got an order from Sargon II to mobilize the reserves of the king’s men of the Ruqa‹u and ›allatu tribes.181A letter from Na’diilu, the Chief Cupbearer (rab šāqê) written to Sargon II records a similar case: he asked the king to send the following order to Nā%ibil:
“Assemble the whole BītAmukāni, stay with the Chief Cupbearer, and do whatever he commands you!”182Other sources also corroborate that large units of Aramean and Chaldean troops were enlisted (by force) into the Assyrian army: one of the letters written to Assurbanipal(?) mentions the archers of the Puqūdu (GIŠ.PAN.MEŠ ša LÚ.Puqūdu).183 A fragmentary Assyrian letter from the reign of Sargon II or Sennacherib mentions a relatively large number (20,000) of Chaldean archers (from BītDakkuri?).184 Not only men of Chaldean or Aramean tribes, but the people of conquered cities or towns also provided drafted troops.185An unfortunately fragmentary letter refers to 3,000 or 4,000 men of probably Ellipi in a campaign context, where the Assyrians probably wanted to draft reinforcements and asked Daltâ, king of Ellipi to provide it.186The royal correspondence of the Sargonides frequently mentions the troops
172GRAYSON1975, Chronicle 14 (Esarhaddon Chronicle), 6-9.
173GRAYSON1975, Chronicle 14 (Esarhaddon Chronicle), 12.
174GRAYSON1975, Chronicle 1 (745—668 B.C.), iv:3-4.
175PARKER1961, 38, ND 2619.
176For a detailed discussion seeKAPLAN2008, 135-152. He dated the text to the Mukin-zēri rebellion (731 B.C.). For the whole topic seeKAPLAN2006.
177For a detailed study seeDEZSŐ2012B, 118-120.
178PARPOLA1987, 18 (ABL 1292).
179For the commander of reserves (LÚ.GAL—rak-si) seePARPOLA1987, 177 (ABL 414), 6.
180LUUKKO2012, 151 (ND 2493).
181PARPOLA1987, 91 (ABL 94). For Ruqaḫu seefurthemore 92 (ABL 1086).
182LANFRANCHI– PARPOLA1990, 63 (ABL 194), Rev. 1-6.
183HARPER1892, 1028, Rev. 4.
184DIETRICH2003, 70 (CT 54, 64), 4-11. See furthermore 109 (ABL 1319), Rev. 7’-11’.
185An unknown official refers for example to the troops of the conquered Muṣaṣir (LANFRANCHI– PARPOLA1990, 139 (ABL 448).
186SAGGS2001, 134-136, NL 42 (ND 2655); FUCHS– PARPOLA2001, 84 (NL 42, ND 2655). A fragmentary letter of Issar-dūri refers to a cavalry unit of Nibê (of Ellipi), which must have joined to the Assyrian expeditionary army in Media (FUCHS– PARPOLA2001, 3 (ABL 159)).
of conquered nations who became vassals of the Assyrian king, including for example units from Philistia,187Kummu‹u,188Šadikanni,189Kumme,190and Mu%a%ir.191
Fig. 14. The structure of text ND 2619 (PARKER1961, 38).
LINES NUMBER OF
SOLDIERS UNIT TYPE PLACE OF ORIGIN SUMMARY
unit type number of soldiers
O.1 [x] cavalry
2 [x] [...] BƯt-Adini
3 134 ditto BƯt-Ukani
4 27 ditto Dnjr-Ellatia
5 12 ... estate of Bazi
6 53 ditto ša Zakir
7 56 ditto ša Dannu?-Nergal
8 38 ša Nabû-Ɲmuranni, mƗr Nadini
9 271 cavalry Larak
10 11 chariot drivers BƯt-Adini [cavalry] [658]
11 505 e-lat? (in addition to?) BƯt-Ukani cavalry 591
12 37 ditto chariot drivers 553
13 in all: 1,802 LÚ.SUKKAL in all: 1,802 14 143 cavalry BƯt-Adini
15 59? SabېƗnu
16 [x] chariot drivers ša Nabû-[...]
17 7 ‘third men’ BƯt-Adini cavalry 202
18 584? SabېƗnu chariot drivers [x]
19 566 BƯt-Adini ‘third men’ 1,157
20 in all: 1[x]20 Šumu-[...] in all: 1,359+[x]
21 117? people ۏa-[...]-ni
22 in Na܈ibina people 117?
23 6 ‘third men’ Larak
24 172 cavalry Larak ‘third men’ 6
25 46 cavalry BƯt-Dakkuri cavalry 218
26 in all: 224 from Til-Barsip in all: 224
27 24 chariot drivers Ru’a
28 [x] from the people
of
ša SabېƗnu
29 [x] ištu (from the country of) Zaban
30 and from Zamua
31 13 young men/sons (of) Šamšani
32 (from/at) Guzana chariot drivers 24
1,669 cavalry
577+[x] chariot drivers 1,164? ‘third men’
187PARPOLA1987, 155 (ABL 218).
188PARPOLA1987, 172 (NL 88), Rev. 22-29.
189PARPOLA1987, 223 (CT 53, 87), 4-Rev. 13.
190LANFRANCHI– PARPOLA1990, 97 (ABL 147), 4-15.
191LANFRANCHI– PARPOLA1990, 139 (ABL 448).
Provincial troops
The Assyrians drafted auxiliary forces from the conquered people of Babylonia as early as the Mukinzēri rebellion in 731 B.C. One of the letters written to TiglathPileser III reports the negotiations between Assyrian officials and the leaders of the Litāmu tribe: “The people of the Litāmu tribe have sent a message, saying: ‘We are servants of the king. On the thirtieth day we shall come (and) have discussions with you, and a strong force of soldiers(L[Ú]?.x.DAN.MEŠ) will come with us to the king.’”192Later it became a standard position for the vassals or subjugated communities that they promised to move out from their quarters with their troops, (only) when the king came or Assyrian troops showed up.193Such a case is known from the letter of Nabû
balāssuiqbî: “In the matter of the soldiers of the tribe of DūršaBali‹āia about which the king my lord sent a message, [the officials] of the king my lord indeed reveal that they know their guilt.
They are hearing the evidence about it. They will come (when) you come.”194
There is an obscure text, an administrative report, which has to be revisited, and which lists (military) personnel (LÚ.ERIM.MEŠ) and their equids (ANŠE.NITÁ.MEŠ) in two columns made up of various (ethnic) groups (Lidiaens, Itu’eans, ›amaraneans) assigned to different persons (Fig.
15). The official who gathered these personnel and equids sent altogether 198 soldiers, 195 equids, and 2 camels to the king. The Itu’eans provided 18 soldiers and 18 donkeys.195 Unfortunately no further details are known. The text does not mention cavalrymen, so this contingent might well have been a (military) caravan with escort and pack animals
Fig. 15. The structure of text ND 2366 (SAGGS1959, NL 60, SAGGS2001, 241242).
A quite different, but traditional way of drafting local auxiliary forces was used in Babylonia: the Assyrians integrated the Babylonian military and civilian administration into the Assyrian system. The key persons were the commandants (šandabakkus) of the Babylonian cities. The
lines
3’ … I reviewed them 4’ did [n]ot g[o] (away) and 5’ a[ssigned] th[e men] and donkeys 6’ brought them out on the 12th 7’ and they left for me.
8’ 19 soldiers (LÚ.ERIM.MEŠ)
19 donkeys (ANŠE.NITÁ.MEŠ) 9’ 13 his soldiers 10 donkeys + 1 camel (ANŠE.A.AB.BA)
10’ 3 soldiers 3 donkeys KUR.Li-di-a-a 11’ 81 soldiers 81 donkeys BƝl-lƝšir 12’ 18 soldiers 18 donkeys KUR.Ú-tu-u-a-a 13’ 15 soldiers 15 donkeys KUR.ۏa-mar-[an-a-a]
14’-15’ 59 soldiers 59 donkeys + 1 camel under the command of Šamaš-bunƗ [ia]
16’ 198 soldiers
17’ 195 donkeys
18’ 2 camels
19’-21’ I am (now) send[ing them to the king, my lord], in the custody of Apladad-[...], my messenger.
192SAGGS2001, 19-21, NL 1 (ND 2632), Rev. 39-42.
193Another letter from the time of the Mukin-zēri rebellion (731 B.C.) gives further details of probably similar negotiations between an Assyrian official and the leaders of an Aranmean/Chaldean tribe. SAGGS2001, 22-25, NL 2 (ND 2717) ; LUUKKO2012, 125 (ND 2717).
194SAGGS2001, 51-52 (ND 2689), 6-13.
195SAGGS1959, NL 60 (ND 2366), 12’, SAGGS2001, 241-242; LUUKKO2012, 177 (ND 2366).
Assyrians ordered the šandabakkus to mobilize the forces of their cities, and join the Assyrian army or perform local duties, like the borderguard duty along the border of their cities which were in several cases the imperial borders (for example along the Euphrates on the Arab front). The Assyrian philosophy of this tradition, since it was a tradition, is very well reflected in a letter of most probably Esarhaddon to the šandabakkuof presumably Nippur: “The former šandabakkus (governors of Nippur) who were there before you, whether they were at ease with their lords or not, were, like you, courtiers of their lords, and their lords’ favour obliged them, as it obliges you.
Each šandabakkuduly mobilised his forces and went with &allāia to where(ver) my grandfather sent him in the whole land of Akkad up to the Sealand. Now you, too, mobilise your forces and go and j[o]in Nabûē#ir, the governor of the northern Sealand! Do your work, ..., (and) make your names good in my eyes!”196 Similar letters of the royal correspondence of Esarhaddon and Assurbanipal frequently mention the commandants (šandabakkus) of Nippur,197 Babylon,198 Uruk,199Kish,200Cutha,201Dilbat,202and Marad.203The troops they provided for the Assyrians were mainly archers. A letter from the time of the Mukinzēri rebellion (731 B.C.) reports for example that the šandabakku(LÚ.GÚ.EN.NA) presumably of Nippur, joined the Assyrian forces with 3 chariots, […] cavalrymen, and 500 archers.204Illilbāni, governor of Nippur, and Aššurbēlu
taqqin, prefect and the ‘people of Nippur ’ wrote several letters to Esarhaddon asking for troops, since they had to keep watch along a long stretch of border along the Euphrates without cavalry, supported only by archers.205Two letters from the reign of Assurbanipal mention the archers of Uruk206while another letter written to Esarhaddon deals with two officials (Bēlīpuš and Bēl
uballi#) who had to mobilise archers (ERIM.MEŠ ša GIŠ.BAN) in Dilbat.207One of the letters to Esarhaddon concerns a certain ›innumu, the ‘commander of Uruk,’ who was accused by some fellow Urukians of having sided with the Elamite king. A fragmentary part of this letter mentions him in the context of [X] hundred spearmen and 300 archers.208 The latter were probably Babylonian city archers, possibly Urukians (this theory is supported by the appearance of spearmen, which suggests that these were regular units).
196REYNOLDS2003, 3 (ABL 540), 4-Rev. 10.
197REYNOLDS2003, 70 (ABL 327), 1-2;
198REYNOLDS2003, 70 (ABL 327), Rev. 10-11.
199REYNOLDS2003, 125 (ABL 965), 3-8. This text in an unfortunately broken context mentions [… hundred] spearmen and 300 archers (Rev. 25).
200REYNOLDS2003, 54 (ABL 1255), 10-12.
201REYNOLDS2003, 131 (CT 54, 37), 4-9; 156 (ABL 1394), Rev. 2-4.
202REYNOLDS2003, 183 (ABL 326), 8-9: Šulâ, the commandant of Dilbat appointed by Šamaš-šumu-ukīn.
203REYNOLDS2003, 192 (ABL 238), 9-10: Šuma-iddin, commandant of Marad.
204SAGGS2001, 22-25, NL 2 (ND 2717), 54’-57’; LUUKKO2012, 125 (ND 2717), Rev. 23-25.
205REYNOLDS2003, 196 (CT 54 141), 5’-12’: “From there is a half a shekel of territory (ca. 1 km) until the magnates. The second watch is from Dume-il to Šadirtu, a league (and) half a shekel of territory (ca. 11 km), pasture-land of the Euphrates. I keep telling Bēlšunu, ‘Give me troops and assign them to my watch’”; 197 (ABL 617+), 6-Rev. 4: “The territory before us is extensive, five stages of territory square. It is a watch for cavalry and archers. We have several times written to the house of our lords about the horses. Now we are keeping watch with archers (ERIM.MEŠ GIŠ.BAN) (only) and praying to the gods of the king, our lord.”;
198 (CT 54 454), 6’-12’: “Now then I have stationed […]s upon […]. We are praying to the gods of the king our lord. [However], this territory where we are keeping watch, its […] is very extensive indeed. [The king], my lord, knows it.”; 200 (ABL 797), 14-20: Illil-bāni, the king’s servant, and all the archers of Nippur with him are on watch where the king assigned him. And to his rear I keep guard for the king, my lord, in the city and open country.”
206HARPER1892, 754, 10: UNUG.KI-a-a ÌR.MEŠ ša LUGAL be-li-ia LÚ.GIŠ.PAN 5 ME 6 ME ina ŠU.II-ia LÚ ki-i aṣ-ba-tu („when I seized the people of Uruk, servants of the king, five or six hundred archers”); HARPER1892, 267, 14: […] GIŠ.PAN.MEŠ ša UNUG.KI, Rev. 13: Bēl-ibnî … LÚ.GIŠ.PAN.M[EŠ … it]-ti-šu ul-tu KUR.ELAM.MA.KI [il-li-ik]-u-ni.
207REYNOLDS2003, 54 (ABL 1255), 22-Rev. 10.
208REYNOLDS2003, 125 (ABL 965), Rev. 25.
Provincial troops