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Comparative Analysis of Two Battles: Assyrian's Waush and Roman's Ticinus

Year 2025, Volume: 7 Issue: 1, 117 - 130, 26.03.2025

Abstract

Ancient Mesopotamia is important in history and is considered the cradle of civilizations. However, it is impossible to say that the scientific community recognizes the privilege of this region at some points. One of these important points is the strategies used by ancient Mesopotamia in warfare. So, this study addresses three main questions: First, how the Assyrians developed and implemented their strategy at the Battle of Waush; second, how Assyrian warfare can be compared to Roman and Carthaginian warfare and where the Assyrians' strategizing skills should be placed in the ancient world; and third, an attempt to create a Urartian perspective about Battle of Waush from the source material and comparison with the other battle. For this purpose, the study analyzes the Battle of Ticinus, which took place during the Second Punic War and is very similar in planning, fighting, and retreat, and compares it to the Battle of Waush. In addition, the leadership qualities of Sargon and Hannibal are discussed, and their bold initiatives and command skills are evaluated. In addition, the defeats of both battles and the strategies they planned to implement are carefully analyzed, thus providing an objective assessment of both battles in light of the available data.

References

  • Allen, D., & Muratov, P. P. (2010). Caucasian battlefields: a history of the wars on the Turco-Caucasian border, 1828-1921. Cambridge University Press.
  • Appianus. (1913). Appian’s Roman History (T. E. White, Trans.). Macmillan.
  • Ayrault, T. D. (1893). Hannibal: A History of the Art of War: Among the Carthaginians and Romans Down to the Battle of Pydna, 168 B. C., with a Detailed Account of the Second Punic War. Houghton, Mifflin. https://books.google.com.tr/books?id=MVMZAAAAYAAJ
  • Belibtreu, E. (2002). Grisly Assyrian Record of Torture and Death. Biblical Archaeology Society, 17(01).
  • Carey, B. T. (2005). Perspectives: Assyrian King Sargon ll’s Urartu campaign of 714 BC was as sensible as it was ruthless. Military History, 22(6), 65.
  • Çiğdem, S., & Kılıç, M. (2025). The Urartian Army on the Battlefield: Strategy and Tactics. Turkish Journal of History, 85, 1–24. https://doi.org/10.26650/iutd.1496808
  • Çilingiroğlu, A. (1977). Sargon’un Sekizinci Seferi ve Bazı Öneriler. Anadolu Araştırmaları, IV(V), 235–269. Dalley, S., & Postgate, J. N. (1984). The Tablets from Fort Shalmaneser. Oxford University Press.
  • Dezső, T. (2012). The Assyrian army I. Budapest Eötvös University Press.
  • Dezsö, T. (2021). The battle of Mount Waush, 714 BC - Like a furious arrow. Ancient Warfare, XIV (6), 26–35.
  • Dupuy, T. N. (1969). The Military Life of Hannibal: Father of Strategy. F. Watts. https://books.google.com.tr/books?id=ckn8pwAACAAJ
  • Ferrill, A. (1997). The origins of war: from the Stone Age to Alexander the Great. Westwiev.
  • Gabriel, R. A. (2011). Hannibal: The Military Biography of Rome’s Greatest Enemy. Potomac Books Incorporated. https://books.google.com.tr/books?id=IJcT7R0dEe4C
  • Goldsworthy, A. (2001). Cannae: Hannibal’s greatest victory. Cassell Military.
  • Grayson, A. K. (2002). The Royal inscriptions of Mesopotamia, / Assyrian periods III. University Of Toronto Press, Cop.
  • Grekyan, Y. (2010). The Battle of Uauš Revisited. Ahramazd, V (1), 83–108.
  • Guilaine, J., & Zammit, J. (2008). The Origins of War. John Wiley & Sons.
  • Hamblin, W. J. (2006). Warfare in the ancient Near East to 1600 BC: holy warriors at the dawn of history. Routledge.
  • Hammond, N. G. L. (1980). The battle of the Granicus River. The Journal of Hellenic Studies, 100, 73–88. https://doi.org/10.2307/630733
  • Hart, B. H. L. (2012). Strategy: the indirect approach. Pentagon Press.
  • Hoyos, B. D. (2007). Truceless War: Carthage’s Fight for Survival, 241 to 237 BC. Brill. https://books.google.com.tr/books?id=ln7kyVlArk0C
  • Hoyos, D. (2003). Hannibal’s Dynasty Power and politics in the western Mediterranean, 247–183 BC. Taylor & Francis.
  • Kravitz, K. F. (2003). A LastMinute Revision to Sargon’s Letter to the God. Journal of Near Eastern Studies, 62 (2), 81–95. JSTOR. https://doi.org/10.1086/376363
  • Lancel, S. (1999). Hannibal. (A. Nevill, Trans.). Blackwell. Lazenby, J. F. (1998). Hannibal’s war: a Military History of the Second Punic War. University Of Oklahoma Press.
  • Livy. (2009). Hannibal’s War (D. Hoyos, Ed.). OUP Oxford.
  • Melville, S. C. (2016). The Campaigns of Sargon II, King of Assyria, 721–705 BC. University of Oklahoma Press. https://books.google.com.tr/books?id=tGe2DAAAQBAJ
  • Parker, G. (2022). The Cambridge Illustrated History of Warfare. Cambridge University Press.
  • Parpola, S. (2001). The Correspondence of Sargon II (State Archives of Assyria). Helsinki University.
  • Pekşen, O. (2016). Eski Mezopotamya daki Savaşlarda Tanrıların Rolü. History Studies International Journal of History, 8 (2), 55–68. https://doi.org/10.9737/hist.2016220341
  • Phifer, M. (2012). A Handbook of Military Strategy and Tactics. Vij Books India Private Limited. https://books.google.com.tr/books?id=l_6pCQAAQBAJ
  • Polybius. (2012). The Histories of Polybius (E. S. Shuckburgh, Trans.). Cambridge University Press. Reilly, H. J. (1940). Blitzkrieg. Foreign Affairs, 18 (2), 254. https://doi.org/10.2307/20028996
  • RINAP. (2024). Upenn.edu. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/rinap/corpus Sextus Julius Frontinus. (1925). Frontinus: The stratagems, and, the aqueducts of Rome (C. E. Bennett, Trans.). Heinemann.
  • Smith, J. B. (1994). A Tactical Re-Interpretation of the Battle of Uaush: Assyria and Urartu at War 714 BC. In A. Çilingiroğlu & D. H. French (Eds.), Anatolian Iron Ages 3: The Proceedings of the Third Anatolian Iron Ages Colloquium held at Van, 6-12 August 1990 (pp. 229–239). British Institute.
  • Sun Tzu. (2000). The Art of War. Allandale Online Publishing.
  • Toptaş, K. (2020). Asur Belgelerinde Kimmerler. Gazi Akademik Bakış, 14(27), 31–60. https://doi.org/10.19060/gav.838925

İki Muharebenin Karşılaştırmalı Analizi: Asur'un Waush'u ve Roma’nın Ticinus'u

Year 2025, Volume: 7 Issue: 1, 117 - 130, 26.03.2025

Abstract

Antik Mezopotamya tarihte önemli bir yere sahiptir ve uygarlıkların beşiği olarak kabul edilir. Ancak bilim camiasının bazı noktalarda bu bölgenin ayrıcalığını kabul ettiğini söylemek mümkün değildir. Bu önemli noktalardan biri de Antik Mezopotamya'nın savaşta kullandığı stratejilerdir. Dolayısıyla bu çalışma üç ana soruyu ele almaktadır: Birincisi, Asurluların Waush Muharebesinde stratejilerini nasıl geliştirdikleri ve uyguladıkları; ikincisi, Asur savaşlarının Roma ve Kartaca savaşlarıyla nasıl karşılaştırılabileceği ve Asurluların strateji kurma becerilerinin antik dünyada nereye yerleştirilmesi gerektiği; üçüncüsü ise, kaynak malzemeden Waush Muharebesine dair bir Urartu perspektifi oluşturma çabası ve diğer savaşlarla karşılaştırmaktır. Bu amaçla çalışmada, İkinci Pön Savaşı sırasında gerçekleşen ve planlama, savaşma ve geri çekilme açısından çok benzerlik gösteren Ticinus Muharebesi incelenmiş ve Wauş Muharebesinde ile karşılaştırılmıştır. Ayrıca Sargon ve Hannibal'ın liderlik vasıfları tartışılmakta, cesur girişimleri ve komuta yetenekleri değerlendirilmektedir. Buna ek olarak, her iki savaşın yenilgileri ve uygulamayı planladıkları stratejiler dikkatle analiz edilmekte, böylece her iki savaşın da eldeki veriler ışığında objektif bir değerlendirmesi yapılmaktadır.

References

  • Allen, D., & Muratov, P. P. (2010). Caucasian battlefields: a history of the wars on the Turco-Caucasian border, 1828-1921. Cambridge University Press.
  • Appianus. (1913). Appian’s Roman History (T. E. White, Trans.). Macmillan.
  • Ayrault, T. D. (1893). Hannibal: A History of the Art of War: Among the Carthaginians and Romans Down to the Battle of Pydna, 168 B. C., with a Detailed Account of the Second Punic War. Houghton, Mifflin. https://books.google.com.tr/books?id=MVMZAAAAYAAJ
  • Belibtreu, E. (2002). Grisly Assyrian Record of Torture and Death. Biblical Archaeology Society, 17(01).
  • Carey, B. T. (2005). Perspectives: Assyrian King Sargon ll’s Urartu campaign of 714 BC was as sensible as it was ruthless. Military History, 22(6), 65.
  • Çiğdem, S., & Kılıç, M. (2025). The Urartian Army on the Battlefield: Strategy and Tactics. Turkish Journal of History, 85, 1–24. https://doi.org/10.26650/iutd.1496808
  • Çilingiroğlu, A. (1977). Sargon’un Sekizinci Seferi ve Bazı Öneriler. Anadolu Araştırmaları, IV(V), 235–269. Dalley, S., & Postgate, J. N. (1984). The Tablets from Fort Shalmaneser. Oxford University Press.
  • Dezső, T. (2012). The Assyrian army I. Budapest Eötvös University Press.
  • Dezsö, T. (2021). The battle of Mount Waush, 714 BC - Like a furious arrow. Ancient Warfare, XIV (6), 26–35.
  • Dupuy, T. N. (1969). The Military Life of Hannibal: Father of Strategy. F. Watts. https://books.google.com.tr/books?id=ckn8pwAACAAJ
  • Ferrill, A. (1997). The origins of war: from the Stone Age to Alexander the Great. Westwiev.
  • Gabriel, R. A. (2011). Hannibal: The Military Biography of Rome’s Greatest Enemy. Potomac Books Incorporated. https://books.google.com.tr/books?id=IJcT7R0dEe4C
  • Goldsworthy, A. (2001). Cannae: Hannibal’s greatest victory. Cassell Military.
  • Grayson, A. K. (2002). The Royal inscriptions of Mesopotamia, / Assyrian periods III. University Of Toronto Press, Cop.
  • Grekyan, Y. (2010). The Battle of Uauš Revisited. Ahramazd, V (1), 83–108.
  • Guilaine, J., & Zammit, J. (2008). The Origins of War. John Wiley & Sons.
  • Hamblin, W. J. (2006). Warfare in the ancient Near East to 1600 BC: holy warriors at the dawn of history. Routledge.
  • Hammond, N. G. L. (1980). The battle of the Granicus River. The Journal of Hellenic Studies, 100, 73–88. https://doi.org/10.2307/630733
  • Hart, B. H. L. (2012). Strategy: the indirect approach. Pentagon Press.
  • Hoyos, B. D. (2007). Truceless War: Carthage’s Fight for Survival, 241 to 237 BC. Brill. https://books.google.com.tr/books?id=ln7kyVlArk0C
  • Hoyos, D. (2003). Hannibal’s Dynasty Power and politics in the western Mediterranean, 247–183 BC. Taylor & Francis.
  • Kravitz, K. F. (2003). A LastMinute Revision to Sargon’s Letter to the God. Journal of Near Eastern Studies, 62 (2), 81–95. JSTOR. https://doi.org/10.1086/376363
  • Lancel, S. (1999). Hannibal. (A. Nevill, Trans.). Blackwell. Lazenby, J. F. (1998). Hannibal’s war: a Military History of the Second Punic War. University Of Oklahoma Press.
  • Livy. (2009). Hannibal’s War (D. Hoyos, Ed.). OUP Oxford.
  • Melville, S. C. (2016). The Campaigns of Sargon II, King of Assyria, 721–705 BC. University of Oklahoma Press. https://books.google.com.tr/books?id=tGe2DAAAQBAJ
  • Parker, G. (2022). The Cambridge Illustrated History of Warfare. Cambridge University Press.
  • Parpola, S. (2001). The Correspondence of Sargon II (State Archives of Assyria). Helsinki University.
  • Pekşen, O. (2016). Eski Mezopotamya daki Savaşlarda Tanrıların Rolü. History Studies International Journal of History, 8 (2), 55–68. https://doi.org/10.9737/hist.2016220341
  • Phifer, M. (2012). A Handbook of Military Strategy and Tactics. Vij Books India Private Limited. https://books.google.com.tr/books?id=l_6pCQAAQBAJ
  • Polybius. (2012). The Histories of Polybius (E. S. Shuckburgh, Trans.). Cambridge University Press. Reilly, H. J. (1940). Blitzkrieg. Foreign Affairs, 18 (2), 254. https://doi.org/10.2307/20028996
  • RINAP. (2024). Upenn.edu. https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/rinap/corpus Sextus Julius Frontinus. (1925). Frontinus: The stratagems, and, the aqueducts of Rome (C. E. Bennett, Trans.). Heinemann.
  • Smith, J. B. (1994). A Tactical Re-Interpretation of the Battle of Uaush: Assyria and Urartu at War 714 BC. In A. Çilingiroğlu & D. H. French (Eds.), Anatolian Iron Ages 3: The Proceedings of the Third Anatolian Iron Ages Colloquium held at Van, 6-12 August 1990 (pp. 229–239). British Institute.
  • Sun Tzu. (2000). The Art of War. Allandale Online Publishing.
  • Toptaş, K. (2020). Asur Belgelerinde Kimmerler. Gazi Akademik Bakış, 14(27), 31–60. https://doi.org/10.19060/gav.838925
There are 34 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects History of Old Asia Minor
Journal Section Research Articles
Authors

Murat Kılıç 0000-0002-7646-8596

Publication Date March 26, 2025
Submission Date November 29, 2024
Acceptance Date March 26, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 7 Issue: 1

Cite

APA Kılıç, M. (2025). Comparative Analysis of Two Battles: Assyrian’s Waush and Roman’s Ticinus. OANNES - International Journal of Ancient History, 7(1), 117-130. https://doi.org/10.33469/oannes.1593287
AMA Kılıç M. Comparative Analysis of Two Battles: Assyrian’s Waush and Roman’s Ticinus. OANNES. March 2025;7(1):117-130. doi:10.33469/oannes.1593287
Chicago Kılıç, Murat. “Comparative Analysis of Two Battles: Assyrian’s Waush and Roman’s Ticinus”. OANNES - International Journal of Ancient History 7, no. 1 (March 2025): 117-30. https://doi.org/10.33469/oannes.1593287.
EndNote Kılıç M (March 1, 2025) Comparative Analysis of Two Battles: Assyrian’s Waush and Roman’s Ticinus. OANNES - International Journal of Ancient History 7 1 117–130.
IEEE M. Kılıç, “Comparative Analysis of Two Battles: Assyrian’s Waush and Roman’s Ticinus”, OANNES, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 117–130, 2025, doi: 10.33469/oannes.1593287.
ISNAD Kılıç, Murat. “Comparative Analysis of Two Battles: Assyrian’s Waush and Roman’s Ticinus”. OANNES - International Journal of Ancient History 7/1 (March 2025), 117-130. https://doi.org/10.33469/oannes.1593287.
JAMA Kılıç M. Comparative Analysis of Two Battles: Assyrian’s Waush and Roman’s Ticinus. OANNES. 2025;7:117–130.
MLA Kılıç, Murat. “Comparative Analysis of Two Battles: Assyrian’s Waush and Roman’s Ticinus”. OANNES - International Journal of Ancient History, vol. 7, no. 1, 2025, pp. 117-30, doi:10.33469/oannes.1593287.
Vancouver Kılıç M. Comparative Analysis of Two Battles: Assyrian’s Waush and Roman’s Ticinus. OANNES. 2025;7(1):117-30.

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