Warfare in the Ancient Near East to 1600 BC: Holy Warriors at the Dawn of History (Warfare and History)

Dr. Hamblin, a professor of history at Brigham Young University and a frequent FARMS contributor (for example, with Stephen D. Ricks, coeditor of the important 1990 FARMS volume Warfare in the Book of Mormon), has produced a hefty tome that ranges from its opening chapter on "The Neolithic Age and the Origin of Warfare (to c. 3000)" to an eighteenth chapter treating "Early Second Intermediate Period Egypt (1786-1667)." In between, he discusses warfare and siegecraft in Mesopotamia under the Akkadians and Neo-Sumerians and through the Middle Bronze Age (which furnishes the volume's terminal date); covers Mari, Syria, Lebanon, Canaan, and Anatolia; and closes with several chapters on warfare in Egypt commencing from the Pre-Dynastic, Early Dynastic, and Old Kingdom periods. Among many other topics, the book treats questions of recruitment and training, logistics, weaponry, the role of "magic," naval conflict, fortifications, and combat narratives. Hamblin pays particular attention to the ideology of the "holy war" in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, arguing that subsequent Near Eastern concepts of "holy war" (including today's) should be understood against this older background. In a jacket endorsement, Professor Robert Drews of Vanderbilt University pronounces the book "a goldmine of information--both textual and archaeological." Drawing On An Extensive Range Of Textual, Artistic, And Archaeological Data, Warfare In The Ancient Near East To 1600 Bc Offers A Detailed Analysis Of The Military Technology, Ideology, And Practices Of Near Eastern Warfare, Focusing On Key Topics Including : Recruitment And Training Of The Soldiers; The Logistics And Weaponry Of Warfare, With Emphasis On The Shift From Stone To Metal Weapons; The Role Played By Magic; Narratives Of Combat And Artistic Representations Of Battle; The Origins And Development Of The Chariot As A Mode Of Military Transportation; Fortifications And Siegecraft; And Developments In Naval Warfare. Hamblin Pays Particular Attention To The Earliest-known Examples Of Holy War Ideology In Mesopotamia And Egypt, And Argues That This Era Laid The Foundation For Later Near Eastern Concepts Of Holy War, And That Such Understandings Remain Of Vital Significance In The World Today. Illustrated Throughout, Including Maps Of The Region, This Book Is Essential For Experts And Non-specialists Alike.--book Jacket. The Neolithic Age And The Origin Of Warfare {to C. 3000} -- Early Dynastic Mesopotamia {3500-2334} -- The Akkadian Empire {2334-2190} -- The Neo-sumerian Period {2190-2004} -- War-carts And Chariots -- Middle Bronze Mesopotamia {c. 2000-1600} -- Warfare In The Age Of Mari -- Mesopotamian Siegecraft -- Syria And Lebanon -- Canaan -- Anatolia -- Pre-dynastic And Early Dynastic Egypt {3500-2687} -- Old Kingdom Egypt {2687-2181} -- Warfare During The Old Kingdom -- First Intermediate Period Egypt {2190-2061} -- Middle Kingdom Egypt {2061-1786} -- The Military System Of The Middle Kingdom -- Early Second Intermediate Period Egypt {1786-1667}. William J. Hamblin. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 494-506) And Index. Book Cover......Page 1 Warfare in the Ancient Near East to 1600 BC......Page 2 Series-Title......Page 3 Title Page......Page 6 ISBN 0415255899, 0415255880......Page 7 Dedication......Page 8 Contents (with page links)......Page 12 Illustrations, Maps, Tables (with page links)......Page 14 Preface......Page 15 Abbreviations......Page 16 Introduction......Page 26 1. The Neolithic Age and the origin of warfare {to c. 3000}......Page 39 2. Early Dynastic Mesopotamia {3500–2334}......Page 60 3. The Akkadian empire {2334–2190}......Page 98 4. The Neo-Sumerian period {2190–2004}......Page 127 5. War-carts and chariots......Page 154 6. Middle Bronze Mesopotamia {c. 2000–1600}......Page 179 7. Warfare in the age of Mari......Page 210 8. Mesopotamia siegecraft......Page 240 9. Syria and Lebanon......Page 262 10. Canaan......Page 294 11. Anatolia......Page 310 12. Pre-Dynastic and Early Dynastic Egypt {3500–2687}......Page 333 13. Old Kingdom Egypt {2687–2181}......Page 353 14. Warfare during the Old Kingdom......Page 378 15. First Intermediate Period Egypt {2190–2061}......Page 393 16. Middle Kingdom Egypt {2061–1786}......Page 407 17. The military system of the Middle Kingdom......Page 437 18. Early Second Intermediate Period Egypt {1786–1667}......Page 481 Notes......Page 489 Bibliography......Page 519 Index (with page links)......Page 532 Routledge History......Page 543 For many historians, military history began in Classical Greece. Chronologically, however, half of recorded military history occurred before the Greeks rose to military predominance. In this groundbreaking and fascinating study, William J. Hamblin synthesises current knowledge of early ancient Near Eastern military history in an accessible way, from the Neolitihic era until the Middle Bronze Age.Drawing on an extensive range of textual, artistic, and archaeological data, Warfare in the Ancient Near East to 1600 BC offers a detailed analysis of the military technology, ideology, and practices of Near Eastern warfare, focusing on key topics including: recruitment and training of the soldiers; the logistics and weaponry of warfare, with emphasis on the shift from stone to metal weapons; the role played by magic; narratives of combat and artistic representations of battle; the origins and development of the chariot as a mode of military transportation; fortifications and siegecraft; and developments in naval warfare. Hamblin pays particular attention to the earliest-known examples of holy war ideology in Mesopotamia and Egypt, and argues that this era laid the foundation for later Near Eastern concepts of holy war, and that such understandings remain of vital significance in the world today. The only book available that covers this subject, Warfare in the Ancient Near East is a groundbreaking and fascinating study of ancient near Eastern military history from the Neolithic era to the middle Bronze Ages. Drawing on an extensive range of textual, artistic and archaeological data, William J. Hamblin synthesizes current knowledge and offers a detailed analysis of the military technology, ideology and practices of Near Eastern warfare. Paying particular attention to the earliest known examples of holy war ideaology in Mesopotamia and Egypt, Hamblin focuses on: * recruitment and training of the infantry * the logistics and weaponry of warfare * the shift from stone to metal weapons * the role played by magic * narratives of combat and artistic representations of battle * the origins and development of the chariot as military transportation * fortifications and siegecraft *developments in naval warfare. Beautifully illustrated, including maps of the region, this book is essential for experts and non-specialists alike.