When the Greeks fought against the Persians then their hoplites were at a disadvantage against cavalry.
And the similar thing applied when the Greeks fought amongst themselves.
I thought that heavy infantry could not be frontal charged by cavalry, or the cavalry would be the one to suffer losses, but not the other way around.
Can somebody explain the reasons behind it?
Did the cavalry at that time use over-hand spears, or lances?
Could not the hoplites outreach the enemy cavalry with their spears? or absorb the cavalry charge with their shieldwall?
The cavalry can of course employ hit-and-run tactics, by going around the hoplites and attack them from the flanks or where they are unprepared. It would be exhausting for the hoplites to be constantly changing directions, and in running back and forth. Or the enemy cavalry attacked the hoplites in small groups, so the hoplites were not as tight together.
But the question is about 1v1 duel, on equal terms.
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