1

Water as Weapon and Military Targetin Ancient Mesopotamia

Ariel M. BaggRuprecht‐Karls‐Universität Heidelberg, Germany

Centre François Viète, Brest, France

Water in AntiquityCura Aquarum in Israel

Jerusalem‐Tel Aviv, October 14‐20, 2012

Cura Aquarum in  IsraelOctober 14‐20, ,2012

Water as Weapon and Military Target in Ancient MesopotamiaAriel M. Bagg 2

RUPRECHT‐KARLS‐UNIVERSITÄT HEIDELBERG

Introduction

Offensive function

Transportation

Safeward ofwater supply

Military target

Weapon

Conclusions

DEFENSIVE PURPOSES

1) Transportation of troops, civilians and provisions by water2) Safeward of the water supply in case of siege3) Man‐made and natural obstacles

Cura Aquarum in  IsraelOctober 14‐20, ,2012

Water as Weapon and Military Target in Ancient MesopotamiaAriel M. Bagg 3

RUPRECHT‐KARLS‐UNIVERSITÄT HEIDELBERG

Introduction

Offensive function

Transportation

Safeward ofwater supply

Military target

Weapon

Conclusions

DEFENSIVE PURPOSES

1) Transportation of troops, civilians and provisions by water2) Safeward of the water supply in case of siege3) Man‐made and natural obstacles

OFFENSIVE PURPOSES

1) Transportation of troops and provisions by water2) Safeward of water supply for troops3) Water and hydraulic works as military targets4) Water as weapon

Cura Aquarum in  IsraelOctober 14‐20, ,2012

Water as Weapon and Military Target in Ancient MesopotamiaAriel M. Bagg 4

RUPRECHT‐KARLS‐UNIVERSITÄT HEIDELBERG

Introduction

Offensive function

Transportation

Safeward ofwater supply

Military target

Weapon

Conclusions

DEFENSIVE PURPOSES

1) Transportation of troops, civilians and provisions by water2) Safeward of the water supply in case of siege3) Man‐made and natural obstacles

OFFENSIVE PURPOSES

1) Transportation of troops and provisions by water2) Safeward of water supply for troops3) Water and hydraulic works as military targets4) Water as weapon

Cura Aquarum in  IsraelOctober 14‐20, ,2012

Water as Weapon and Military Target in Ancient MesopotamiaAriel M. Bagg 5

RUPRECHT‐KARLS‐UNIVERSITÄT HEIDELBERG

Introduction

Offensive function

Transportation

Safeward ofwater supply

Military target

Weapon

Conclusions

The Ancient Near East

IRAQ

SYRIA IRAN

JORDAN

ISRAEL

LIBANON

TURKEY

Source: Nissen 1999, 254.

Mari•

Cura Aquarum in  IsraelOctober 14‐20, ,2012

Water as Weapon and Military Target in Ancient MesopotamiaAriel M. Bagg 6

RUPRECHT‐KARLS‐UNIVERSITÄT HEIDELBERG

Introduction

Offensive function

Transportation

Safeward ofwater supply

Military target

Weapon

Conclusions

Sennacherib‘s troops in theBabylonian marshes

(7th cent. BCE,  Nineveh, South‐West Palace)

Source: Hrouda 1991, 147.

Phoenician warship(8th cent. BCE,  Khorsabad, Sargon‘s Palace)

Source: Hrouda 1991 , 207.

Cura Aquarum in  IsraelOctober 14‐20, ,2012

Water as Weapon and Military Target in Ancient MesopotamiaAriel M. Bagg 7

RUPRECHT‐KARLS‐UNIVERSITÄT HEIDELBERG

Introduction

Offensive function

Transportation

Safeward ofwater supply

Military target

Weapon

Conclusions

Ashurbanipal campaign against Arab tribes

Source: Bagg 2011, map 4.35.

You are here

Cura Aquarum in  IsraelOctober 14‐20, ,2012

Water as Weapon and Military Target in Ancient MesopotamiaAriel M. Bagg 8

RUPRECHT‐KARLS‐UNIVERSITÄT HEIDELBERG

Introduction

Offensive function

Transportation

Safeward ofwater supply

Military target

Weapon

Conclusions

Ashurbanipal campaign against Arab tribes

Source: Bagg 2011, map 4.35.

You are here

Cura Aquarum in  IsraelOctober 14‐20, ,2012

Water as Weapon and Military Target in Ancient MesopotamiaAriel M. Bagg 9

RUPRECHT‐KARLS‐UNIVERSITÄT HEIDELBERG

Introduction

Offensive function

Transportation

Safeward ofwater supply

Military target

Weapon

Conclusions

Ashurbanipal‘s campaign against Arab tribes(7th cent. BCE,  Nineveh, North‐Palace)

Source: Hrouda 1991, 153.

Cura Aquarum in  IsraelOctober 14‐20, ,2012

Water as Weapon and Military Target in Ancient MesopotamiaAriel M. Bagg 10

RUPRECHT‐KARLS‐UNIVERSITÄT HEIDELBERG

Introduction

Offensive function

Transportation

Safeward ofwater supply

Military target

Weapon

Conclusions

The battle of the river Ulai(7th cent. BCE,  Nineveh, South‐West Palace, room XXXIII, BM 124801)

Source: Curtis/Reade 1995, 75.

Cura Aquarum in  IsraelOctober 14‐20, ,2012

Water as Weapon and Military Target in Ancient MesopotamiaAriel M. Bagg 11

RUPRECHT‐KARLS‐UNIVERSITÄT HEIDELBERG

Introduction

Offensive function

Transportation

Safeward ofwater supply

Military target

Weapon

Conclusions

Ancient Tyre, Assyrian Șurru, modern Șūr (Libanon) 

Cura Aquarum in  IsraelOctober 14‐20, ,2012

Water as Weapon and Military Target in Ancient MesopotamiaAriel M. Bagg 12

RUPRECHT‐KARLS‐UNIVERSITÄT HEIDELBERG

Introduction

Offensive function

Transportation

Safeward ofwater supply

Military target

Weapon

Conclusions

Episode from a siege (9th cent. BCE,  Nimrud, South‐West Palace, BM 118906)

Source: J. E. Curtis/J. E. Reade  1995, 46.

Cura Aquarum in  IsraelOctober 14‐20, ,2012

Water as Weapon and Military Target in Ancient MesopotamiaAriel M. Bagg 13

RUPRECHT‐KARLS‐UNIVERSITÄT HEIDELBERG

Introduction

Offensive function

Transportation

Safeward ofwater supply

Military target

Weapon

Conclusions

An unknown enemy cut off Larsa‘s water supply(VAT 8515, obv. 55‐58)

Source: van Dijk 1965, 2.

Cura Aquarum in  IsraelOctober 14‐20, ,2012

Water as Weapon and Military Target in Ancient MesopotamiaAriel M. Bagg 14

RUPRECHT‐KARLS‐UNIVERSITÄT HEIDELBERG

Introduction

Offensive function

Transportation

Safeward ofwater supply

Military target

Weapon

Conclusions

The Ancient Near East

IRAQ

SYRIA IRAN

JORDAN

ISRAEL

LIBANON

TURKEY

Source: Nissen 1999, 254.

Larsa••Babylon

•Kisurra

Cura Aquarum in  IsraelOctober 14‐20, ,2012

Water as Weapon and Military Target in Ancient MesopotamiaAriel M. Bagg 15

RUPRECHT‐KARLS‐UNIVERSITÄT HEIDELBERG

Introduction

Offensive function

Transportation

Safeward ofwater supply

Military target

Weapon

Conclusions

The Ancient Near East

Urartu

Source:  after Bagg/Cancik‐Kirschbaum 2006, 6.

Cura Aquarum in  IsraelOctober 14‐20, ,2012

Water as Weapon and Military Target in Ancient MesopotamiaAriel M. Bagg 16

RUPRECHT‐KARLS‐UNIVERSITÄT HEIDELBERG

Introduction

Offensive function

Transportation

Safeward ofwater supply

Military target

Weapon

Conclusions

Sargon‘s campaign against Urartu in 714 BCE (AO 05672, obv.)

Source:  CDLI

Cura Aquarum in  IsraelOctober 14‐20, ,2012

Water as Weapon and Military Target in Ancient MesopotamiaAriel M. Bagg 17

RUPRECHT‐KARLS‐UNIVERSITÄT HEIDELBERG

Introduction

Offensive function

Transportation

Safeward ofwater supply

Military target

Weapon

Conclusions

The Ancient Near East

IRAQ

SYRIA IRAN

JORDAN

ISRAEL

LIBANON

TURKEY

Source: Nissen 1999, 254.

Ešnunna

•Babylon

Marshes

•

Cura Aquarum in  IsraelOctober 14‐20, ,2012

Water as Weapon and Military Target in Ancient MesopotamiaAriel M. Bagg 18

RUPRECHT‐KARLS‐UNIVERSITÄT HEIDELBERG

Introduction

Offensive function

Transportation

Safeward ofwater supply

Military target

Weapon

Conclusions

The Fall of Babylon(John Martin, 1789‐1854, mezzotint, 1835)

Source:  Spencer Museum of Art, Kansas, USA.

Cura Aquarum in  IsraelOctober 14‐20, ,2012

Water as Weapon and Military Target in Ancient MesopotamiaAriel M. Bagg 19

RUPRECHT‐KARLS‐UNIVERSITÄT HEIDELBERG

Introduction

Offensive function

Transportation

Safeward ofwater supply

Military target

Weapon

Conclusions

The Fall of Nineveh(John Martin, 1789‐1854, mezzotint, 1829)

Source:  Bloomsbury Auctions, London, UK. 

Cura Aquarum in  IsraelOctober 14‐20, ,2012

Water as Weapon and Military Target in Ancient MesopotamiaAriel M. Bagg 20

RUPRECHT‐KARLS‐UNIVERSITÄT HEIDELBERG

Introduction

Offensive function

Transportation

Safeward ofwater supply

Military target

Weapon

Conclusions

Satellite view of Nineveh (Mosul, Iraq)

Source:  Google Earth 2012

Tigris

Khosr

Kar‐Mullissi‐Gate

Assyrian City Wall

Cura Aquarum in  IsraelOctober 14‐20, ,2012

Water as Weapon and Military Target in Ancient MesopotamiaAriel M. Bagg 21

RUPRECHT‐KARLS‐UNIVERSITÄT HEIDELBERG

Introduction

Offensive function

Transportation

Safeward ofwater supply

Military target

Weapon

Conclusions

Marsh Arabs poling a traditional mashoof in southern Iraq

Source: US army corps engineers

Cura Aquarum in  IsraelOctober 14‐20, ,2012

Water as Weapon and Military Target in Ancient MesopotamiaAriel M. Bagg 22

RUPRECHT‐KARLS‐UNIVERSITÄT HEIDELBERG

Introduction

Offensive function

Transportation

Safeward ofwater supply

Military target

Weapon

Conclusions

Marsh Arabs poling a traditional mashoof in southern Iraq

Source: US army corps engineers

Thank you very much for your attention!