Second, the stele gives us the first pictorial proof of soldiers wearing military helmets. This is confirmed from examining the bodies of soldiers found in the Death Pits of Ur dating from 2500 B.C, where we now know that the helmets were made of copper, with fixed ear flaps, probably with an inner liner or cap of leather underneath. The military padded helmet marks the first defensive response to the killing power of one of the main offensive weapons of the time --- the mace or club. A mace was an extremely effective weapon against an unarmored soldier with no head protection. The padded helmet was so effective that it made clubs and maces obsolete.

Third, the soldiers on that Stele are wearing both a leather kilt, and a cloak dotted with copper discs --- the first known example of Body Armour. This would have been quite effective against primitive flint arrows, and even glancing blows with bronze knives or spears. (They must have been pretty hot and uncomfortable under the summer sun!) . Later on, the Sumerians introduced the use of overlapping plate body armor for added protection for their charioteers.

Fourth, the men in the front row on the Stele are carrying wooden shields with reinforcing metal bosses. It also looks like the armies were made up around a core of professional class men, supplemented by the city militias drawn up from the landholders, commanded by nobility and regular army officers.

Fifth, the Sumerians had both a heavy "shock" battle car (with 4 wheels, but no apparent way of steering the sucker --- line em up and charge the less sophisticated enemy), as well as several light chariots (2 wheel versions, some mere platform cars, some with a straddle that you sat on --- probably messenger cars). The Stele has one of the first military applications for wheeled vehicles, showing the King riding in a battle car. The Sumerians are also credited with the invention of reins, although they seem to be used only as a brake, not as steering.

Sixth, the Stele shows the king holding a sickle-sword, which became the primary infantry weapon of the Egyptian and most Biblical armies over the next several hundred years. When the Bible speaks of peoples being "smoted," the reference is specifically to the use of that sickle-sword. The fact that the sickle-sword appears on two independent renderings of the same period implies that it was the Sumerians who invented this important weapon in or around 2500 B.C.

Seventh, Sargon the Great (2334-2379) is credited with introducing a forerunner to combined-arms warfare, with a mix of combat cars, heavy and light infantry, and missile weapons. He fought some 34 battles in the South alone, is credited with capturing about 65 cities, and ruled for no less than 56 years. No greater praise could be given, than that with all of this, he died old. He created an empire (dictatorship?) that was without rival for another 2000 years. The capital city of Agade was destroyed at the end of the Sargon dynasty, and has never been identified. We know most of our information from later transcriptions.

Eighth, there are some strong arguments to be made that the Sumerians had an early version of a composite bow. This innovation may have come during the reign of Naram Sin (2254-2218), Sargon's grandson. Like his grandfather, Naram Sin fought continuous wars of suppression and conquest and his victory over the Lullubi is recorded on a rock sculpture that shows Naram Sin armed with a composite bow. This carving marks the first appearance of the composite bow in history and strongly suggests it was of Sumerian or Akkadian origin.