HORSES IN WAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9304, 3 August 1908, Page 2

HORSES IN WAR.

«■ XERXES AND PERSIAN CAVALRY. ("Mark Lane Express."') The Persians were probably the first nation to employ cavalry in war, at any rate in large numbers. War chariots, of course, were employed long before cavalry, but when Xerxes invaded Greece- he had both in his army, and some- of the chariots were drawn, by wild asses, as the supply of horses seems to have run short. The nations which furnished horses to the |vasb armament which met with such a series of disaster-; were, of course, tho Persians themselves, who were a nation of horsemen, the Sagartians.. a nomad: tribe who furneshed 8000 hon-e---nien. who us?d the lapso, tho Medcs, tho Scythians, the Indians, some of whom fought in chariots drawn by wild nssos or horses, the Bactrians, who came from Afghanistan, the Caspians, the Caspeirians and the Paricouiians. The Libyans v.ero all in chariots. This immense body of cavalry harassed the Greeks very much, especially in the days preceding tho battle of Platea, and. the Greeks, though they had horses, Lad, evidently, insufficient cavalry to oppose their enemies. The Persian cavalry were mounted on horses something like what we call Arabs in. these days, some of them, perhaps, on horses- of the type which aro now known as Gulf Arabs — horses I about 15 hands, probably rather under ,' thau over. And, by the way, Herodoi tvs tells us that Xerxes was the handi somest man of his time, but nowhere do I remember him describing him as a big man. I should like to know tho authority which describes him of colossal stature. The Greek historians generally speak of him as more or less of a Sybarite, but of course- they could scarcely be expected to know much of him, or be looked on as impartial witnesses. Still his death gives a cert tain support to their evidence.