We kick off our Assyrian range with the release of these lovely horse archers. Not any old mounted bowmen though – the Royal bodyguard!
The Qurubuti were the personal bodyguard of the king, or prince. They would be very well trained and likely veterans or members of Assyrian nobility.
Heavily armoured in iron and bronze and riding a felt or leather barded horse, they would be a formidable opponent. The fully armoured horse only appeared towards the end of the Neo-Assyrian empire, most likely to protect the valuable mount against the new threat of the steppe horse archers.
It seems that units were equipped with spear and bow. The archers are very common in Assyrian relief’s, presumably they would out number their spear armed companions. Sargon II went to battle accompanied only by his Qurubut, of which the cavalry numbered 1000.
