phalanx

[keravnos]

What is not clearly evident is a common mistake, I used to make myself.

Do NOT compare the heavy mongol and turkic bows of Medieval times to the scythian bow that the archers at EB are using. The hunnic bow, which itself is inferior to the Mongol/Turkic bow was only beginning to be used in the steppes over China.

In reality with the bows that Achaimenid Persians had they would have to approach very close to be able to do any real damage in which case the psiloi/akontistai/sphendonetai would make short work of them. If they would be used from further on, they wouldn't have much of an impact, ESPECIALLY ON A PIKE PHALLANX. Let me see, Bronze helmet with facemask, Linothorax (which tests have shown to be VERY arrow resistant), pteruges, and greaves. Add to that the sarissai pike wall. Which part of the body exactly is prone to arrows? Just the hand holding the pike.

Sphendonetai/slingers could outshoot the bow. Any hit would count as it would cause blunt damage. This is accurately translated to EB as well. Foot archers have another disadvantage. The number of bows they carry is smaller than the lead shots that the sphendonetai did.

Surena managed to destroy the Romans because he had extra arrows carried on nearby camels. Any units whose arrows were depleted, would return, refill their gorytoi/bow+arrows combined case and head back to the front with arrow supply replenished. The Pahlavan HA were shooting arrows at the Romans from midday until the last light of day. According to Tarn, this was a revolutionary development, and one for which Surena isn't given enough credit.

Take all these into account you will find why the favorite Achaimenid Persian missile weapon was the heavy javelin, NOT the arrow. Pahlavan, as they were Nomads were of course more arrow friendly than the sedentary Achaimenid Persians.