cheenc03a.pdf

SIEGE
which record that chariots were left behind for this
reason (CHA~OT, 14).
When we come to the records of Sargon 11. (?zr-7og)
we have in his great triumphal, palace-wall inscription
a vivid account of his cvmpalgn against Merodachbalndan.
This document (K82688). as well ar the
annals (wherr the defence of Dbr-Athara is recounted,
u 248 f ), dercribertheprecautions ta*m bythe besieged.
Merodach-baladan flee5 from Babylon, his capital,
taker refuge in the fortress of DOr-Yakin, strengthens
its walls, summons the neighbouring tribes to his
assistance, and posts them before the great wall. He
then dug our a trench of imrnense size, zoo cubits
broad and 18 cubits deep, and filled it by cutting a
SIEGE
description of the operations against Urdamani, says
that he blockaded hinr and deprived him of food and
water (KBar68), and in another passage (cyl. col. 3 q)
refers to the warriors posted on the wails of the cities.
There are, however, very slight details and bear
reference to defence rather than attack.
What there verbaldescriptions omit is supplied to us in
fair abundance by the monumental representations. The
accompanying figure of the sicge of a city by ASur-na~irabal
(fig. I) furnishes the details which we require and
enables us to realire the enormous slaughter which the
storming of a fortress entailed. Another figure (fig. 2)
poreap the siege of s toir'n by Tiglath-pileser Ill.
Archers are depicted shooting at the walls from behind
channel to the Euphrates (Triumph. Insc. N 127 f ).
Having thus flooded a large area around the city with
water, he broke the bridges. What follows is certainly
somewhat obscure. Merodach-baladan ir described ur
pitching his royal tent in the midst of this defensive
lake 'like a hrimi bird.' In flamboyant style Sargon
rays that he (Sargon) transported his warriors over the
Rod 'like eagles.' We may suppose that some rafts
were constructed (see Winckleir remarks in the Introductioh
to his Keilrchr~~t&trtt. 34). The battle must hate
been fierce and murderous and the waters were stained
with the blood of Merodaci-.-baladan's (I. 130).
We read of no proloi~ged attempt to reduce Dh-Y&in
, - . .
FIG. %.-Sharp-shmren behind Shelters.
hv recular aooroaehes. Similailv, in the case of the
fol.tress Dnr-Athara, into which on another occasion
Merodach retreated. defending it by means of a deep
forre, filled from the river Surappi (II. 248 f ), the
sieae operations were of brief duration, for we are told
th: fhk town was reduced before sunset (I. 251).
In the Taylor-cylinder of Sennacherib (c01.3~~f.
KB2,i) we read that the Assyrian general erected
against Jerusalem ramparts (&aI?dni, probably 'Lowers')
which effectuallv shut in the defenderr of the citv.
wicker screens, while the battering-ram is wielded below;
andwe behold the ghastly spectacle of captives impalednd
levorem before the walls. To this horrible practice the
inscriptions bear witness. Thur Aiur-bani-pal (Rassamcyl,
col. 23f) in the account of his Egyptian campaign
describes how his generals attacked the hostile cities of
the Delta, hung the corpser of the rebels on stakes and,
after having flayed them, placed their skins on the city
walls.
The monumental reliefs show that the usual course
in storming a fortress was far the heavy-armed to
advance first and with shield in hand to mount the tall
ladders which were placed against the city-wnllr and
reached almort to ;he summit of the latter. The
archers meanwhile from behind the protective screens
made of wicker- or wood-work discharged arrows against
the defenders on the walls and especially against the
towerr where the enemy were concentrated. Doubtless
fire was employed, and missiles covered with tow and
resin or pitch would be hurled against anything combustible.
Thus in the early Israelite episode (narrated
in Jndg. 94a+p) we read that Abimelech and his followers
cut down branches and set fire to the hold of the temple
of El-Bt*ifh info which the occupants of the tower of
Shechem had betaken themselves.'
The historical books of the OT and occasional
passages in the prophets enable us to supply a few details
of the ancient siege-operations carried on in the wars of
pre-exilian Irrael. Thur 2 S. 11 furnishes some account
of the siege of Rabbath Ammon, and it can be readily
inferred that it lasted a considevnble time. On the
other hand there is no reference to any entrenchments.
engines of aar. or other siege operations or appliances.
The Hittite Unr.4~ (u.v.) was simply slain by a sortie
executed by the Ammoniten against loab's beleaguering
force. Yet it can hardly be asserted that Israel by that
time was not conversant with any, other methods of
warfare than night-attacks, surprises, feigned retreats or
amhuscaden. For in z S. 2015, where the siege of Ahelheth~mascah
is described, a mound or embankment
(r81JLih) is thrown up against the city. 'This embankment
stood in the intervening space between the principal
wall and a smaller outer-wall (MI). And we are
1 [On the obscure word nv?s see HOLD: and an the nirrative,
SHECHB~~, ZAL~~OX.]