CHARIOT
216
CHARIOT
Andent i-^ptittti Uhjtriut ia l^nUtc*,
therefore could not be ignorant of the art of riding ; but for ages after that period Arab nations rode on the bare back, and gaided the animals with a wand. Oth- ers, and probably the shepherd invaders, noosed a sin- gle rope in a slip-knot round the lower jaw, forming an imperfect bridle with only one rein ; a practice still in YOgue among the Bedouins. Thus cavalry were but little formidable, compared with chariots, until a com- plete command over the horse was obtained by the dis- covery of a true bridle. This seems to have been first introduced by chariot-drivers, and there are figures of well-constructed harness, reins, and mouth-pieces in very early Egyptian monuments, representing both na- tive and foreign chariots of war. In fighting from chariots great dexterity was shown by the warrior, not only in handling his weapons, but also in stepping out upon the pole to the horses' shoulders, in order the bet- ter to attain his enemies ; and the charioteer was an important person, sometimes equal- in rank to the war- rior himself. Both the kingdoms of Judah and Israel had war-chariots, and, from the case of king Josiah at the battle of Megiddo, it is clear they had also travel- ling vehicles, for, being wounded, he quitted his fight- ing-chariot, and in a second, evidently more commo- dious, he was brought to Jerusalem (2 Chron. x&xv, 24). Chariots of war continued to be used in Syria in the time of the Maccabees (2 Mace, xiii, 5), and in Brit- ain when CflBsar invaded the isknd {Bell. GaU. iv, 29). In the prophecy of Nahnm, who was of the first cap- tivity, and resident (if not bom) at Elkosh in Assyria, there is much allusion to chariots, suggested doubtless by their frequency before his eyes in the streets of Nineveh and throughout the Assyrian empire. In fact, when prophesying the downfall of Nineveh, he gives a particular and animated description (ii, 84) of their action in the streets of the great city :
The shield of his heroes is reddened.
The men of prowess are erimsoned [in dress] :
With Uie fire of irons [flashing steel armatures] is the char- iot in the day of his array,
And the cypresses Dances] are brandished; In the BtreetB will madden the chariot-force, They will race in the broad places ;
Their appearance is as the torches,
As the lightnings will they rush.
Abundant illustrations of this passage occur on the recently discovered sculptures of Nineveh and Baby^ Ion. They are minutely described by Layard (ATmm- oeA, ii, 268 sq.). The earlier Ass3rrian war-chariot and harness did not diflfer essentially from the Egyptian. Two or three persons stood in the car, but the driver is sometimes represented as standing on the near side, while a third warrior in the chariot held a shield to pro- tect the archer in discharging his arrow. The car ap- pears to have had closed sides. The war-chariot wheels had 6 spokes ; the state or peace chariot 8 or more ; and a third person in state processions carried the royal umbrella. A third horse, like the Greek waprfopo^^ was generally attached (Layard, Nineoeh, ii, 850). In later times the third horse was laid aside, the wheels were made higher, and had 8 spokes, and the front of the oar, to which the quiver was removed from its
Ancient Assyrian Warriors in a Chariots former side position, was made square instead of round. The cars were more highly ornamented, panelled, and inlaid with valuable woods and metals, and painted. The embroidered housings, in which in earlier times the horses were clothed, were laid aside, and plumes
Hay a! LNiurloL Fhnii Uif* luter Aj^fyrinu HuaiiHiMiUL
and tassels used to decorate their necks and foreheads (Layard, Nmeveh, ii, 358, 856; Nineveh and Babglo^ p. 841, 587, 608, 618; M<m, o/Nin. 2d series, pi. 24: comp. Ezek. zxvii, 20). Chariots used for other pur- poses than that of war, especially in hunting, weie
Ancient Assyrian Chariot for the Chase, also found sculptured on the Assyrian monuments, 8« well as occasionally carts for the transportation of per- sons or baggage. *
The Persian art, as appears from the sculptures st Persepolis, and also at Koyounjik, shows great shni- larity to the Assyrian ; but the procession represented at the former place contains a chariot or car with wheels of 12 spokes, while, fh>m the sculptures at the latter, it appears that the Elamites, or Persians, besides chariots
Ancient Persian Chariot.
CHARIOT
217
CHARIOT
cootaoung two peiBons, which were sometimes drawn by four horses, used a kind of cart, drawn by a sin- gle mole or more, consisting of a stage on high wheels, capable of holding five or six persons, of whom the dri- ver sat on a low stool, with his legs hanging on each side of the pole (Isa. xzii, 6 ; Ezek. xxiii, 24 ; see Xen- oph. Cyrop, iv, 8, 1; ii, 22; Niebnhr, Voyage, ii, 106; Chardin, Votfoge, vii, 257, pi. lix ; Layard, Am. ^ Bab. p. 447, 449 ; Olearius, TresieU, p. 802). Chariots armed with scythes (apfiara Spe'iravrifopay Xen. Andb. 1, 7, 10) may perhaps be intended by the " chariots of iron" of the Canaanites ; they are mentioned as part of the equipment of Antiochos (2 Mace, xiii, 2), and of Darius (Diod. Sic. xvii, 58 ; Appian, Syr. 82). Xenophon men- tions a Persian chariot with 4 poles and 8 horses (Cy- fiop. vi, 4). The Persian custom of sacrificing horses to the Sun (Xen. Cyrop. viii, 8, 12), seems to have led to offering of chariots and horses for the same object among the Jewish monarchs who fell into idolatry (Esek. viii, 17 ; 2 Kings xxii, 11 ; see P. dellaValle, p. 256). See Waoon. •