Hat 8132 Sumerian Infantry

The Sumerians are a people whose exact origin is not known to this day, but who beyond doubt created the first, highly developed civilization in Mesopotamia, and more precisely in its southern part. As the Sumerians for a large part of their stay in the pages of history remained in a political breakdown (political union was imposed on them only by Sargon the Great around 2350 BC), they also had numerous armed conflicts with each other. The first, credible source references to the wars waged by the Sumerians can be dated to the Early Dynastic period (circa 2900-circa 2350 BC), although it can be assumed with a high degree of probability that wars between Sumerian city-states were also fought during the Uruk period. (about 4000 - about 3100 BC). Based on the archaeological material, but also on written and iconographic sources (eg the Banner of Ur or the Stela of the Vulture), it can be stated that the infantry played a very important role in the Sumerian armies. Its defensive armament is usually very weak and is limited to a helmet or - and not always - a shield. It is difficult to find armor resembling those we know from the history of the armies of ancient Greece or Rome. The dominant, quantitatively, offensive weapon was a spear or a javelin. The bow is also certified for military use. Well trained and disciplined professional troops may have emerged in the Sumerian city-states, but this is only a hypothesis. It is worth adding that many Sumerian cities, already in the Uruk period, had magnificent city walls as at that time.