first instance.  Assyria itself, it is true, had recovered the vitality and elasticity of its earlier days.  The people were a robust and energetic race, devoted to their rulers, and ready to follow them blindly and trustingly wherever they might lead.  The army, while composed chiefly of the same classes of troops as in the time of Tiglath-pileser I.,—­spearmen, archers, sappers, and slingers,—­now possessed a new element, whose appearance on the field of battle was to revolutionize the whole method of warfare; this was the cavalry, properly so called, introduced as an adjunct to the chariotry.  The number of horsemen forming this contingent was as yet small; like the infantry, they wore casques and cuirasses, but were clothed with a tight-fitting loin-cloth in place of the long kilt, the folds of which would have embarrassed their movements.  One-half of the men carried sword and lance, the other half sword and bow, the latter of a smaller kind than that used by the infantry.  Their horses were bridled, and bore trappings on the forehead, but had no saddles; their riders rode bareback without stirrups; they sat far back with the chest thrown forward, their knees drawn up to grip the shoulder of the animal.

[Illustration:  009.jpg AN ASSYRIAN HORSEMAN ARMED WITH THE SWORD]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a bas-relief in bronze on the gate of Balawat.  The Assyrian artist has shown the head and legs of the second horse in profile behind the first, but he has forgotten to represent the rest of its body, and also the man riding it.

Each horseman was attended by a groom, who rode abreast of him, and held his reins during an action, so that he might be free to make use of his weapons.  This body of cavalry, having little confidence in its own powers, kept in close contact with the main body of the army, and was not used in independent manouvres; it was associated with and formed an escort to the chariotry in expeditions where speed was essential, and where the ordinary foot soldier would have hampered the movements of the charioteers.*

* Isolated horsemen must no doubt have existed in the Assyrian just as in the Egyptian army, but we never find any mention of a body of cavalry in inscriptions prior to the time of Assur-nazir-pal; the introduction of this new corps must consequently have taken place between the reigns of Tiglath-pileser and Assur-nazir-pal, probably nearer the time of the latter.  Assur-nazir-pal himself seldom speaks of his cavalry, but he constantly makes mention of the horsemen of the Aramaean and Syrian principalities, whom he incorporated into his own army.

[Illustration:  010.jpg A MOUNTED ASSYRIAN ARCHER WITH ATTENDANT]

     Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from one of the bronze bas-reliefs
     of the gate of Balawat.