Assyrian Heavy Cavalry

The Assyrian cavalry in the 9th century BC operated almost the same as light chariots did; a very mobile force lightly equipped and organized in pairs with one soldier holding the reins for both horses while the other shoot with the bow. By the 7th century BC, mounted Assyrian warriors were well armed with both bow and lance and elite corps like the famed kisir sharruti (royal corps) wore lamellar armour, while their mounts were equipped with felt and leather armour, providing protection in close combat and against missiles. The large scope of military action forced the Assyrians to fight in all types of terrain, a condition to which the heavy chariot was ill-suited. Assyrian cavalrymen used the saddle girth, crupper, and breast strap to stabilize the rider, and the horse was controlled by the leg and heel pressure of the boot. (The spur and the stirrup had not yet been invented.) These innovations made possible the first use of mounted archers, the famed 'hurricanes on horseback' mentioned in the Old Testament. In set-piece battle the cavalry was used to pin the enemy flanks and to take up blocking positions to prevent a retreat. Once in position behind the enemy, the cavalry acted as an anvil against which the chariot and infantry units could drive the enemy.