Quote Originally Posted by Poulp'
cataphracts are so armored that you need to shoot them in the back, or you'll waste too many arrows.
I beg to differ here. Armour rating protects from attack from all directions: it is the shielded units that are more vulnerable in the back. Since cataphracts don't have shield, it doesn't really matter that much from whence you shoot at them. Otherwise, I agree with your tactics: tiring them out by running rings around them with your horse archers works wonders. Catching them on the business end of a phalanx is also a great idea, especially if you can then take them from the side with a family member or another decent unit.