11-19-2007, 11:30 PM
@Sean Manning
I think that this is a great misinterpretation. I trust Xenophon and his Persian sources on the report of the relatively small number on actual Persians.
There were and handful Persian tribes and some other further away from the Persis like Mardians these tribes seems to have had a Persian ruling elite.
The diadochi would have most likely get rid of any dangerous Iranic contingents, archers and slingers were regarded as not dangerous in the case of a revolt, therefore these weapons were given to the subdued people.
Alexander on the other hand didn't fear revolts with his Persian infantry. At that period it was still difficult to have a large cavalry force stationed in the Persis due to its geography and climate. Therefore the Persians in the Persis, especially the young ones who had not entered the age of military service would be useful for infantry reinforcements.
Persians were said to be rugged because they were mainly herdsman in a mountainous country, although they learned how to ride at a young age.
The Kardakes, could have been Persians, but we can't know for sure. What we can know for sure is that for Persians it was noble to always ride on horseback. The same was reported for the Parthians, but it is commonly agreed on that the Parthians were more or less a cavalry-only military, but imo there is no evidence that the Achaemenids were much different in this regard. Scholars generally claim that it was the weak Persian infantry that doomed the Achaemenid empire, but many evidences tell us that the Achaemenid military was very similar to that of the Parthians and Sasanians. Therefore even low ranked Persians were more likely to get horse archers rather than infantry, the "Immortals" were an exception as the kings chosen infantry. Maybe demographic changes made it possible to set up another large regiment like that of the Kardakes, something needed for the lands west of the Zagros mountains. I Personally think that the Kardakes were Elamites, the only people close/trusted by the Persian while not being horseman originally.
As for Herodoteus, he could not make the difference nor was he present during the Persian wars. He and Greeks in general called the "babarians" simply generally Persians and made no differences between Persians and Medians, Persians were sometimes generally called Medians and Medians Persians.
Regards.
I think that this is a great misinterpretation. I trust Xenophon and his Persian sources on the report of the relatively small number on actual Persians.
There were and handful Persian tribes and some other further away from the Persis like Mardians these tribes seems to have had a Persian ruling elite.
The diadochi would have most likely get rid of any dangerous Iranic contingents, archers and slingers were regarded as not dangerous in the case of a revolt, therefore these weapons were given to the subdued people.
Alexander on the other hand didn't fear revolts with his Persian infantry. At that period it was still difficult to have a large cavalry force stationed in the Persis due to its geography and climate. Therefore the Persians in the Persis, especially the young ones who had not entered the age of military service would be useful for infantry reinforcements.
Persians were said to be rugged because they were mainly herdsman in a mountainous country, although they learned how to ride at a young age.
The Kardakes, could have been Persians, but we can't know for sure. What we can know for sure is that for Persians it was noble to always ride on horseback. The same was reported for the Parthians, but it is commonly agreed on that the Parthians were more or less a cavalry-only military, but imo there is no evidence that the Achaemenids were much different in this regard. Scholars generally claim that it was the weak Persian infantry that doomed the Achaemenid empire, but many evidences tell us that the Achaemenid military was very similar to that of the Parthians and Sasanians. Therefore even low ranked Persians were more likely to get horse archers rather than infantry, the "Immortals" were an exception as the kings chosen infantry. Maybe demographic changes made it possible to set up another large regiment like that of the Kardakes, something needed for the lands west of the Zagros mountains. I Personally think that the Kardakes were Elamites, the only people close/trusted by the Persian while not being horseman originally.
As for Herodoteus, he could not make the difference nor was he present during the Persian wars. He and Greeks in general called the "babarians" simply generally Persians and made no differences between Persians and Medians, Persians were sometimes generally called Medians and Medians Persians.
Regards.
Bahram Ardavan-Dorood
