War elephant
A war elephant is an elephant that was trained for battle. Elephants were guided by people. The main use of the elephant was in shock tactics to charge against the enemy, trample them, and break their lines. They were first used in India, but their use spread to other regions. Pyrrhus of Epirus used many of them, and so did the armies of Carthage. Hannibal crossed the Alps with a number of war elephants and marched against Rome.
In the west, military tactics soon changed, and reduced the value of a war elephant. It was the use of cannons that made the war elephant useless in the 19th century. After that, elephants continued to be used for construction work.
War Elephant Media
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 army
A 17th-century depiction of the war of Lanka in the ancient Indian epic Ramayana, showing war elephants
War elephants in battle during the Carnatic Wars
Mallakas defending the city of Kusinagara with war elephants, as depicted at Sanchi.
A depiction of war elephants attacking at the Battle of the Hydaspes River, by Andre Castaigne
This elephant and driver with a hunting howdah, including pistol, bows and a rifle are most likely from the Mughal Emperor's stable.
Mounted Nubian elephant
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