[Illustration: FIG. 215.—ASSYRIAN FOOT SOLDIER with the coat, helmet and tall crest, greaves or leggings, target and lance. Bas-reliefs of Nineveh of Sardanapalus V. B.C. 700.] [Illustration: FIG. 216.—ASSYRIAN SOLDIER HUNTING GAME. Bas-relief of Khorsabad, of the reign of Sargon. (British Museum.)] [Illustration: FIG. 217.—FOOT SOLDIER OF THE ARMY OF SENNACHERIB (B.C. 712–707). From a bas-relief in the British Museum. The shape of the conical helmet is modern Persian; the coat and leggings appear to be of mail; the shield is round, large, and very convex.] [Illustration: FIG. 218.—ASSYRIAN WARRIOR, WITH SWORD AND STAFF.] [Illustration: FIG. 219.—ASSYRIAN WARRIORS AT A LION HUNT.] [Illustration: FIG. 220.—ASSYRIAN EUNUCH. In mail-coat, with mace, bow, and dagger-Sword.] [Heading: _THE SWORD IN ASSYRIA._] The Sword and the Sword-dagger seem to have been universally used in Assyria—none but captives and working men are without them. The vulture-headed ‘Nisroch the god’ (of Nebuchadnezzar) carries two long poniards in his breast garment, whereas Ashur in statues shoots his bow. Assur-bani-pal ‘destroys the people of Arabia with his Sword.’ The king in his car, with his Cidaris (tiara) and fly-flap, has two daggers and a Sword in his girdle, from which hang cords and tassels. Another rests his right hand upon a staff, and his left upon the pommel of his weapon. A third plunges a short straight blade, like the matador’s _espada_, between the second and third vertebræ of a wild bull, where the spinal cord is most assailable: this would be done to-day in the spectacula of Spain. Swords are worn by the magi and the eunuchs;[678] and one of the latter draws his weapon to cut off a head. The body-guard bears by his side a Sword longer than usual, and holds arrows and other weapons for his lord’s use. Even the executioner does his work with the Sword. Happily for students, an ancient Assyrian bronze Sword was bought by Colonel Hanbury from the Bedawin at Nardin.[679] He could not ascertain whence it originally came, but it was probably placed in the hands of a statue, perhaps of Maruduk (Mars, father of Nebo or Mercury[680]): it certainly resembles those with which the god is represented upon the Cylinders[681] when fighting with the Dragon. The dimensions are: Length of blade 16 inches Length of hilt 5⅜ „ Total length 21⅜ „ Width at hilt 1⅛ „ Width at hilt base 1⅞ „ The weapon has a richly jewelled hilt inlaid with ivory. It is of the kind known in the Assyrian inscriptions as [Cuneiform] (Sa-pa-ra).[682] It bears the following (cuneiform) inscription in three places: (1) along the whole length of the flat blade, inside edge; (2) along the back; and (3) on the outside edge, where it is divided into two lines:— E-kal Vul-nirari sar kissati abli Bu-di-il Sar Assuri Abli Bel-nirari Sar Assuri va—