ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Mesopotamian military strategy and tactics

Okay kiddo, let me explain to you about the Mesopotamian military strategy and tactics. The Mesopotamians were people who lived a long time ago in a place called Mesopotamia. Now, they had to fight against other people who wanted to come and take over their land, so they came up with a plan on how to defend themselves.

First, they would build big walls around their cities to protect themselves from attackers. These walls were very high and very thick, so it was hard for anyone to get in. Also, they would put watchtowers on top of the walls and have soldiers constantly watching for anyone who might try to sneak in.

But sometimes, the attackers would come with big armies, and the walls would not be enough to protect them. So, the Mesopotamians had to come up with other plans. They had different types of soldiers who had different jobs. Some soldiers had big shields and spears, and they would stand in a line to protect the others behind them. Other soldiers had bows and arrows, and they would stand behind the shield soldiers and shoot the attackers from afar.

One of their most important tactics was to use chariots. A chariot is like a big wagon with two wheels that is pulled by horses. They would attach sharp blades to the wheels, so when the chariot went into battle, it could cut through the enemy soldiers. They would also have soldiers standing in the chariots who would throw spears at the enemies.

Another tactic they used was called the phalanx. This means that the soldiers would stand in a tight formation, with their shields overlapping. This made it hard for the attackers to get through, and it protected the soldiers behind them.

Finally, they would use something called the siege engine. This was like a big machine that could break down walls. They would use this if they wanted to attack a city that had very strong walls.

So, in summary kiddo, the Mesopotamians had lots of different plans and ways to protect themselves from attackers. They had big walls, different types of soldiers with different jobs, chariots with sharp blades, the phalanx formation, and siege engines. All of these things helped them defend themselves and protect their land.