For the Parthians shot as they fled, being, indeed, more adept at this than anyone except the Scythians, and it is certainly a very clever manoeuvre – to fight and to look after one’s own safety at the same time.
Plutarch, Life of Crassus
There is not a person in the whole nation who cannot remain on his horse day and night.
Ammianus Marcellinus, Res Gestae
Also girls and women ride. We saw also them to carry bows and quivers.
Giovanni da Pian del Carmine, Ystoria mongalorum
By nature the Mongols are good at riding and shooting. Therefore they took possession of the world through this advantage of bow and horse.
Anonymous Chinese chronicler
When they appear with an overwhelming attack, they disappear with the same rapidity. First they simulate flight then, turning their horses, they attack, but all these time they shoot arrows.
Johannes Aventinus, Annalium Boiorum
While Genghis Khan was holding an assembly of Mongolian dignitaries… Yesunge shot a target at 335 ald
Stone inscription found at Nerchinsk, Russia
On horseback they buy and sell, they take their meat and drink, and there they recline on the narrow neck of their steed, and yield to sleep so deep as to indulge in every variety of dream.
Ammianus Marcellinus, Res Gestae
All Tartars are skilled archers.
Giovanni da Pian del Carmine, Ystoria mongalorum
Fabulous photos. I think the one of the woman is my fave. And I really enjoyed all the words from ancient times. Clearly these people were/are incredibly skilled at what they do. I must get to this festival one day!
Alison
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Hi Alison, thanks for reading and commenting. We were lucky to see the ladies practicing, for that day it was only a men’s competition, which was a shame. There were a couple of women archers who were some serious shots. The Kazakhs in particular.
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Of all battle skills astride a horse, archery is the one I’m most impressed of — and if I could I would love to learn it. There’s something fierce yet elegant in the manner those archers shoot at their target. It’s amazing that thousands of years after those observations were written, nothing has really changed.
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Indeed, you can still feel the admiration, even between gritted teeth, that those writers had for the horsemen. Thanks for reading Bama!
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I’d feel good about myself if I could ride a horse at gallop with any degree of elegance. I’d be impressed if I could hit a target with a basic recurve bow while standing flat-footed. But to combine them, and get off three shots in 10 seconds? That’s just crazy. Must have been something to see.
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It was indeed, Dave, and apologies for being late in replying. What was even more incredible was how swift, accurate and, seemingly, easy they made it all look. Then think that the Huns, Mongols etc etc did it by the thousands!
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The real “Men of Rohan”. You’ve captured the dynamic movements very well. I know how hard these are to do.
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Thanks a lot, LD!
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A very interesting post Fabrizzio. Now, Parthians and Scythians? Wow. I thought they were all but forgotten. (Except by readers of Alix)
And think that stirrups were not invented until the early middle ages… 🙂
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Well, stirrups weren’t invented by us until the Middle Ages. Parthians and others had them, the Romans saw them! (and did nothing to imitate them because… they were lazy I suppose!)
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How interesting. That would explain the strategic advantage the Parthians had over the Romans…
Ciao ciao
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