"The Good God, Golden [Horus], Shining in the chariot, like the rising of the Sun..."
Tablet of victory of Amenhotep III (1391-1353 B.C.E)
The development of the spoked-wheel chariot circa 2000 B.C.E revolutionized warfare. Bronze tools allowed carpenters to discard the solid, heavy, planked wheel in favor of a lighter, spoked wheel. This was made by placing a set of same-length spokes around a central hub and then fixing them within a wooden, circular rim, itself held together by an outer bronze band.
Spoked wheels were larger and lighter than their predecessors and ran better over uneven ground. Used on a two-wheeled chariot that was pulled by a single horse and driven by a charioteer, with room for a warrior alongside, the charioteer could now easily outpace the foot soldier while the warrior—with the advantage of speed and maneuverability—attacked him with spear, lance, or bow. The use of such chariots soon spread throughout the Near East. The Hyksos people introduced them to Egypt in 1600 B.C.E and by 1000 B.C.E they were in use across Europe. Independently, the Chinese began to use these new chariots around 1300 B.C.E. The subsequent use of iron rather than bronze made them even more effective, increasing both the speed and strength of these fearsome war machines.
