1) They are just cannon fodder in case of war, serving to reduce casualties among the population.
2) They have a demoralizing effect on the enemy, which is quite logical.
Zombies go into enemy fire, soldiers nervously smoke and stand around, enjoying the smell of decay. Soldiers storm a Fortress, and there's just a pile of corpses, both decayed and fresh; they won't achieve any military glory, and the general raises a newly killed soldier, who, dropping feces and dripping blood, goes to load stone blocks in the quarry. We're running out of strength; let's replenish the army with fresh corpses; bring the peasants here.
Besides, zombies are of little use as a fighting force. The hassle with all this procedure is greater than the benefit.