hants; and
the only light horse of which we have any mention during the disastrous
retreat of his army are the Saracenic allies of Sapor. In these
auxiliaries, and in the Cadusians from the Caspian region, the Persians
had always, when they wished it, a cavalry excellently suited for light
service; but their own horse during the Sassanian period seems to have
been entirely of the heavy kind, armed and equipped, that is, very much
as Chosroes II. is seen to bo at Takht-i-Bostan. The horses themselves
wore heavily armored about their head, neck, and chest; the rider wore a
coat of mail which completely covered his body as far as the hips, and a
strong helmet, with a vizor, which left no part of the face exposed but
the eyes. He carried a small round shield on his left arm, and had for
weapons a heavy spear, a sword, and a bow and arrows. He did not fear a
collision with the best Roman troops. The Sassanian horse often charged
the infantry of the legions with success, and drove it headlong from
the field of battle. In time of peace, the royal guards were more simply
accoutred. [See PLATE XLVI.]

The archers formed the elite of the Persian infantry. They were trained
to deliver their arrows with extreme rapidity, and with an aim that was
almost unerring. The huge wattled shields, adopted by the Achaemenian
Persians from the Assyrians, still remained in use; and from behind a
row of these, rested upon the ground and forming a sort of loop-holed
wall, the Sassanian bowmen shot their weapons with great effect; nor
was it until their store of arrows was exhausted that the Romans,
ordinarily, felt themselves upon even terms with their enemy. Sometimes
the archers, instead of thus fighting in line, were intermixed with the
heavy horse, with which it was not difficult for them to keep pace. They
galled the foe with their constant discharges from between the ranks
of the horsemen, remaining themselves in comparative security, as the
legions rarely ventured to charge the Persian mailed cavalry. If they
were forced to retreat, they still shot backwards as they fled; and it
was a proverbial saying with the Romans that they were then especially
formidable.

The ordinary footmen seem to have been armed with swords and spears,
perhaps also with darts. They were generally stationed behind the
archers, who, however, retired through their ranks when close fighting
began. They had little defensive armor; but still seem to have fought
with