The Horsemen of Israel: Horses and Chariotry in Monarchic Is...

Scope: This study begins with the biology of the war horse because unless we understand something about the nature of the horse, we cannot understand its true significance in Iron Age warfare. Chapter Three discusses the textual and archaeological evidence for the presence of horses in Israel and provides theories of how large numbers of horses may have been acquired. Chapter Four considers the strategic operation of chariotry forces in Israel and the architectural support for them. The academic controversy over the stables at Megiddo is addressed in Chapter Five, as well as the pracrtical operations of large training center and horse compound there and at Jezreel. The final chapter comments on the use of horses in warfare in Iron Age Israel and the equine implications of various enemy invasions as set forth in the Biblical narrative.