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(By A. Nefedkina Dmitriev and Yu.)
Modern historians believe that the chariots were invented over 2300 years BC in Mesopotamia, but the exact proof of this exists. But by the time the horses were tamed by man, they have little resembled modern horses. So small that on the basis of the surviving bas-reliefs is sometimes suggested that the ancient Sumerians gear donkeys rather than horses to their chariots. Perhaps so, because to create the breed of horses, which could not be confused with oslami people succeeded only in the II millennium BC. Later, the Egyptians and the Assyrians in their chariots, horses, harness the growth is already 160 cm and weighing up to 500 kilograms.
Over time, the wagons were improved. So there were trucks and battle chariots, which have appeared in other countries. However, some historians believe that the carts were invented independently and in Mesopotamia and the Caucasus, and in the Eurasian steppes. But, judging by the fact that in all these places, the wagons were the same design, as well as the fact that their parts and components referred to as the same, the center of origin, perhaps they have one.
Technology is constantly evolving construction of chariots. If the Mesopotamian chariots were initially high and is a platform on which the darter or the Archers, in Egypt it had been light, maneuverable vehicles, tailored not only for the shooters. They themselves are formidable weapons.
On the importance of the ancient world was given chariots, horses zapryazhennym can be seen on many facts. For example, in Egypt for the manufacture of chariots used elm, pine, ash, birch.
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in Antiquity" |
Curious discovery made by researchers on the island of Crete, where it was found about five hundred chariots. Mountainous terrain the island of Crete, and in chariots they ride almost impossible, so the German scientist G. Bokish suggested that the chariots in Crete was made "for export".
Thus it or not, but led to the emergence of chariots, in fact, a revolution in military affairs. Having become the main strike force in the armies, they have decided not only on the basis of individual battles - they decide the fate of entire nations!
Excellent and accurate description of the fighting in the wagons can be found in Homer. But fame has started fighting chariots in Egypt and the Hittite empire, once located in Asia Minor.
Both kingdoms constantly fought with each other and do not regularly improve its troops. Of course, improved and chariots.
Sooner or later, these states were to come together in the decisive battle. And it happened on this one in 1312, on the other - in 1296 BC.
By the time the Egyptians, and improved the Hittite chariots, which played a decisive role in this battle, which took place near the town of Kadesh, who was on the current territory of Syria.
It is believed that the battle with Kadeshe - the first in the history of the battle, the process which can be clearly seen in the detailed description of the personal chronicler of Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II.
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in Antiquity" |
Number of soldiers in both armies, it was the same - roughly twenty thousand soldiers from each side. But the main thing - the chariots. There were many: the Hittites - two and a half thousand, the Egyptians, presumably the same. Chariot together in squads of ten, thirty and fifty. Almost a meter-wheel battle with chariots were already eight spokes (previously it was four, maximum six), and - very importantly - has increased the end of the axis, speaking on each side of the wheel. Horses managed charioteer - the distinguished personality in Egypt. Next to him stood a warrior. Sure of a noble kind - only they have the right not to fight on foot structure. The ends of the axes of speakers were in fact long sharp knives. When a car entered in the location of the enemy, it is a living force of the enemy bevel as the grass. Similar, but slightly shorter blades were attached to the front chariots.
Chariots of the Egyptians were maneuverable, fast, and the famous maneuver "the wrath of the Pharaoh" made terrible havoc in the ranks of the enemies. The essence of "rage" was that the chariot broke into the enemy position, and has unfolded, mchalis along the entire front of the flank to flank.
Hittite chariot slyli more powerful - they stood for three people: in addition to a charioteer schitonosets covering and charioteer and warrior, who was usually spear.
And the Hittites, and Egyptians′ chariot carried two horses.
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in Antiquity" |
Ramses II had left Egypt with a group, each of which was called by the name of God - Amon, Ra, PTA, and Seth.
What do the Egyptians had not put intelligence, whether they deftly Hittite misinformed, but approaching the Kadeshu, Ramses II, and did not suspect that is quite close to the enemy. In addition, planted lzheperebezhchiki quite arouse the vigilance of Ramses II, indicating that the Hittite gone far. And they had walked around the Egyptians in the rear, suddenly attacked the approaching squad of Ra and smashed it. Then came in the rear to a group of Amon, and also almost completely destroyed it. Ramses II himself barely survived and escaped only because of personal safety and their own courage. Moreover due to horses. Chronicler wrote the words of Pharaoh: "Since I have been a victory of Thebes and good spirits, my best horses, they found my support when the left was one among the many enemies ..."
However, the Hittite mistake. They found that the Egyptians were totally defeated, and started looting abandoned the Egyptian camp. In the meantime the place of battle was approaching squad allies of Egypt. Meet them, fleeing Ramses II, turned back, and now hit the Egyptians lost their vigilance Hittites.
We will not now argue who won this battle. Ramses II, believed that he had won, Hittite ruler Muvatallis was sure that he defeated the Egyptians. Historians believe that the battle ended when Kadeshe "draw." Egypt and the Hittite kingdom after the battle had concluded a treaty on non-aggression and mutual assistance.
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in Antiquity" |
Chariot continued to improve: no longer two, but four or even six horses carried battle wagons, are not one or two, but four people were on them, and the chariots of the "light tanks" of antiquity to become "heavy" ... But the Persians made the chariots serponosnymi!
Based on the evidence of ancient, it is possible to believe that armed sickle chariot appeared between 479 and 401 BC, the year Ahemenidskoy in the Persian empire.
Serponosnaya team on its objectives very different from their predecessors - unarmed ordinary chariots. The latter is usually fought between themselves before the clash of infantry, supported by its flank, pursued the enemy after the battle, and to a much lesser extent, fulfill the function of the frontal attack on the enemy infantry, mostly when the enemy was not their chariots, or they were already broken from the battlefield. Harnesses the same with sickle - the weapons solely for the frontal attack damaged the enemy, is not only the direct defeat of the enemy, but also on the psychological effect, demoralizing last. The main task serponosnyh chariots was the destruction of a cohesive failure infantry.
During the V century BC permanent enemies the Persians were the Greeks. It Hellenes were resistant heavily infantry unsuccessfully attacked by his hurriedly Persian horsemen in the first half of V century BC, mainly horse Archers.
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in Antiquity" |
In the case of serponosnymi chariots had to create entirely new types of forces, in which the soldiers must have the courage suicide in order to fly directly to the sled in the ranks of the enemy, often even without the support of an attack of their riders.
For the first time on the application serponosnyh chariot can be found in Xenophon, where it was a battle between the army Kunakse when applying for ahemenidsky the throne of Cyrus the Younger and his brother king Artaxerxes II. Interestingly, a role in the battle chariots Artaxerxes II had not complied with. Greek Falangist horses were able to give copies of strikes boards, and attack zahlebnulas. But for a detailed description of Xenophon, you can imagine the construction of chariots turn serponosnoy V-IV century BC
Quadriga had big wheels, vertyaschiesya around the axis, the length of which should be approximately equal to the width of the four horses harnesses. By the end of each axle was attached to a horizontal sickles length of about 90 centimeters. Two more vertical sickle, under the axle, the two sides have sex cabins.
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in Antiquity" |
The following chronology of the case the application serponosnyh quadriga recorded in the sources - the battle at Daskelione (395 BC) between the group of Spartan king Agesilaya and cavalry Gellespontiyskoy satrap of Phrygia Farnabaza. Persian detachment of about 400 riders and two chariots serponosnyh, suddenly attacked the Greeks. Hellenes, of about 700 people, escaped together, trying to build phalanxes. But do not dilly-dally and satrap. He exposed more chariots, attacked them. Harnesses scattered ranks of the enemy, and immediately after they attacked the horsemen, break of about 100 moving Greeks. The rest fled to the camp. Interestingly, this battle - one of the few cases of successful actions serponosnyh chariots. This is because the wheels just behind the attackers in the breakthrough ride riders, which covered chariot.
From the battles in which participated serponosnye quadriga, the best lighting source in the battle Gavgamelah that occurred on 1 October 331 BC between the armies of Alexander the Great and Darius III, last king of the Persian dynasty Ahemenidov. Persians specially chosen for the field of battle, where they can deploy their numerous armies. Moreover, the soil has been leveled to the operation of chariots and horsemen, and were poured on the flank of thorns - Triboulet to neutralize the Macedonian cavalry - the main strike force the army of Alexander.
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in Antiquity" |
By the end of the era ahemenidskoy changes in the armed chariots. Declined to the lowest (under the body) Serpov but armament increased by adding a horizontal sickle laid down on each side at the end of the yoke, and by the end of the axis pridelyvaniya descending down the blade, the lower horizontal sickle.
Last serponosnye chariots were used in the Battle of Green in 47 BC The son of a famous Mithridates VI, Parnach II, the king delivered Pompeu Bosporus, took advantage of the civil war in Rome, captured the Little Armenia, and then, breaking in the Nikopol tsezarianskogo the ruler of Asia Domica Calvin, a Pont, who by this time a Roman province. Apparently, this part of the army, he won, using the old paternal system of acquisition, and perhaps used the old king′s arsenal.
Meanwhile Guy Julius Caesar, Alexander the war having ended, he went to Asia Minor, brought together local actors and met with the enemy of Rome, near the town of Zealand. At dawn on August 2, 47 BC Parnach II has withdrawn troops from the camp and took them across the plain to the Romans, who smashed the camp on a hill. Caesar does not imply that the opponent come to him in such unfavorable conditions, Asians, and continued his fortification work, exposed to the shaft protective line troops. However, quite unexpectedly Parnach II led his troops on the hill, where were the Romans, who hurriedly and in the flurry began to build legions.
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in Antiquity" |
From the Battle of Kunakse (401 BC) to the Battle of Green (47 BC) - this is a historic path serponosnyh chariot, which is fixed and the surviving sources. It is obvious that these chariots as weapons of war were significant shortcomings, which were impossible to overcome. For example, they particularly wanted a flat terrain. However, a special alignment of the soil refers only to the battle with Gavgamelah, which was planned for in advance.
The ancient was well-known psychological effect chariot attack. Obviously, it is this impression had been inspired by the description of the bloody wounds produced sickle - it is usually the loss of attack quadriga were small.
Thus, the chariot (and not only serponosnye), which gradually disappeared from the battle of constructions can be described as rather "psychological weapon" rather than "ancient tanks.
. American actress. Filmed in the movies: "Early fame" (Oscar), "Little Women," "The Philadelphia Story", "Woman of the Year", "Guess who comes to dinner?" (Bonus " Oscar ")," Lion in Winter "(Oscar)," On Golden pond "(Oscar) and other theatrical roles: Antiopa (voitelnitsy husband), Tracy Lord (" The Philadelphia Story "), etc. |
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 French actor and film. Roles in Theater: Michelle ( "terrible parent"), Nero ( "Britannica"), Lear (King Lear), and others appeared in films: "Eternal return", "Beauty and the Beast," " , Orpheus "," Captain Frakass, " The Count of Monte Cristo, " Iron Mask "," hunchback "," Fantomas ", etc. |
 German actress. Filmed in the movies: the trilogy "Sissi", "Christine," "Boccaccio 70", "Process", "Ludwig", "Train", "The main thing - love," "old gun" "Cesar and Rosalie," "Woman in the Window," "Simple Story", "Live coverage of the death, etc. |
 Swedish writer. Author of novels for children, "Pippi Longstocking - Long Stocking" (1945-1952), "The Kid and Carlson, who lives on the Roof" (1955-1968), "Rasmus-bum" (1956), "The Brothers Lionheart" (1979), "Ronia, the Robber′s Daughter" (1981), etc. |
 American actor. Appeared in films: "From now and for ever", "tattooed rose," "Sweet smell of success", "Elmer Gentri, the Nuremberg process," "Amateur birds from Alkatrasa", "Leopard," " ; Train "," Professionals "," Family Portrait in the interior, " Twentieth Century "," Atlantic City "," skin ", etc. |
 English actor. Acted in films: "The Lion in Winter," "Hamlet," "Elephant Man", "Charing Cross Road, 84", "Silence of the Lambs," "Kingdom of Shadows," "Nixon", " , Amistad, " Remains of the Day, " Hannibal ", etc. |
 American actor. Acted in films: A Streetcar Named Desire, " Viva Zapata! "," Savage, " In Port "(Oscar)," Pursuit, " Candy, " Queimado, " The Godfather "(Oscar)," Last Tango in Paris "," Superman, " Apocalypse Now "," Don Juan de Marco ", etc. |
 American actress. Filmed in the movies: "Cat on a hot roof, Baterfild, 8" (Oscar), "Cleopatra", "Who is Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" (Oscar), " The Taming of the Shrew ", etc. |
 In July 1859 the Swiss physician A. Dunant was present at the battlefield in the village of Solferino in Lombardy. He was a kind and sentimental, and therefore suffering injuries caused in him a burning desire to help the suffering. But as A. Dunant was still a practical man, he decided to found a world organization to provide medical care to the wounded and the victims of earthquakes, floods and other natural disasters. |
 American actor. Appeared in films: "Graduate," "Midnight Cowboy," "Little big man", "straw dogs", "Lenny", "marathon runner", "Kramer v. Kramer" (Oscar ), "Tutsi", "Rain Man" (Oscar), "American Buffalo," "Sphere," "red herring", etc. |
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