Battle of Qarqar

Kurkh stela of Shalmaneser that reports battle of Karkar The Battle of Karkar (or Qarqar ) was fought in 853 BC when the army of Assyria , led by king Shalmaneser III , encountered an allied army of 12 kings at Karkar led by Hadadezer of Damascus . This battle is notable for having a larger number of combatants than any previous battle, and for being the first instance some peoples enter recorded history (such as the Arabs ). It is recorded on The Kurkh Monolith . According to the inscription of Shalmaneser which he later erected, he had started his annual campaign, leaving Nineveh on the 14th day of Aiaru . He crossed both the Tigris and Euphrates without incident, receiving the submission and tribute of several cities along the way, including that of Aleppo . Once past Aleppo, he encountered his first resistance from troops of Iruleni , king of Hamath , whom he defeated; in retribution, he plundered both the palaces and the cities of Iruleni's kingdom. Continuing his march after having sacked Karkar , he encountered the allied forces near the Orontes River . Shalmaneser's inscription describes the forces of his opponent Hadadezer in considerable detail as follows: Hadadezer himself commanded 1200 chariots, 1200 horsemen and 20,000 soldiers; Iruleni commanded 700 chariots, 700 horsemen and 10,000 soldiers; King Ahab of Israel sent 2000 chariots and 10,000 soldiers; The land of Kizzuwadne ( Byblos ) sent 500 soldiers; The land of Musri sent 1000 soldiers; King Irqanata sent 10 chariots and 10,000 soldiers; King Matinu-ba'lu of Arwad sent 200 soldiers; King Usannata sent 200 soldiers; King Adunu-ba'lu of Shianu sent 30 chariots and "thousands" of soldiers; King Gindibu of Arabia sent 10,000 camel -riders; King Ba'asa , son of Ruhubi , of the Ammonites sent "hundreds" of soldiers; Notes : Musri ( Akkadian for "march") is usually translated here as "Egypt"; however, beginning with H. Winckler ( Alttestamentliche Untersuchen , Leipzig: 1892), some translators believe this name refers to a northern Syrian territory near Kizzuwadne . There is no mention of this battle in either Kings or Chronicles . Where the number in the inscription has been damaged, the approximate amount has been listed here. Shalmaneser boasts that his troops inflicted 14,000 casualties upon the allied army, capturing countless chariots and horses, and describes the damage he inflicted on his opponents in savage detail. However, the inscriptions of kings from this period never acknowledge defeats, and sometimes claim victories those won by ancestors or predecessors. If Shalmaneser had won a clear victory at Karkar, it did not immediately enable further Assyrian conquests in Syria. Assyrian records make it clear that he campaigned in the region several more times in the following decade, engaging Hadadezer six times, who was supported by Iruleni of Hamath at least twice. Shalmaneser's opponents held on to their thrones after this battle: Hadadezer was king of Damascus until at least 841 BC , while Ahab was king of Israel until around 850 BC .

An alliance of 12 Kings Commanders and leaders Shalmaneser III Hadadezer Ahab Strength 100,000 (Assyrian records claim 100,000 troops; modern scholars believe Assyrian forces were smaller) 63,000 infantry , 4,000 chariots , 2,000 cavalry , 1,000 camel cavalry Casualties and losses 66,000 58,000 infantry , 1,580 cavalry The Battle of Qarqar (or Ḳarḳar ) was fought in 853 BC when the army of Assyria , led by king Shalmaneser III , encountered an allied army of 12 kings at Qarqar led by Hadadezer (also called Adad-idr and possibly to be identified with Benhadad II) of Damascus and King Ahab of Israel . This battle is notable for having a larger number of combatants than any previous battle, and for being the first instance some peoples enter recorded history (such as the Arabs ). It is recorded on The Kurkh Monolith . The ancient town of Qarqar at which the battle took place has generally been identified with the modern archaeological site of Tell Qarqur . According to an inscription later erected by Shalmaneser, he had started his annual campaign, leaving Nineveh on the 14th day of Aiaru . He crossed both the Tigris and Euphrates without incident, receiving the submission and tribute of several cities along the way, including that of Aleppo . Once past Aleppo, he encountered his first resistance from troops of Iruleni , king of Hamath , whom he defeated; in retribution, he plundered both the palaces and the cities of Iruleni's kingdom. Continuing his march after having sacked Qarqar , he encountered the allied forces near the Orontes River .

The Battle of Qarqar (or Ḳarḳar ) was fought in 853 BCE when the army of the Neo-Assyrian Empire led by Emperor Shalmaneser III encountered an allied army of eleven kings at Qarqar led by Hadadezer , called in Assyrian Adad-idir and possibly to be identified with King Benhadad II of Aram-Damascus , and Ahab , king of Israel . This battle, fought during the 854–846 BCE Assyrian conquest of Aram , is notable for having a larger number of combatants than any previous battle, and for being the first instance in which some peoples enter recorded history , such as the Arabs . The battle is recorded on the Kurkh Monoliths . The ancient town of Qarqar at which the battle took place has generally been identified with the modern-day archaeological site of Tell Qarqur near the village of Qarqur in Hama Governorate , northwestern Syria . According to an inscription later erected by Shalmaneser, he had started his annual campaign, leaving Nineveh on the 14th day of Iyar . He crossed both the Tigris and Euphrates without incident, receiving the submission and tribute of several cities along the way, including Aleppo . Once past Aleppo he encountered his first resistance from troops of Irhuleni , king of the Luwian state of Ḥamā (called in Hebrew Ḥamāth ), whom he defeated; in retribution, he plundered both the palaces and the cities of Irhuleni's kingdom. Continuing his march after having sacked Qarqar, he encountered the allied forces near the Orontes River . The Great Armies of Antiquity . The Military History of Ancient Israel . " "Qarqar and Current Events", Lofquist, L" .

Battle of the Assyrian conquest of Aram in 853 BC Belligerents Neo-Assyrian Empire 12 Kings alliance: Hama Israel Aram-Damascus Ammon Qedar Arwad Quwê Irqanata Shianu Commanders and leaders Shalmaneser III Irhuleni of Hama Ahab of Israel Hadadezer of Aram-Damascus Baʻsa of Ammon Gindibu of Qedar Matinu Baal of Arwad Kate of Quwê Adunu Baal of Shianu Strength 35,000, including: 20,000 infantry , 12,000 cavalry , 1,200 chariots , 53,000–63,000 infantry , 4,000 chariots , 2,000 cavalry , 1,000 camel cavalry Casualties and losses Unknown Unknown The Battle of Qarqar (or Ḳarḳar ) was fought in 853 BC when the army of the Neo-Assyrian Empire led by Emperor Shalmaneser III encountered an allied army of eleven kings at Qarqar led by Hadadezer , called in Assyrian Adad-idir and possibly to be identified with King Benhadad II of Aram-Damascus ; and Ahab , king of Israel . This battle, fought during the 854–846 BC Assyrian conquest of Aram , is notable for having a larger number of combatants than any previous battle, and for being the first instance in which some peoples enter recorded history , such as the Arabs . The battle is recorded on the Kurkh Monoliths . Using a different rescension of the Assyrian Eponym List would put the battle's date at 854 BC. The ancient town of Qarqar at which the battle took place has generally been identified with the modern-day archaeological site of Tell Qarqur near the village of Qarqur in Hama Governorate , northwestern Syria . According to an inscription later erected by Shalmaneser, he had started his annual campaign, leaving Nineveh on the 14th day of Iyar . He crossed both the Tigris and Euphrates without incident, receiving the submission and tribute of several cities along the way, including Aleppo . Once past Aleppo he encountered his first resistance from troops of Irhuleni , king of the Luwian state of Ḥamā (called in Hebrew Ḥamāth ), whom he defeated; in retribution, he plundered both the palaces and the cities of Irhuleni's kingdom. Continuing his march after having sacked Qarqar, he encountered the allied forces near the Orontes River . The Great Armies of Antiquity .

Battle of the Assyrian conquest of Aram in 853 BC Belligerents Neo-Assyrian Empire 12 Kings alliance: Hama Israel Aram-Damascus Ammon Qedar Arwad Quwê Irqanata Shianu Commanders and leaders Shalmaneser III Irhuleni of Hama Ahab of Israel Hadadezer of Aram-Damascus Baʻsa of Ammon Gindibu of Qedar Matinu Baal of Arwad Kate of Quwê Adunu Baal of Shianu Strength 35,000, including: 20,000 infantry , 12,000 cavalry , 1,200 chariots 53,000–63,000 infantry , 4,000 chariots , 2,000 cavalry , 1,000 camel cavalry Casualties and losses Unknown Unknown The Battle of Qarqar (or Ḳarḳar ) was fought in 853 BC when the army of the Neo-Assyrian Empire led by Emperor Shalmaneser III encountered an allied army of eleven kings at Qarqar led by Hadadezer , called in Assyrian Adad-idir and possibly to be identified with King Benhadad II of Aram-Damascus ; and Ahab , king of Israel . This battle, fought during the 854–846 BC Assyrian conquest of Aram , is notable for having a larger number of combatants than any previous battle, and for being the first instance in which some peoples enter recorded history , such as the Arabs . The battle is recorded on the Kurkh Monoliths . Using a different rescension of the Assyrian Eponym List would put the battle's date at 854 BC. The ancient town of Qarqar at which the battle took place has generally been identified with the modern-day archaeological site of Tell Qarqur near the village of Qarqur in Hama Governorate , northwestern Syria . According to an inscription later erected by Shalmaneser, he had started his annual campaign, leaving Nineveh on the 14th day of Iyar . He crossed both the Tigris and Euphrates without incident, receiving the submission and tribute of several cities along the way, including Aleppo . Once past Aleppo he encountered his first resistance from troops of Irhuleni , king of the Luwian state of Ḥamā (called in Hebrew Ḥamāth ), whom he defeated; in retribution, he plundered both the palaces and the cities of Irhuleni's kingdom. Continuing his march after having sacked Qarqar, he encountered the allied forces near the Orontes River . The Great Armies of Antiquity . The Military History of Ancient Israel . Biblical Archaeology - Maps and Findings .