Top Oldest Wars Recorded in History

Throughout all of recorded history, mankind has been at war with itself and all of the other living creatures on Earth. Although the weapons have changed drastically over the centuries and the strategies have evolved, war has been an ever-present conflict in the world. This article will cover the oldest wars recorded in history, some of which had been happening for several generations before they were documented in written form.

The Archaeology of Oldest Wars 

In order to understand the oldest wars recorded in history, we must first look back to the earliest days. Archaeologists have worked to unearth the conflicts that took place in the distant past and have discovered much about the ways in which ancient people waged war.

The earliest forms of warfare have been recycled throughout the centuries and can be seen in the weapons and strategies used throughout history. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of Bronze Age fortifications, chariot-driven warfare, and early skirmishes between groups of small combatants.

Additionally, knowledge from some of the earliest civilizations, such as the Sumerians and Egyptians, provides some clues to the earliest methods of warfare. With such understanding, we can begin to examine the oldest wars that have been recorded.

Top 10 Oldest Wars Recorded in History

  1. The Trojan War (1250 BCE): The Trojan War is one of the oldest wars recorded in history and found its way into the pages of ancient Greek literature. It is believed to have taken place in the 13th or 12th century BCE, though much of the story is heavily disputed by scholars.

The Trojan War is known as one of the earliest wars of aggression, as the Greeks launched an assault on the city of Troy in an attempt to return the beautiful Helen of Troy to her rightful husband. Despite the valiant effort of the Trojans, the Greeks were victorious, ending the supposed 10-year-long conflict.

  1. Battle of Qarqar (853 BCE):
    The Battle of Qarqar is the earliest verified battle in the ancient Near East and took place in 853 BCE. It is documented in the Annals of the Assyrian King Shalmaneser III, and involved a coalition of dozens of forces from the Levant, led by King Ahab of Israel.

The battle pitted the forces of the Assyrian Empire against a coalition of Syrian, Arab, and Israelite states. Though the coalition ultimately lost the battle, the event shows an impressive level of cooperation and coordination between diverse groups of people.

  1. Battle of Jarmo (721 BCE):
    The Battle of Jarmo was fought between a coalition of states in the eastern Mediterranean and the Assyrian Empire. It is known as the oldest-recorded battle in which chariots were used, a prominent weapon during this period.

The Assyrian king Sargon II led an attack on a coalition of Syrian states, ultimately resulting in the defeat of the coalition forces. After the battle, Sargon began a sweeping campaign to bring the region under the control of the Assyrian Empire, ultimately leading to its fall in the 6th century BCE.

  1. Assyrian-Babylonian War (626 BCE):
    The Assyrian-Babylonian War was a conflict between two of the great powers of the ancient world. The war began in 626 BCE, when the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal attacked Babylon in an effort to reconquer it.

The long and bloody conflict ended in 605 BCE, with the eventual victory of the Babylonian forces. The war resulted in the fall of the Assyrian Empire and marked a transition of power in the region.

  1. Battle of Megiddo (15th century BCE):
    The Battle of Megiddo is one of the oldest-recorded battles in the Bible and took place in the 15th century BCE. This conflict is one of the earliest-recorded chariot battles, and was fought between the forces of the Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III and a coalition of Canaanite city-states.

The Egyptian forces were triumphant in the battle, ultimately allowing Thutmose III to expand his rule into the Levant. This victory is one of the earliest examples of a decisive victory for a centralized political power in the region.

  1. Battle of Jericho (14th century BCE):
    The Battle of Jericho is one of the earliest-recorded military engagements in the Bible and took place in the 14th century BCE. It was fought between the Israelite forces commanded by Joshua and the fortified city of Jericho, which was home to a large population of Canaanites.

Though historians are still unsure of the exact details of the conflict, it is described as a decisive victory for the Israelites, who were given a direct command from God to march around the walls of the city and destroy it.

  1. Trojan War (12th – 13th century BCE):
    The Trojan War is one of the oldest wars recorded in history and found its way into the pages of ancient Greek literature. It is believed to have taken place in the 12th or 13th century BCE, though much of the story is heavily disputed by scholars.

The Trojan War is known as one of the earliest wars of aggression, as the Greeks launched an assault on the city of Troy in an attempt to return the beautiful Helen of Troy to her rightful husband. Despite the valiant effort of the Trojans, the Greeks were victorious, ending the supposed 10-year-long conflict.

  1. Battle of Assyrian-Kurkh (12th century BCE):
    The Battle of Assyrian-Kurkh is one of the earliest military engagements in recorded history and took place in the 12th century BCE. It was fought between the armies of the Assyrian Empire and the people of the city of Kurkh, located in what is now Turkey.

The Assyrian army, led by the famed military conqueror Tukulti-Ninurta I, emerged victorious in the conflict. After his victory, Tukulti-Ninurta I imposed strict tribute demands on the defeated city and later claimed the victory as one of his greatest accomplishments.

  1. Battle of Djahy (11th century BCE):
    The Battle of Djahy was a conflict fought in the 11th century BCE between the forces of the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses III and a coalition of Canaanite city-states. The city of Djahy, located in what is now southern Israel, was the site of this conflict.

The battle ended in a decisive victory for Ramses III and his forces, which allowed him to further expand the borders of his empire. The battle also sparked the end of the Bronze Age in the eastern Mediterranean and is considered one of the first engagements in the region to make use of the chariot as a primary weapon.

  1. Battle of Kadesh (1274 BCE):
    The Battle of Kadesh is one of the earliest recorded battles in history, taking place in 1274 BCE between the forces of the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II and an alliance of Hittite forces. The battle took place near the city of Kadesh, located in modern-day Syria.

The battle did not result in a decisive victory for either side, but Ramses II was able to make a strategic retreat, solidifying his role as the most powerful ruler in the region. This battle is also one of the earliest-recorded large-scale engagements, involving thousands of combatants from both sides.

The wars discussed in this article are some of the oldest recorded in history, spanning thousands of years. They also provide insight into the wars of the past and the conflicts we still face today. With this knowledge in hand, we can better understand the ways in which humans have waged war throughout the centuries.

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