Single Combat during the Trojan War

[Astiryu1]

Hi Craig,

Could you explain where you're getting your ideas about the Persians fighting as light infantry and relying on skirmishing and fast marches?

The Persians-Emergence of Man by Time -Life; attributes the training sources in order
1.Xenophon-From the age of 5 or 6 until 15, a boy trains in riding, shooting arrows, and fighting on foot and from horseback.

2.Strabo-They were taught in groups of 50 with those of noble-birth appointed as officers and competitions among them consisted of cross-country foot races. Also training to endure high extremes of temperature( I assume heat and cold because of the desert ) and scavenging for their provisions.

If these are wrong I understand as these are older books and not the most popular. As time progresses the quality of soldiers is said in the same book to have lapsed because of the many forces comprising the Persian army.

I wrote light troops in comparison to the Heavier Greek Hoplite and surmised the standard Persian was not as well armored as the Greek especially Spartans at Thermopylae. The Persians no doubt had a version of heavy infantry but was probably vastly outnumbered by the common soldier.
I would love to know more of Persian Forces and am currently reading Herodotus. When I get to Xenophon I will undoubtedly learn more.