Sennacherib appears to have been the first to institute a corps of slingers, who at any rate make their earliest appearance in his sculptures.

They were kind of soldier well-known to the Egyptians and Sennacherib's acquaintance with the Egyptian warfare may have led to their introduction among the troops of Assyria.

The slinger in most countries where his services were employed was lightly clad, and reckoned almost as a supernumerary.

It is remarkable that in Assyria he is, at first, completely armed according to Assyrian ideas of completeness, having a helmet, a coat of mail to the waist, a tunic to the knees, a close-fitting trouser, and a short boot or greave.

The weapon which distinguishes him appears to have consisted of two pieces of rope or string, attached to a short leathern strap which received the stone.