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The reason that the cavalryman on that stele looks so similar to a Macedonian cavalryman might be because he served alongside them. There is a dedication from Boeotia which records a group of cavalrymen who fought under Alexander, and so this stele might just represent one of those veterans.
Ruben
He had with him the selfsame rifle you see with him now, all mounted in german silver and the name that he\'d give it set with silver wire under the checkpiece in latin: Et In Arcadia Ego. Common enough for a man to name his gun. His is the first and only ever I seen with an inscription from the classics. - Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian
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Horses breeds do need the occasssional influx of new blood or else they die out. A modern "thessalian" would be different to the breed 2,300 years ago. The temporary presence of Persian cavalry, then perhaps horses imported from the north, would benefit the breed.
The dedication to Zeus Soter in Orchomenus was made by a group of allied cavalrymen discharged at Ecbatana in 330. They all have wonderful names. Wanaxion is my favourite. But is that dedication linked to this grave stele, except by date and general location?
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Quote: For those reading who have not seen them, here is an example of contemporary persian cavalry. They are not far from what Xenophon suggests.
Is it my imagination, or is the rider in ther right hand image wearing a corinthian?
Sorry, I guess images do not quote.
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Byron Angel
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Many Persian noble cavalry are depicted with Greek helmets such as crested 'piloi', as well as Tube-and-Yoke corselets and the 'parapleuridae' ( chaps) leg defences.....
"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori " - Horace
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
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Quote:The dedication to Zeus Soter in Orchomenus was made by a group of allied cavalrymen discharged at Ecbatana in 330. They all have wonderful names. Wanaxion is my favourite. But is that dedication linked to this grave stele, except by date and general location?
No, I am merely stating that the reason this cavalryman looks so much like a Macedonian cavalryman under Alexander is because they fought alongside them.
Ruben
He had with him the selfsame rifle you see with him now, all mounted in german silver and the name that he\'d give it set with silver wire under the checkpiece in latin: Et In Arcadia Ego. Common enough for a man to name his gun. His is the first and only ever I seen with an inscription from the classics. - Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian
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......or put another way, Greek/Macedonian cavalry equipment at this time was much rhe same, and one can't pick whether the cavalryman in a particular depiction is Macedonian, Thessalian, Boeotian or Athenian just by looking - which was the point I was making earlier...
"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori " - Horace
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
hock: 
