How the Chariots Became Outdated - Ancient History

The chariot was the tank of the Bronze Age, a mark of power and strength that dominated battlefields from the sands of Mesopotamia to the forests of Britannia. At the Battle of Kadesh, the oldest recorded battle in human history, thousands of chariots clashed on either side. Yet, from the ashes of the Bronze Age collapse and with the rise of Assyria, the once mighty chariots were labeled obsolete and replaced by the practicalities of massed cavalrymen. But what led to the decline of this once great vehicle of war? Perhaps it should be expected that the chariot would eventually be surpassed, but it doesn't always go that way. Today, we're sponsored by a certain video game that keeps getting better and better. It's a game about collecting over 800 champions to face deadly challenges and bosses, and now you'll want to add a couple of winter-themed warriors to give your roster a comfy seasonal feel. Here are our picks. 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Once you're in, come join us here in the Kings and Generals clan to get extra benefits and progress through quests together. See you on the battlefield! Way back in the 2nd millennium BC, the heart of the Mediterranean Bronze Age, chariots served a similar role as the heavily armored and mounted knight did in the Middle Ages. Chariots formed the backbone of the Bronze Age army and constituted their most elite units. The first chariot emerged in Ancient Samaria during the 3rd millennium BC, and similar designs were quickly developed in other regions. The Samarians were the first to experiment with its use in warfare through the introduction of the Samarian Warcart, a primitive proto-chariot that featured a wagon manned by two soldiers and pulled by horses. This Warcart was a largely ineffective vehicle, for it was a slow, cumbersome, and impractical contraption for the battlefield. Despite this, the concept of the chariot spread rapidly, particularly among the nomadic peoples of the steppe, including the early Indo-Europeans, who leveraged it extensively in warfare, allowing them to spread their culture and language across Eurasia. One group of Indo-Europeans, the Hittites, are often credited with being the first nation to use a proper chariot on the battlefield, at the Siege of Salatiwara in the 18th century BC. However, the historical account is somewhat ambiguous with regard to the description of 40 teams of horses used in the battle. Nonetheless, subsequent centuries would witness the emergence of more detailed accounts of chariot use. This includes written testimony of a man named Kikuli, who was an asuasani, or master horse trainer of the Hurrians, who specialized in conditioning horses for chariot use. The Hittites themselves were pioneers in the chariot technology. They developed vehicles with lighter wheels, equipped with four spokes, instead of the conventional eight, and designed to bear the weight of up to three soldiers, with the wheels placed in the center to do this. The war chariot would take on many regional variations, depending on the Bronze Age nation which developed them. In the wake of the Hyksos invasions of 1650 BC, the Egyptians created a lighter, more mobile version of the war vehicle than the heavy shock chariot the Hittites used. These vehicles were more flexible, and were possessed of great skirmishing capabilities, although they were ill-suited to melee combat. These chariots would also be extensively used by the Assyrians, especially in the final chapters of the Bronze Age, and by the Mitanni. In Mycenaean Greece, the chariot had a more ceremonial role. The mountainous landscape of Greece made chariots impractical for actual battlefield use. However, they still had an important symbolic use, as the vehicle which carried heroes into battle. Indeed, in Homer's Iliad, the chariot was the vehicle that Achilles rode into battle and paraded Hector's dead body around the walls of Troy. In the Far East, the chariot was no less popular. The vehicle would see use in China, with traditional sources suggesting its first use was during the Xia Dynasty, dated to around 2000 BC. However, archaeological evidence of the chariot dates only back to 1500 BC, during the Shang period. The chariot held a profound significance across various cultures that found its way into the mythologies of many civilizations. Within Indo-Iranian sources, gods were often portrayed as riding in chariots, with the Vedic sun god Surya commanding a one-spoked chariot, and the king of Devas, Indra, also frequently depicted atop a chariot. The chariot's influence is also evident in the mythologies of the Greeks, Egyptians, Norse, Iranians, and many others, where it plays a pivotal role in shaping the beliefs and stories of these societies. The late Bronze Age marked a golden era in chariot warfare. At Kadesh, 5,000 chariots participated in the great battle, with the pharaoh Ramses himself astride a magnificent horse-drawn war cart. The battle was a veritable showcase of two distinct styles of chariot warfare, with the Hittite shock chariots storming the Egyptian line, and the Egyptian light chariotry flanking the Hittites and unleashing intense missile fire upon them. Kadesh was not an outlier, for in other contemporary conflicts, such as the Hittite sack of Babylon, the Battle of Megiddo, and the Hyksos invasion of Egypt, the thundering of chariots arguably played the most decisive role in those campaigns. Across the vast expanse of China, a parallel evolution of chariot warfare was unfolding. During the fall of the Shang Dynasty, the Battle of Muyue saw a similarly impressive showcase of chariots, with King Wu leading a charge that shattered the Shang lines and marked a defining moment in the history of chariot warfare. Despite its significance, however, the chariot gradually declined after the Bronze Age collapse. This cataclysmic cocktail of environmental disaster and invasions of mysterious sea peoples which occurred at the turn of the first millennium BC left the prosperous empires of the Near East in a state of disrepair, and thus economically incapable of sustaining large chariot forces. Though the early Neo-Assyrian monarchs brought about a brief restoration of these vehicles, a revolution from the grassy steppe lands of the north would forever alter the course of warfare. While various factors contributed to the decline of chariots, the most significant one was the rise of cavalry. Although horses had been ridden since as early as 5500 BC, it was not widespread until a stronger horse breed more suitable to support the weight of a full-grown man had emerged through centuries of selective breeding. Breeding horses that are large and strong enough to be ridden into battle requires significant genetic manipulation, and maintaining the breeding lines in sufficient numbers to create a formidable military force demands considerable social capital. Hence, it was not until the end of the Bronze Age that horses could be ridden directly into battle. Cavalry, as a fighting force, had many advantages over chariots. They were highly mobile and could move more quickly, giving them an edge in battle. They required only a single horse and rider, with the rider, unlike a chariot's pilot, also being able to fight. Moreover, horsemen were more flexible and versatile, able to navigate difficult terrain with comparative ease. In contrast, chariots were highly vulnerable and resource-intensive. The wheels could be easily broken or stuck in the mud, making them a liability on rough terrain. Additionally, chariots were extremely expensive, requiring multiple horses and soldiers to operate, while the death of a single horse could compromise the vehicle, making it precarious in battle. All this meant that cavalry was a more affordable and adaptable force that could be utilized more effectively in battle. Thus, from its birthplace in the steppe, the innovation of horse riding would spread far and wide. In the Near East, the Assyrians were the first major state to begin adopting such tactics, gaining access to warhorses from raiding Scythian tribes, their own vassal states, and their own budding industry of horse breeding. Experimentation with cavalry had begun by the turn of the 9th century BC, yet the Assyrians had no experience in cavalry warfare, and as such, their first attempts proved somewhat clumsy. The early Assyrian cavalry used the same strategies as the chariotry did, with two men per horse, one to control the reins and the other wielding a ranged weapon, meaning the Assyrian cavalry arm lacked mobility. This inexperience also meant that the Assyrians would still use chariots extensively. It would take two centuries before they really mastered horsemanship so that they could phase the chariot out entirely. Only during the reign of Tigalleth in the late 700s BC did the chariot become somewhat antiquated, with Assyrian horse archers figuring out how to shoot from horseback and control the animal simultaneously, and the Assyrian shock horsemen, equipped with heavy lamellar armor and lances, were able to inflict significant damage to enemy lines. In the centuries following Assyrian domination, other states were compelled to adopt cavalry tactics to keep up with military advancements. In China, this development would occur later, around 200 BC. During the Qin and Han dynasties, the chariot would steadily be replaced, originally by horse-riding mercenaries from the steppe tribes which bordered the celestial kingdom, and later, after the extensive training of riders and breeding of mounts, by homegrown Chinese cavalry. The integration of into ancient Chinese warfare was made possible by the efforts of numerous reformers. King Wuling of Zhao, who often fought against the mounted steppe tribes to his north, was among the earliest to recognize the potential of cavalry in battle. Later, the King of Chu, Changyu, emerged as a skilled commander who leveraged the mobility and speed of cavalry to devastating effect. He deployed a highly mobile cavalry force during the battles of Julu and Pangchang, using them to defeat much larger enemy forces. The decline of the chariot was expedited due to another key advancement, the increased professionalism of armies. Bronze Age armies mostly consisted of militia forces, and due to the expensiveness of the titular metal of the age, were lightly armored if at all, making them fare poorly against large vehicles moving at high speed. Yet, as armies became professionally equipped with stronger iron weapons and armor, while being drilled in more complex formations, the shock effect of the chariot waned. In China, by the fall of the Shang Dynasty, there was a move away from massed militia armies, with an increasing focus on discipline and organization. At Muye, the vast Shang horde disintegrated under pressure from the organized and professional Zhou army, while similar results were witnessed in later battles, such as at Yanling. During the Warring States period, massed infantry armies were drilled in complex formations, such as the square, fang, round, yuan, dispersed, shu, dense, shu, awl, jueheng, and many others. This, along with better armor and weaponry, meant that infantry was more resilient to the chariot attacks. The increased professional nature of armies can be observed in Assyria as well. As the empire expanded further, the Assyrian army became spread thin, and its capacity to operate across the breadth of its territories declined. So, it was during the reign of Tigalev-Pilasa III that a standing army was introduced, which was expanded to include many foreign soldiers who were trained and drilled in the same formations and stratagems, and equipped with the same armor and weaponry as their Assyrian counterparts. A high level of discipline and precision was instilled among them, and demonstrated during their maneuvers, starkly contrasting the relatively disorganized and freewheeling manner of previous armies. The introduction of a highly developed and effective command structure allowed for a more streamlined and coordinated approach to battle. In addition to this, the Assyrian army was well-protected and well-equipped, with iron weaponry and armor. The use of iron swords, iron spearblades, iron helmets, and even iron scales sewn as armor into their tunics was highly effective in warding Assyrian soldiers against physical harm. Moreover, the remarkable level of discipline displayed by the Assyrians rendered psychological warfare, which had proven so effective in the Bronze Age, ineffective. Moreover, the well-armored and dense Assyrian formations could easily absorb chariot attacks, while their increased organizational flexibility allowed them to maneuver around such assaults deftly. This superiority was displayed during the Assyrian invasion of Eratu under Tigallaf Pelesa III, where the Assyrian army was easily able to overpower the army of Eratu and its chariot corps, crushing the state and ending the Eratu Golden Age. Advancements in missile technology were another critical factor in the decline of chariots. Chariots proved to be exceedingly vulnerable to arrow fire, with the death of even a single horse capable of derailing their advance and leading to their destruction. During the Iron Age, missile technology underwent several improvements, such as the use of iron, a stronger and more abundant material than the soft and scarce bronze that was previously used. Bronze's rarity meant that showering enemies with fire wasn't financially feasible, and missile fire had to be economical, a restriction which was no longer in place in the Iron Age. In addition, the development of more powerful bows provided an effective countermeasure against chariots. The composite bow had been developed by 1700 BC, but its use among infantry only became widespread during the early Iron Age. The composite bow had a much longer range than previous bows, capable of firing arrows between 250 to 600 meters, making it highly effective at countering chariots. The Assyrians, in particular, placed priority on missile troops, with each archer accompanied by a shield-bearer for protection. This combination was used to great effect to hammer the enemy line, and could quite effectively eliminate chariots. This key Assyrian tactic was recorded by the Emperor Senad Cherib. At the command of the god Ashur, the great lord, I rushed upon the enemy like the approach of a hurricane. I put them to rout and turned them back. I transfixed the troops of the enemy with javelins and arrows. Meanwhile, the Chinese developed advanced crossbows, which were highly effective against chariots when used en masse. Evidence of their use dates back to 650 BC, with the states of Chu and Wei having elite crossbow units equipped with heavy armor, helmets, sideswords, and large crossbows carrying 50 bolts. During the Han Dynasty, usage of crossbows increased, with the inventory list recording nearly 540,000 crossbows in stock. The crossbows had a range of up to 450 meters and high armor penetration capabilities, making them capable of taking down chariots with ease. By 500 BC, the chariot had all but disappeared from the battlefield, rendered ineffective by the advent of cavalry, the more advanced equipment and training of soldiers, and more effective missile technologies. However, it still did exist in some capacity as a specialist unit. The scythed chariot, for instance, was a modified war chariot with long rotating blades attached to its wheels, intended to maim anyone it passed. Despite its fearsome reputation, the scythed chariot had a mixed service history, with only a few instances of success. One such occasion was recounted by Xenophon. Putting the chariots in front and following behind them himself with the cavalry, he ordered a charge. The chariots dashed into the Greek ranks, broke up their close formation, and the cavalry soon cut down about a hundred men. Yet, the scythed chariot failed on nearly all other occasions, for a prepared army could easily repel them. At Gorgomela, Alexander simply had his lines open, with the chariots of the great king passing harmlessly through. During the Battle of Magnesia, the Seleucid scythed chariots were sent fleeing into their own lines by intense missile fire, and Roman Pelum drove off a Pontic chariot attack at Zella. The only other holdout for the chariot was in the misted isles of Britannia, where they dominated its forests. Having likely spread from Etruria to the Celtic peoples across Europe, it would reach Britain's shores. While Europe at large would shift towards cavalry, the island's isolation meant a unique evolution of the vehicle. They served as platforms from which missiles could unleash fire and as quick transportation for infantry to deploy and quickly retreat. Yet, though the famed British war chariot proved effective at harrying the Roman army once it landed, when fighting against Roman steel on the battlefield, they could not overcome the well-drilled infantry. Thus, once Roman rule had been introduced, even this last bastion of chariot warfare would fall. The chariot was once a formidable weapon of war that dominated the Bronze Age battlefields. From its early beginnings with the Sumerians and the Hittites, the chariot evolved into various forms, with each civilization from China to Britain leaving its mark on this iconic weapon. At the height of its popularity, the chariot was a symbol of power and strength that struck terror into its enemies, as evidenced by the great chariot battles of Kadesh, Khakhar and Muir. However, with the collapse of the Bronze Age and the rise of cavalry, the chariot gradually fell out of use. The impracticalities and expenses, ineffectiveness against professional forces, vulnerability to missile fire and the horse's rise marked the end of its illustrious service history. Despite its gradual decline, the chariot remains an important part of ancient military history, a testament to the ingenuity and innovation of those who developed this legendary weapon. Special thanks to Raid Shadow Legends for sponsoring this video. Get the game for free via our link below. More videos on ancient military technology are on the way, so make sure to subscribe and press the bell button. Please, consider liking, subscribing, commenting, and sharing- it helps immensely. Recently, we have started releasing weekly patron and youtube member exclusive content. Consider joining their ranks via the link in the description or button under the video to watch these weekly videos, learn about our schedule, get early access to our videos, access our private discord, and much more. 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