I'm currently writing a historical fantasy about Mesopotamia during the reign of Hammurabi and Samsi-Adad(circa. 1770-60 BCE). I've done a lot of research(Relative. Odds are I probably still have to do a lot more.) on Assyrian tactics of the time. My question is about what kinds of tactics and strategies were used to defend a city rather than attack it, but I would also be grateful for any interesting tidbits about the offense. For the sake of efficiency this is what I already know: Dirt ramps, battering rams, siege towers, starvation, ladder rushes, machicolation-like battlements, watchtowers and technology of individual weapons like composite bows. Sources would be much appreciated and thank you.
Assyrian reliefs from the Siege of Jerusalem (701 BCE) depict a couple of noteworthy technological aspects of how Assyrians dealt with walled cities.
Siege towers are depicted rolling up to the walls, with Assyrian archers on top of the tower. From there the archers would have level (or less steep) playing ground to launch missiles at the wall defenders. These siege towers often had a battering ram or a pulverizer close to the bottom of the tower. This pulverizer would essentially be used to dig into the mud brick walls of the city in an attempt to create a breach for infantry. Although it’s up for speculation due to the age and wear on the relief, the tower could also drop water(?) onto the wall to make it easier to pulverize.
From this relief we can also see Assyrian infantry using a paired system to shoot arrows at the wall defenders. The 2 man system featured one man holding a shield as cover, while another man fired arrows from behind his friends protective cover.
Assyrians also used sappers. Sappers would dig under the enemy’s wall to create cave-ins that could demolish part of the wall.
Source: Arthur Ferril’s “Origins of War”