Chariot

CHARIOT-s; well.

1. Among the ancient Greeks and Romans: a two-wheeled wagon used in combat, for sports. Combat k. Begovaya k.

2. In the old days: a richly decorated wheeled carriage, which was used for ceremonial trips. triumphal k. Funeral to.

◊ The last spoke in the chariot. About someone who has no influence, significance, plays the most insignificant role in smth. The fifth wheel in the chariot. About someone, something. completely useless, unnecessary.

◁ Chariot, th, th. K-th harness. K-th run.

chariot

an ancient two- or four-wheeled cart. It was controlled by a charioteer standing in a chariot. Known in Western Asia from the 3rd millennium BC. e. Initially harnessed by kulans, onagers, mules. In the 2nd millennium BC. e. horse-drawn war chariots spread. War chariots operated in front of the front or on the flanks of the infantry. Chariots were also used in sports, ritual and triumphal processions.

CHARIOT

CHARIOT, an ancient two- or four-wheeled cart drawn by one or more horses. The chariot was used in combat operations, sports competitions, ritual and triumphal processions. It was controlled by a charioteer standing in a chariot. War chariots operated in front of the front or on the flanks of the infantry.
The first information about war chariots dates back to the reign of the Assyrian king Tugultipalesarr (1130s BC). In the armies of the countries of the Ancient East, two- or four-wheeled chariots were used, harnessed by one, two or four horses. In battle, javelin throwers and archers were placed in the chariot. In the armies of Western Europe in the Middle Ages, chariots with high, strong sides were used, behind which arrows and even light guns were hiding, firing through special loopholes.
A two-wheeled chariot was a small wooden platform on two wheels, to which a drawbar was tightly attached. The front and sides of the chariots were sheathed in leather, which protected the legs of the crew from arrows. A quiver with arrows was attached to the body of the chariot. Her crew usually consisted of two warriors - an archer and a charioteer, armed with a spear and a shield. Sometimes the crew was reinforced by two shield-bearers who covered the archer and the charioteer. War chariots were used on level ground and were a reliable means of action against irregular troops. When throwing a spear from a chariot, its flight range increased by 50%. Such chariots were used in ancient Babylon, Assyria, Egypt, ancient Greece, Carthage, Rome.

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In Egypt ... Wikipedia

CHARIOT, chariots, wives. 1. In ancient times, a two-wheeled carriage with a drawbar for combat purposes (source). War chariot. The heroes of the Homeric poems fight in chariots. 2. Richly decorated wheeled carriage for ceremonial trips (obsolete). ... ... Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov

Not the last spoke in the chariot, the fifth spoke in the chariot... Dictionary of Russian synonyms and similar expressions. under. ed. N. Abramova, M .: Russian dictionaries, 1999. chariot noun, number of synonyms: 8 big ... Synonym dictionary

An ancient two- or four-wheeled wagon to which one or more horses were harnessed; It was used in combat operations, sports competitions, ritual and triumphal processions. It was controlled by a charioteer standing in a chariot. War chariots... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

CHARIOT, s, women. In the old days: a large wheeled carriage. Combat k. (among the ancient Greeks and Romans). Funeral room | adj. chariot, oh, oh. Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 ... Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov

Chariot- (chariot), a high-speed two or four-wheeled horse-drawn cart. Initially, K. were intended for the military. actions, the Sumerian war carts (c. 2500 BC) with four wheels, harnessed by onagers served as a model for them ... ... The World History

Passenger carriage, where the horse serves as a solar, spiritual vehicle. Carriages driven by white or golden horses, or something like griffins, are attributes of the gods of Heaven, who move the cart of the Sun across the sky. ... ... Symbol Dictionary

Currus, 1. arcuatus, a linen-covered chariot used chiefly by the flammes. Liv. 1, 21; 2. C. falcatus, αρμα δρεπανηφόρον, a war chariot, surrounded on all sides by long, sharp sickles, which ... ... Real Dictionary of Classical Antiquities

A kind of wheeled cart used in combat, for triumphal, ritual and funeral processions, as well as for sports. Ritual and combat K. are found during excavations of rich graves of the end of the 3rd ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Chariot- Heb. rechev Chariot. Already in the books of Moses we read about chariots for people and for transporting goods. Joseph sent chariots from Egypt to Canaan to carry his father and household (Gen. 45:19ff.). In Numbers. 7:3 and gave. talking about carts for ... ... Dictionary of Biblical Names

Books

• Chariot of Time. A cycle of fantastic stories, Gintsar Vitaly. The Chariot of Time is a dystopian cycle of interconnected fantastic tales about the future of mankind, each of which describes a different period of its existence. Takeoffs and...

49. Finds in the Red Sea. ancient egyptian chariots

49.1. Egyptian army war chariots

The Egyptian army was armed with war chariots, which were used in pursuit of the Israelites:“[Pharaoh] harnessed his chariot and took his people with him; and took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and leaders over them all.” (Ex. 14:6,7).

The historian Josephus Flavius ​​mentions the same number of chariots, as well as 50 thousand soldiers accompanying them, and 200 thousand foot soldiers ( JA 2/15:3).

War chariots were intended for battles where speed of movement was required. Their crew, as a rule, consisted of two soldiers: one drove the chariot, the other fought with a sword or shot from a bow. The chariots were light; the baskets that housed the soldiers were made of wood and leather. An axle was attached to the wooden bottom of the wagon. The drawbar for two horses was also fixed under the floor of the chariot. To the weight of the soldiers should be added their weapons, armor, shields and other equipment. Images of Egyptian war chariots are often found in ancient drawings. Some examples are shown in Figures 367–370.

Fig.367, 368

Fig.369, 370

Images of ancient Egyptian war chariots can be seen in numerous frescoes and drawings, only a few finds were made in royal tombs.

Fig.371

A chariot found in a pharaoh's tomb.

Fig.372

The chariot wheels had different designs. In the photo: an example of a wheel from a light chariot, apparently intended for ceremonial purposes.

Figure 371 shows Tutankhamen's ceremonial chariot found in his tomb. The design of its wheel is visible in Fig. 372. Even though it is smaller than the war chariots of the Egyptians, it can be regarded as a model. It is important to understand that all the carts found in the tombs of the pharaohs were intended for various ceremonies. As a comparison, we can cite the example of the open carriage of Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain. II - it is similar to the carts used by the British in the First World War, only the equipment of its crew was more heavy.

Fig.373

Wheels with 8 and 4 spokes from the time of Thutmose IV.

Fig.374

Wheel hub caps of heavier chariots (compared to fig. 372).

It is clear that the chariots were composed of carefully designed parts. Most likely, the war wagons were stronger and simpler in design. They contained metal parts, such as the bronze wheel hub caps of a chariot belonging to Thutmose. IV (Fig. 374), which have survived to this day. In Fig. 373, which shows its side view, wheels with eight and four spokes are clearly visible. Some of the Egyptian bas-reliefs depict wheel technology and show examples of four-spoke wheels.

In addition to war chariots, the Egyptian army had to have a large number of strong transport wagons with provisions and various field equipment (for example, tents). Their wheels were most likely at least partially covered with bronze to withstand the pressure of the load and the weight of the wagons themselves.

Priests also took part in military campaigns, but they most often moved behind the entire army. Their task was not to fight, but to maintain morale in the soldiers and provide "cover" from the side of the gods. There is every reason to believe that the chariots of the clergy performed symbolic functions and their appearance reflected the power and protection of the gods.

The biblical text indicates that when the waters of the sea closed, the entire army of Egypt was destroyed. Is it possible today to find the remains of Egyptian chariots at the bottom of the Red Sea near Nuweiba, which, according to the working hypothesis of our book, was the starting point for crossing the Gulf of Aqaba?

Fig.375, 376

Fig.377, 378

Examples of different variants of Egyptian war chariots. The photo on the right is a fragment of an Egyptian banknote.

49.2. Wheels on the seabed

It is important to remember that the bottom in the study area was clean. Corals, found throughout the Red Sea, attach themselves to underwater objects as they cannot grow on sand. Therefore, taking into account that the bottom at the crossing of the sea was clear, the abundant corals must have attached themselves to the remains of the Egyptian army that had sunk to the bottom.

The problem lies in the difficulty of identifying coral-covered objects that may have joined with other coral growths. A feature of corals is their destruction of organic materials: all that remains of the latter is only a form that vaguely resembles the original object. Additional difficulties are created by great depth and strong currents.

There is reason to believe that lighter objects were carried away by currents created by the tides, along both edges of the underwater bridge into depressions (their depth reaches 1900 m; without special equipment, such as that used, for example, when studying the Titanic, explore them impossible).

Fig.380, 381, 382

This gilded wheel was found at the bottom of the Red Sea. Being covered with bottom sediments, it was not overgrown with corals (with the exception of one small branch). There is no doubt that this object is a wheel with four spokes. All its parts are easily distinguishable, its diameter is approximately 1 m.

The most easily recognizable structures are the wheels. Corals do not grow on mud deposits, so the gold-plated wheel (Fig. 380-382) is clearly visible at the bottom of the bay. Its diameter is approximately 1 m. The wheel has four spokes and is a wooden frame completely covered with gold. The found wheel is a solid construction and was more likely part of a war chariot or transport wagon, rather than a ceremonial carriage, like those placed in the tombs (, 372). It should be noted that until now such wheels have been found only in the tombs of the pharaohs.

The gilded wheel at the bottom of the bay was part of a chariot that moved behind the troops and possibly belonged to a priest. The officers and the pharaoh, whose wagons also had gilded wheels, usually rode ahead of the army.

This gilded wheel is unique in several ways:

1. This is the first ancient wheel not found in a burial chamber.

2. This is the first wheel covered with gold.

3. Its design is different from the design of the wheels found in the tombs (reinforced rim, stronger spokes, hub cap also has some differences from the caps used in ceremonial chariots). On the other hand, this wheel is similar to the wheels depicted in ancient Egyptian drawings.

4. The only reason why the wheel could have ended up at the bottom of the Red Sea is an accident or catastrophe. It is rather difficult to logically explain how the chariot ended up far from the shore and sank to the bottom. In addition, a wagon decorated with gold was of great material value and testified to the well-being of its owner.

5. The outlines of the wheel are easily distinguishable due to the fact that it was covered with silt and bottom sediments and was not overgrown with corals.

The wheel itself is very fragile - its wooden base has mostly rotted away. The existence of chariots decorated with gold became known from ancient inscriptions and drawings. In one of them (dedicated to Thutmose III , 18th Dynasty), golden chariots are repeatedly mentioned (50).

Fig.379

The top drawing is a wheel found at the bottom of the Red Sea; further - the wheel from the drawing ~ 1430 BC; the figure below is a variant of the wheel depicted in an ancient fresco (18th dynasty).

Fig. 379 shows the wheels of Egyptian war chariots (~ 1430 BC), given as an illustration in a modern book on the art of war (51). They can be compared to a gold-plated wheel at -382. At the bottom of Fig. 379 is a scene of the manufacture of four-spoked wheels (18th Dynasty), similar to the find at the bottom of the Gulf of Aqaba (52).

During the reign of the 18th Dynasty, Egypt was a powerful state with a strong army, which was armed with many chariots, both Egyptian-made and captured as booty. For example, in one of the battles, the Egyptians captured 2041 horses (51), which also implies a certain number of captured chariots.

The biblical text (Ex. 14:6,7) indicates that in order to chase the Israelites, in addition to all the available chariots (probably captured, and as a result, most likely, of the most diverse design), the Egyptians used "600 selected chariots" (possibly , it was about the best war chariots driven by soldiers from the elite troops).

Fig.387, 388

This wheel is covered with corals. A hub protrudes in its central part, from which spokes (eight in total) diverge in different directions. The round shape of the object is also clearly visible. Part of the wheel (bottom) is missing.

Figure 387 shows another wooden wheel. It is covered with coral growths. In the picture, you can distinguish a round symmetrical structure, spokes and a vertically standing hub. The following figure (Fig. 388) shows a photograph of the formation, on which an image with the restored outlines of the wheel was superimposed c eight spokes.

Due to the complexity of research at great depths, it is impossible to present a large number of finds.

Fig.383, 384

The picture shows two wheels connected by an axle.

Figure 383 shows an unusual coral formation, which probably hides a pair of wheels and an axle standing upright. Circular objects and a preserved axle of a chariot are also visible here. Note that the axle and wheel are at right angles to each other. Fig. 384 shows what this pair of wheels could look like, having sunk to the bottom of the bay.

Fig.385, 386

Two wheels with six spokes (painted pink) in a pile of objects, which will be discussed later. Note the similarity of the wheel on the right to the wheel in the drawing, made before the described objects were found on the seabed. The illustration in Fig. 386 is based on the artist's general idea of ​​the construction of Egyptian wheels.

Figure 385 also shows two wheels. They are part of a pile of objects, which will be discussed in the following chapters of our book. These wheels (in the picture they were painted in a different color so you can see them) are in a vertical position or rest on the mentioned pile of objects. The right wheel has six spokes. Pay attention to its general resemblance to the wheel in the drawing next (Fig. 386), which was made before it was discovered.

Fig.393

The object is completely overgrown with corals. In its unusual forms, the outlines of a chariot are guessed, a round structure similar to a wheel, and an axis standing upright. At its end, the remains of a spoke and part of the hub are visible.

The object in Fig. 393 is most likely a war or transport chariot lying on its side. In the back of it, a round object is visible, which could well be a wheel. In front of the chariot, a vertical axis protrudes with the remains, presumably, of the spokes and part of the hub. The large formation between them is very reminiscent of a chariot.

The wheel is an object of characteristic regular shape, which was an important part of the war chariot. It is mentioned in the Bible, in particular in the episode when, by the will of the Lord, the wheels of the Egyptian chariots fall off the carts, which causes panic in the ranks of the persecutors (Ex. 14:24,25). On the underwater bridge in the Gulf of Aqaba, many separate wheels were found.

The wheels shown at -388 and are located near the western shore of the bay on an underwater bridge. In other words, they could belong to the chariots moving behind the Egyptian army. The wheels, photographs of which are shown in figs. 389-392 and -404, were found on the eastern side of the bridge and could be part of the chariots of the vanguard of the Egyptian army.

Fig.389, 390

This wheel lies on the seabed in a horizontal position. It has survived worse than the wheel with. The object is round; a hub is visible in its center; it is covered in debris. This wheel had six spokes.

Figure 389 shows a wheel lying at the bottom of the Red Sea. Its symmetrical round shape, six spokes, as well as the place where the hub entered (in the center of the wheel) are clearly visible. Nearby, in Fig. 390, schematically restored outlines of the object are shown.

Fig.391, 392

The axle that once connected the two wheels is broken. Part of the axle sticks out of the flat wheel. We can clearly distinguish the rim, the spokes were badly damaged by coral growths.

Figures 391 and 392 show pictures of another pair of wheels. The axle that once connected them has broken and now protrudes from the wheel, which lies horizontally at the bottom. The outer and inner surfaces of its rim are clearly visible. The second wheel is upright; part of the axis protrudes from it at a right angle.

Fig.399, 400

The seabed in the study area is clean and even. On such a surface, it is easy to see an object resembling an inverted transport chariot, the axles of which are thus on top. The remains of the wheels are scattered around. One of the spokes can be seen on the object on the right, similar to a wheel.

An object similar to a transport chariot (Fig. 399, 400) lies separately from other objects on its flat bottom. Next to it are, presumably, the remains of four wheels. All of them are overgrown with corals, but the correct shapes of the wheel rims are guessed in their outlines.

Fig.397, 398

This object, completely overgrown with corals, is obviously the frame of a transport chariot. It has structures with right angles and board-like formations. The wheel axle lies across the object. Pay attention to the object covered with sand (see enlargement in Fig. 396).

Fig.396

Most likely, this is a human skull, which turned out to be under a larger object (see Fig. 397). Only the upper part of the skull is visible. If there is the rest of the skeleton, then perhaps it lies under the object described in the comment to Fig. 397.

An unusual object is seen in the center of the photograph in Figs. 397, 398 (the photograph was taken off the eastern coast of the bay). It could be a frame of a transport wagon, under the central part of the bottom of which a wheel axle passes. It should again be noted the right angles between the parts of the object, apparently made of wood covered with corals. Judging by its appearance, individual elements of the body of the chariot (perhaps its sides) were made of boards. In the lower left corner of the picture (Fig. 396) an object is visible, which is probably a human skull. It is partially covered with silt and lies near the corner of the chariot. It can be seen from above, from the position where the photographer was. The rest of the body turned out to be pressed to the bottom by the remains chariots.

Fig.394, 395

A section of the bottom where corals are completely absent - except for an object in which right angles are guessed, objects that look like wheels, etc. Probably, before us is a large accumulation of objects of artificial origin.

Figures 394 and 395 show a formation, which is also difficult to call an object of natural origin, since it differs from ordinary bottom structures. Perhaps this is the lower part of the war chariot. It can be a wheel axle with objects attached to it. Opposite what could be the body of the chariot, under a layer of sediments there are remains that have regular shapes (unusual for corals). Obviously - these are parts of wheels with four knitting needles.

Fig.401, 402

As in other cases, a strange object is visible on a clean bottom, similar to an inverted chariot, on which the axle and wheels are distinguishable. Below them is the body of the chariot. This find is remarkable in that on one of its sides there is an object resembling a quiver (for bow and arrows). It was probably a light war chariot. It has four spokes on its wheels. Thanks to the layer of coral, each object appears somewhat thicker than it really is.

Figures 401 and 402 show finds that have already become typical for this area. An object of unusual shape was found on the flat surface of the seabed. Despite the fact that it is covered with corals, structures of artificial origin can be seen in its outlines. This is probably an inverted war chariot, next to which lies a quiver of arrows. Below it is an object that looks like an axle with the remains of a wheel (in this case, a wheel with four spokes). In front of the chariot, the remains of probably two more wheels are visible; one of them is covered with corals, but even so, round outlines are clearly visible. The other wheel is covered with bottom sediments, clearly visible spokes appear from under them, the angle between which is 90 about , in other words, before us is a wheel with four spokes.

Fig.403, 404

On a clean bottom, objects lying close to each other were found. Perhaps these are the remains of a chariot. Pay attention to the correct shape of its bottom. The shaft connecting the chariot to the horse team is slightly curved. A round, tube-like object is the connecting element of the body of the chariot and shafts. Judging by its position, the chariot is in an inverted position, its bottom is almost completely destroyed.

Another find (Fig. 403) looks like an object with . Again, on a clean, flat bottom of the bay, a group of remains was discovered, most likely being an almost completely preserved war chariot standing on wheels. On its roof lies an object, presumably representing an axle from another chariot or another object that is difficult to identify. Around the chariot lie (or stand straight) the remains of several wheels.

Most of the corals in this and some other areas were dead. The reason for this could be clouds of particles arriving from the coast after heavy rain. This type of erosion may have created an undersea bridge across the Gulf of Aqaba. Erosion particles and material are a threat to all coral reefs.

So, on the investigated area of ​​the seabed, a large number of remains of artificial origin were found. Sometimes they were difficult to identify, but in some cases their difference from the surrounding objects was obvious (perfectly round or square shape, the arrangement of various parts at right angles, etc.), which indicated that they were of artificial origin (remains chariots, wheels, harness, etc.). In some cases, the identification of the finds was so definite that it was possible to say with certainty: "This is a wheel." Examples of such objects are given in the previously considered -382.

Pharaoh's chariots

Exodus 14:7 says, “And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and had rulers over them all.”

Egyptian Chariot (Memphis Temple).

Pharaoh mobilized all the fast chariots to pursue the sons of Israel. In the Egyptian army in the 13th century. BC e. the guards of the pharaoh were an elite part. The division, under the command of the commander, included twenty-five chariots. Probably, these commanders were the mentioned "shalishim" - the heads of the chariots. By the way, the word "shalishim" is not Egyptian, but Semitic.

From the book of Mukhtasar "Sahih" (collection of hadiths) by al-Bukhari

Chapter 1069: Words of Allah Almighty: “Allah gave an example to those who believed, the wife of Pharaoh. So she said: “O my Lord, build me a house in paradise (nearby) from You, and deliver me from Pharaoh and deliver me from the unjust people!” (And He gave an example) Maryam, the daughter of ‘Imran,

From the Heart Sutra: Prajnaparamita Teachings by Gyatso Tenzin

Origins of the Great Vehicle Teaching After the Buddha's parinirvana, all of his teachings were collected by some of the chief disciples. In fact, this gathering did not take place simultaneously, but in three stages. Moreover, it is quite clear that the Mahayana writings are not included in those three corpora.

From the book Pagan Celts. Life, religion, culture author Ross Ann

From the book Text of the Trebnik in Church Slavonic author author unknown

The rite of consecration of the chariot. Priest: Blessed be our God always, now and then, and forever and ever. Glory to Thee?, our God, glory to Thee. King? Celestial: Trisagion. Holy Trinity: Our Father: Priest: Am I yours? there is a Kingdom: Reader: Ami? Lord, have mercy, 12.

From the book Text of Trebnik in Russian author author unknown

THE ORDER OF CONSOLIDATION OF THE CHARIOT Priest: Blessed be our God always, now and forever, and forever and ever. Reader: Amen. Glory to Thee, our God glory to Thee. King of Heaven: Trisagion. Glory, and now: Holy Trinity: Lord, have mercy. (3) Glory, and now: Our Father: Priest: For Yours is the Kingdom:

From the book Explanatory Bible. Volume 1 author Lopukhin Alexander

Chapter 41 The exaltation of Joseph to the degree of the first nobleman of the pharaoh and ruler of Egypt. Pharaoh's Dreams 1. After two years, Pharaoh dreamed: behold, he was standing by the river; Two years are considered, probably, judging by the connection of the speech with Art. 23 ch. 40, from the release of the cupbearer, or this date may

From the book Advice from the Heart by Rinpoche Dudjom

21. So did the children of Israel. And Joseph gave them chariots by the command of Pharaoh, and gave them travel provisions, 22 to each of them he gave a change of clothes, and to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothes; Sending brothers for his father, Joseph endows all of them with gifts and

From the book of Holy Scripture. Modern Translation (CARS) author bible

7. And Joseph went to bury his father. And all the servants of Pharaoh went with him, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8 and all the house of Joseph, and his brothers, and the house of his father. They left only their children and their flocks and cattle in the land of Goshen. 9. They also went with him

From the book of the Bible. New Russian translation (NRT, RSJ, Biblica) author bible

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From the book of the Ramayana by the author

Eighth vision: four chariots 1 I looked up again and saw four chariots in front of me, driving out of a gorge between two copper mountains. 2 The first chariot was drawn by red horses, the second by black horses, 3 the third by white horses, and the fourth by piebald ones; they are all strong horses.4 I asked

From the book Fundamentals of the History of Religions [Textbook for grades 8-9 of secondary schools] author Goytimirov Shamil Ibnumaskhudovich

Eighth vision: four chariots 1 I looked up again and saw four chariots in front of me, leaving a gorge between two copper mountains. 2 The first chariot was drawn by red horses, the second by black horses, 3 the third by white horses, and the fourth by piebald ones; they are all strong horses a.4 I asked

From the book Myths and legends of the peoples of the world. Bible stories and legends author Nemirovsky Alexander Iosifovich

Chapter 7. Description of Pushpak's Celestial Chariot Mighty Hanuman continued to inspect the palace chambers with golden windows dotted with emeralds, resembling a pile of clouds during the rainy season, torn by lightning, past which flocks of cranes fly. He saw various halls and

From the book Explanatory Bible Lopukhin. OLD TESTAMENT. GENESIS of the author

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§ 14. Buddhism of the “diamond chariot” In the middle of the 1st century. n. e. in India, a new direction of the Mahayana is emerging - the Vajrayana ("diamond chariot"), or Tantrayana, which from a philosophical point of view is fully consistent with the Mahayana and can be considered a slight deviation from it.

From the author's book

Pharaoh's Dreams Two years passed after this, and Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing on the banks of the Nile, and from there, one after another, seven beautiful and well-fed cows were emerging and grazing in the coastal reeds. Following them, seven other cows come out of the water, ugly and skinny. And they

From the author's book

Chapter 41 1. Dreams of the pharaoh. 1. After two years, the pharaoh dreamed: behold, he was standing by the river; Two years are considered, probably, judging by the connection of speech with v. 23 ch. 40, from the release of the cupbearer, or this date may

How was it used by the inhabitants of ancient countries? Read about this and more in the article below.

Invention of chariots

Before proceeding to a detailed analysis of this ancient type of technology, you need to find out an important thing. Not everyone knows what a chariot is, what it is. In fact, this is a wagon that had two or four wheels, to which horses were harnessed. The cart was driven by a man called a charioteer. And chariots were used in combat operations, sports competitions and ritual processions.

Scientists suggest that the Sumerians invented chariots in the fourth millennium BC. They already knew how to control animals from the body and invented the wheel. The Sumerians originally harnessed donkeys to the chariot. Gradually, the wagon increased its functionality.

If its first function was transport, then later it became a mobile firing center in battle (it was easy to throw darts and shoot arrows from it). Gradually, a convenient invention migrated to other countries. Many nations learned what a chariot was and began to apply this innovation.

Egyptian chariots

From about the second millennium BC, the Egyptians began to use the invention of the Sumerians. Already under the rule of the Hyksos pharaohs, chariots become the main striking force of the army. The largest chariot battle in history is known - the battle of Kadesh, in which more than seven thousand chariots took part. The Egyptian chariots were very fast and maneuverable, they burst into the enemy camp and rushed from flank to flank, destroying everything in their path.

With the development of horseback riding, the war cart in ancient Egypt began to be used less, although the cavalry could not replace it in terms of the strength of the blows. But the horsemen were many times cheaper than the chariots.

scythed chariots

According to scientists, this type of chariot appears in 479-401 BC. e. What is a sickle-nosed chariot and how does it differ from its predecessors? Its main function is not a powerful combat strike, but a psychological attack. It was supposed to have an impact, reduce the morale of the enemy infantry in a head-on collision. In this regard, it was necessary to create a new kind of troops - fearless, not afraid to rush towards the enemy and death. The wagon was designed for 4 horses, had large wheels. Sickles about 90 cm in size were attached to the axles of the wheels. The losses of the enemy from the use of sickle-nosed chariots were not great, but they gave a psychological effect. Due to the lack of versatility, the use of war carts eventually faded away.

Chariots of Ancient Greece

Initially, in Greece, the chariot performed only a transport role. She delivered a warrior in armor to the battlefield. If the warrior did not die, the chariot with the charioteer took him back. It happened that they were used in battle, but it was dangerous. A flat battlefield is necessary for a wagon, since the drawbar on bumps can break, then the horses will carry. This is fraught with the death of a warrior on a chariot.

The ancient chariot of Greece was very often used outside the battlefield. The Hellenes loved to arrange chariot races, and later they even entered the program of the Olympic Games.

Along with the progress, new technical combat innovations also came, pushing the war chariots into the background, and then completely replacing them. By the end of their existence, these wagons had already become not so much participants in hostilities as indicators of the nobility and wealth of their owner. To maintain just one chariot, a lot of land (for horses) and personnel caring for the animals and the chariot itself were required. Soon the content of all this became unprofitable, and the chariots sunk into oblivion.