Hard riding no saddles or stirrups

[Jona Lendering]

Indeed, the Romans and Greeks did not have stirrups, but they did have saddles. One type of saddle had four 'horns' (I do not know another word) and one could sit more or less comfortably. But even without saddle, splendid things could be done: cf.


Or look at this lovely relief from Rome.

The introduction of the stirrup took place in the fifth-seventh century; details are unclear. My personal theory is that the Huns had some type of simple stirrup. (Go here for an earlier discussion.)