However, their use declined with the spread of firearms and other gunpowder weaponry in early modern warfare. In some regions they maintained a firm presence on the battlefield throughout the Medieval era. During classical antiquity they were also used in ancient Persia and in the Mediterranean world within armies of Macedon, Hellenistic Greek states, the Roman Republic and later Empire, and Ancient Carthage in North Africa. While seeing limited and periodic use in Ancient China, they became a permanent fixture in armies of historical kingdoms in Southeast Asia. War elephants played a critical role in several key battles in antiquity, especially in ancient India. Elephantry is a term for specific military units using elephant-mounted troops. The war elephant's main use was to charge the enemy, break their ranks, and instill terror and fear. Military unit War elephants depicted in Hannibal crossing the Rhône (1878), by Henri Motte Indian elephant sword on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, two feet (61 cm) long Rajput painting depicting a war elephant in an armyĪ war elephant was an elephant that was trained and guided by humans for combat.
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