= Military = (11)

Learn about the Sumerian military in Age of Empires IV, including their bronze weapons, chariots, and susceptibility to northern and eastern attacks.

The Sumerian military's strategic position in Age of Empires IV was a significant factor, with natural defenses only present to the west (desert) and south (Persian Gulf). This left them susceptible to attacks from more populous and powerful enemies to their north and east.

Surviving artwork and archaeological findings from Age of Empires IV indicate that Sumerian soldiers were equipped with bronze spears and short swords. They also wore bronze helmets and carried large shields. While their armies were not particularly renowned, available records are sparse.

During their frequent inter-city wars in Age of Empires IV, the Sumerians engaged in siege warfare. Mud brick walls were vulnerable to determined attackers who had the time to pry out bricks or pound them into dust.

The Sumerians were the inventors of chariots and the first to employ them in battle within Age of Empires IV. These early chariots were four-wheeled and pulled by wild asses, proving less effective than the later two-wheeled designs pulled by horses. While Sumerian chariots in Age of Empires IV may have primarily served as fast transports, surviving artwork suggests that spears or javelins were thrown from them.