07-22-2006, 10:43 AM
Ok, I take the field once more to defend the poor Persians
I will take on some common misconceptions, many of them already posted here
1) Persian numbers: We have discussed this subject many times before, it is one of my favourites I admit, I am writing a work on numbers in ancient and medieval sources. As Delbruck pinted out long time ago, by their own nature, an aristocratic, cavalry strong army, Persians would in all probability being actually regularly outnumbered by the Greeks.
2) Persian army: forget all that submissive servants vs free citizens crap. The Persian army was based on a three layers structure, the inner one formed by the Royal Household (kinsmen and Inmortals), then the Persian and Median noblemen with their retainers, finally the aristocracy of the conquered nations with their retainers. It was the fight of an aristocratic army against citizen militias, Delbruck compared it to the Burgundian wars of Charles the Bold against the Swiss.
3) Persian juggernaut: In fact the Persian empire was a very fragile structure, in which a tiny Iranian minority ruled very diverse territories, facing revolts in every corner, as well as nomadic invasions.
4) East vs West: In fact, many Greek cities suffered far worst tyrannies, the King of Kings rule was basically an indirect rule through local aristocracy, on whose loyalty the Empire very much depended.
I will take on some common misconceptions, many of them already posted here
1) Persian numbers: We have discussed this subject many times before, it is one of my favourites I admit, I am writing a work on numbers in ancient and medieval sources. As Delbruck pinted out long time ago, by their own nature, an aristocratic, cavalry strong army, Persians would in all probability being actually regularly outnumbered by the Greeks.
2) Persian army: forget all that submissive servants vs free citizens crap. The Persian army was based on a three layers structure, the inner one formed by the Royal Household (kinsmen and Inmortals), then the Persian and Median noblemen with their retainers, finally the aristocracy of the conquered nations with their retainers. It was the fight of an aristocratic army against citizen militias, Delbruck compared it to the Burgundian wars of Charles the Bold against the Swiss.
3) Persian juggernaut: In fact the Persian empire was a very fragile structure, in which a tiny Iranian minority ruled very diverse territories, facing revolts in every corner, as well as nomadic invasions.
4) East vs West: In fact, many Greek cities suffered far worst tyrannies, the King of Kings rule was basically an indirect rule through local aristocracy, on whose loyalty the Empire very much depended.
AKA Inaki
