COMMAND EXAMPLES

COMMAND 1

Reconstruction of command chariot of Tiglath-Pileser (745 - 727 BC)

The command chariot of the Assyrian king was marked by its ornate decoration and the tall parasol that shielded the monarch from the sun. The parasol was attached either to the cab itself or carried by a eunuch. Accompanying the chariot is a cavalryman belonging to the qurubti sha pitalli or royal cavalry bodyguard. Tiglath-Pileser III (745 - 727 BC) was the first to introduce armoured cavalry armed with the lance to Assyrian service.

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COMMAND 2

Bas relief, detail
Arslan Tash (Hadatu)

In addition to the mace he carries, the officer can be identified by the inlaid metal strips on the front of his helmet.

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COMMAND 3

Palace of Sargon II (722 - 705 BC)
Dur-Sharukin (Khorsabad)
bas relief, detail
British Museum, London

In this relief, Sargon II is seen speaking with a figure variously identified as one of his "turtans " or the crown prince, Sennacherib.

COMMAND 4

Palace of Ashurbanipal (668 - 626 BC)
Nineveh
bas relief, detail
British Museum, London

Shielded from the sun by his enormous parasol, Ashurbanipal stands in his command chariot accompanied by a eunuch and driver. Note the enormous size of the eight-spoke wheel and how the axle of the chariot is set at the rear of the cab.