Yes, I also was a protectorate of Egypt. This is that after I had a few fights with Egyptian troops my troopes proved themselves totally incapable. That time I uswed to have eastern infantry, hillmen, horse archers etc. So I had to have peace with Egypt, needed some time to develope my cities, build a strong army etc. And I had to abandon a couple of provinces in the far east and give them in to Egypt.

But many years after Egypt weakened greatly and I finished it like a wounded beast it was.



Sometimes it's usefult to make 5 steps back in order to make 20 steps forward in future.

And except cataphracts I used archers, coz something with arrows was certainly needed. But Parthian archers are weak as most of their troops.