fbpx
Wikipedia

Parthian army

January 31, 2023

The Parthian army was the army of the Parthian Empire (247 BC – 224 AD). Having no standing army, the Arsacid king mainly relied on his vassal kings, regional and tribal lords, and garrison commanders.[1] Mercenaries were also sometimes used in the army; however, this was only when the forces of the king were found lacking, or when a vassal refused to cooperate.[2] The leader of the army was the king, his son, or a spahbed (military commander) selected from one of the great houses.[1]

Parthian mounted archer, located in Palazzo Madama, Turin.

The army was mainly composed of Parthian nobles (azat) and their subjects whom they brought along.[1] The army did thus not endure for long, due to the nobles having to go back to their estates and crops.[1] The Parthian general wanted to finish the expedition as fast as possible and return home.[1] The king himself did not wish the campaign to fare for long, due to stress of a possible rebellion occurring in his realm, which frequently happened and was the biggest defect of the empire.[1]

The Parthian forces mainly consisted of two types of cavalry; the cataphracts, heavy cavalry with man and horse decked in mailed armor,[3] who formed the smaller part of the cavalry.[4] The second and main component of the cavalry were the mounted archers, light cavalry whose mobility and long-range warfare abilities made them a menacing enemy.[5] They used composite bows and were able to shoot at enemies while riding and facing away from them; this technique, known as the Parthian shot, was a highly effective tactic.[6]

Parthians made less use of infantry, due to their less convenient role on the wide expanses of Mesopotamia, Iran and Central Asia.[2] They were thus small in numbers and mainly used to guard forts.[7] The Parthians also made use of camel riders equipped with long lances, most likely recruited from the western frontier or nomadic allies.[8] The camel was better suited than the horse to bear the weight of the rider and tolerate harsh circumstances. Furthermore, with the camel, the rider was able to unload his arrows from an elevated spot. However, the animal was considerably hindered by the Roman caltrops. The Parthians did not employ war chariots, and limited the use of chariots to carry women accompanying the commanders.[1] The largest number of soldiers that the Parthians are recorded to have mustered were 50,000 against the Roman politician Mark Antony.[1] Each division of the Parthian army had its own standard, which either displayed an image of a dragon, eagle, or the sun. The imperial banner seems to have been the Derafsh Kaviani, the national emblem of Iran.[1][9]

The successor of the Parthians, the Sasanians, incorporated the Parthian forces into their army.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Shahbazi 1986, pp. 489–499.
  2. ^ a b Dąbrowa 2010, p. 43.
  3. ^ Brosius 2006, p. 120; Garthwaite 2005, p. 78
  4. ^ Hauser 2006, p. 297.
  5. ^ Dąbrowa 2010, p. 43; Hauser 2006, p. 299
  6. ^ Brosius 2006, p. 120; Garthwaite 2005, p. 78; Kurz 1983, p. 561
  7. ^ Dąbrowa 2010, p. 43; Shahbazi 1986, pp. 489–499
  8. ^ Hauser 2006, p. 298.
  9. ^ Shahbazi 1994, pp. 312–315.
  10. ^ McDonough 2013, p. 603.

Sources

  • Brosius, Maria (2006), The Persians: An Introduction, London & New York: Routledge, ISBN 978-0-415-32089-4
  • Dąbrowa, Edward (2010). "The Arsacids and their State". XI: 21–52. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  • Garthwaite, Gene Ralph (2005), The Persians, Oxford & Carlton: Blackwell Publishing, Ltd., ISBN 978-1-55786-860-2
  • Hauser, Stefan (2006). "Was there no paid standing army? A fresh look on military and political institutions in the Arsacid Empire". In Mode, Markus; Tubach, Jürgen (eds.). Arms and Armour as Indicators of Cultural Transfer: The Steppes and the Ancient World from Hellenistic Times to the Early Middle Ages. Reichert. pp. 295–319. ISBN 978-8779344433.
  • Kurz, Otto (1983). "Cultural Relations Between Parthia and Rome". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). The Cambridge History of Iran, Volume 3(1): The Seleucid, Parthian and Sasanian Periods. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 559–567. ISBN 0-521-20092-X..
  • McDonough, Scott (2013). "Military and Society in Sasanian Iran". In Campbell, Brian; Tritle, Lawrence A. (eds.). The Oxford Handbook of Warfare in the Classical World. Oxford University Press. pp. 1–783. ISBN 9780195304657.
  • Shahbazi, A. Shapur (1986). "Army i. Pre-Islamic Iran". Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. II, Fasc. 5. pp. 489–499.
  • Shahbazi, A. Shapur (1994). "Derafš". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica, Volume VII/3: Dehqān I–Deylam, John of. London and New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. 312–315. ISBN 978-1-56859-021-9.

January 31, 2023
parthian, army, army, parthian, empire, having, standing, army, arsacid, king, mainly, relied, vassal, kings, regional, tribal, lords, garrison, commanders, mercenaries, were, also, sometimes, used, army, however, this, only, when, forces, king, were, found, l. The Parthian army was the army of the Parthian Empire 247 BC 224 AD Having no standing army the Arsacid king mainly relied on his vassal kings regional and tribal lords and garrison commanders 1 Mercenaries were also sometimes used in the army however this was only when the forces of the king were found lacking or when a vassal refused to cooperate 2 The leader of the army was the king his son or a spahbed military commander selected from one of the great houses 1 Parthian mounted archer located in Palazzo Madama Turin The army was mainly composed of Parthian nobles azat and their subjects whom they brought along 1 The army did thus not endure for long due to the nobles having to go back to their estates and crops 1 The Parthian general wanted to finish the expedition as fast as possible and return home 1 The king himself did not wish the campaign to fare for long due to stress of a possible rebellion occurring in his realm which frequently happened and was the biggest defect of the empire 1 The Parthian forces mainly consisted of two types of cavalry the cataphracts heavy cavalry with man and horse decked in mailed armor 3 who formed the smaller part of the cavalry 4 The second and main component of the cavalry were the mounted archers light cavalry whose mobility and long range warfare abilities made them a menacing enemy 5 They used composite bows and were able to shoot at enemies while riding and facing away from them this technique known as the Parthian shot was a highly effective tactic 6 Parthians made less use of infantry due to their less convenient role on the wide expanses of Mesopotamia Iran and Central Asia 2 They were thus small in numbers and mainly used to guard forts 7 The Parthians also made use of camel riders equipped with long lances most likely recruited from the western frontier or nomadic allies 8 The camel was better suited than the horse to bear the weight of the rider and tolerate harsh circumstances Furthermore with the camel the rider was able to unload his arrows from an elevated spot However the animal was considerably hindered by the Roman caltrops The Parthians did not employ war chariots and limited the use of chariots to carry women accompanying the commanders 1 The largest number of soldiers that the Parthians are recorded to have mustered were 50 000 against the Roman politician Mark Antony 1 Each division of the Parthian army had its own standard which either displayed an image of a dragon eagle or the sun The imperial banner seems to have been the Derafsh Kaviani the national emblem of Iran 1 9 The successor of the Parthians the Sasanians incorporated the Parthian forces into their army 10 See also EditMilitary of the Sasanian EmpireReferences Edit a b c d e f g h i Shahbazi 1986 pp 489 499 a b Dabrowa 2010 p 43 Brosius 2006 p 120 Garthwaite 2005 p 78 Hauser 2006 p 297 Dabrowa 2010 p 43 Hauser 2006 p 299 Brosius 2006 p 120 Garthwaite 2005 p 78 Kurz 1983 p 561 Dabrowa 2010 p 43 Shahbazi 1986 pp 489 499 Hauser 2006 p 298 Shahbazi 1994 pp 312 315 McDonough 2013 p 603 Sources EditBrosius Maria 2006 The Persians An Introduction London amp New York Routledge ISBN 978 0 415 32089 4 Dabrowa Edward 2010 The Arsacids and their State XI 21 52 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Garthwaite Gene Ralph 2005 The Persians Oxford amp Carlton Blackwell Publishing Ltd ISBN 978 1 55786 860 2 Hauser Stefan 2006 Was there no paid standing army A fresh look on military and political institutions in the Arsacid Empire In Mode Markus Tubach Jurgen eds Arms and Armour as Indicators of Cultural Transfer The Steppes and the Ancient World from Hellenistic Times to the Early Middle Ages Reichert pp 295 319 ISBN 978 8779344433 Kurz Otto 1983 Cultural Relations Between Parthia and Rome In Yarshater Ehsan ed The Cambridge History of Iran Volume 3 1 The Seleucid Parthian and Sasanian Periods Cambridge Cambridge University Press pp 559 567 ISBN 0 521 20092 X McDonough Scott 2013 Military and Society in Sasanian Iran In Campbell Brian Tritle Lawrence A eds The Oxford Handbook of Warfare in the Classical World Oxford University Press pp 1 783 ISBN 9780195304657 Shahbazi A Shapur 1986 Army i Pre Islamic Iran Encyclopaedia Iranica Vol II Fasc 5 pp 489 499 Shahbazi A Shapur 1994 Derafs In Yarshater Ehsan ed Encyclopaedia Iranica Volume VII 3 Dehqan I Deylam John of London and New York Routledge amp Kegan Paul pp 312 315 ISBN 978 1 56859 021 9 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Parthian army amp oldid 1135687112, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.