Been doing a bit of research on this topic. All information points to its origins in the Cantabri region of Hispania...hence its name . Hadrian and others note how the Romans adopted it for their own use after the Cantabrian wars.

Given this accepted far-western location for the tactic's origins -- how did the eastern steppe factions come up with the maneuver? Do we know from ancient accounts that they actually employed it in their own battle tactics? For example, any mention of its use in the accounts of Alexander's eastward expansion? Did the Romans see it in their Parthian/Mithridatic Wars?

It's a tactic that's simple enough in its own right...perhaps it was developed spontaneously across cultures through the years?

Please enlighten me...