Military in mesopotamia
Early stone age to early bronze age
Defenses and early combat
In around 4000 BCE, the Mesopotamian villages had no actual armies. War took the form of raids and groups of thieves or people trying to gain land. Most people were farmers and there were few specialized trades. Later on, real urban cities started to take form. Along with the cities, at around 3000 BCE, the first walls and defences were built; However, it is unclear whether these walls were built to protect against armies or natural causes. If the walls were protecting against invaders, then we can safely assume that the first somewhat organized armies formed around 3300 BCE.
Conquest
One of if not the first city destroyed by warfare was called Hamoukar. Attacked around 3500 BCE, it showed evidence of destroyed walls, early projectile ammunition (for slings), and burned remains. Around 2500 BCE, warfare started to be depicted in steles and tablets. One of the earliest depictions of warfare was the Stele of the Vultures; depicting a battle between the city-states of Uma and Lagash. The soldiers are shown wearing the same armor and using the same weapons, so we can safely assume that there was mass produced, standardized weaponry that the army used. Additionally, the king is shown leading his men in battle, so it is likely that the king was also the general of his army. At this time, most soldiers were farmers conscripted into war, not professionals.
The Stele of the Vultures.
Depicts a king leading his army into battle. Soldiers use spears and large shields. They appear to wear simple armor.
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