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Sri Lanka Historical Background
Ancient Military Traditions
Warfare plays a central role in the historical traditions of
Sri Lanka. The two great literary works of this early period--the
Mahavamsa and the Culavamsa--relate in great detail
the battles and campaigns of the ancient kingdoms
(see Sri Lanka - Ancient Legends and Chronicles
, ch. 1). For most of Sri Lanka's history,
these conflicts were confined to the island and its coastal
waters as the various kingdoms battled with each other or
attempted to repel new waves of immigrants and invaders from the
mainland. In the twelfth century, however, Parakramabahu I was
able to unify the island and assemble a military force strong
enough to engage in conflicts overseas. In 1164 he sent a naval
force to Burma to retaliate for the poor treatment his envoys had
received. In another expedition, to southern India, his army took
part in a succession struggle for the Pandyan throne.
Thirteenth-century manuscripts tell of "four-fold" armies in
which divisions of elephants, chariots, cavalry, and infantry
confronted each other in battle. Troops in this period were
raised by local levies among ordinary citizens, while special
corps of "moonlight archers" and mace-bearers were given extended
training. Foreign mercenaries played an important role in these
armies, with Indians (Tamils, Keralas, and Rajputs) especially
prominent.
Data as of October 1988
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