The Yoke as a Metaphor in the Ancient World: From Symbolizing Imperial Domination to Signifying Subjugation

Abstract

This article explores the perception of the yoke as a symbol of domination and subordination in texts from Ancient Mesopotamia and the Middle East, as well as from ancient Greek and Roman writings. The metaphor of the yoke is analyzed from the perspective of both the conquerors and subjugated. In the texts of the Assyrian kings, conquest is perceived as the imposition of a yoke, while the fight for independence is portrayed as liberation from it. The Greeks adopted the concept of the yoke from the East, which explains why it was often used to describe the Greco-Persian conflict in the ancient Greek tradition. In many cases, the yoke was not only a metaphor for subordination but also had a military-political meaning. For example, the Assyrians harnessed captives to the royal chariot, while the Romans drove away captive enemies “under the yoke”, which was a structure consisting of two spears or pillars stuck into the ground with a third spear or pillar as a crossbar.