Pahlava infantry

[Son of Perun]

From what I know Pahlavans never used any infantry, they relyed entirely on cavalry. Their priority was mobility of army (just like other nomads). Therefore I'm not sure about their unit roster which contains Nizag Gund or even Pandodaphoi Phalangtidai (it required some time and experienced officers to train a phalangtide - and I doubt Pahlavans had them). Can anyone give me some historical evidence on pahlavan infantry? And I'm also curious about the description of Nizag Gund, which says "Parthian spearmen".
If Parthians (Pahlavans) start somewhere north of Parthia why are their spearmen avaible as far as Babylonia? Wouldn't be description "Persian spearmen" better?

[keravnos]

Actually there is proof. They used mostly conquered Hellenes as a "ready to use" infantry, and left them in place as garisson forces. When the Romani faced them later on, an historian wrote about "persian infantry armed like gladiators". Most of the time Pahlavan used cavalry it is true, and attested. But that doesn't mean they didn't use infantry.

[Son of Perun]

Maybe they used infantry as garisson forces but is it enough? Parthians weren't able to siege cities properly because of lack of infantry. If they had greek soldiers or mercenaries it wouldn't have been a problem.

[Watchman]

Cavalry isn't exactly the bee's knees for fortress garrison and assult though. Footsloggers may not have had much more role in Pahlava field armies than baggage guards (except, naturally, in obstructed terrain no sane commander sends horses into), if even that, but that doesn't mean they didn't have a lot of other campaign applications.

[Geoffrey S]

Best way to see it for roleplaying is probably to have field armies consist mainly of cavalry, and training local infantry for garrison duty or just for use inside one province.

[Foot]

Wiesehofer says, "In comparison, the infantry was evidently of secondary importance, although according to the Christian-Syrian 'Chronicle of Arbela', Vologeses III was said to have sent 20,000 footsoldiers against the Alans in 136 AD." [Ancient Persia, p148]

It must be remembered that the main enemies for much of Parthia's history were the greeks and then the romans, both of whom had powerful heavy infantry. We know of Parthian armies through the eyes of the western authors, whose armies would have met the cavalry rather than any infantry; the infantry of the parthians could not have stood against the heavy infantry of the west. But the Chronicle of Arbela, as noted above, suggests that did the need arise the Parthians could call upon a vast reserve infantry (probably mostly archer/spearmen).

Foot

[Son of Perun]

Wiesehofer says, "In comparison, the infantry was evidently of secondary importance, although according to the Christian-Syrian 'Chronicle of Arbela', Vologeses III was said to have sent 20,000 footsoldiers against the Alans in 136 AD." [Ancient Persia, p148]

It must be remembered that the main enemies for much of Parthia's history were the greeks and then the romans, both of whom had powerful heavy infantry. We know of Parthian armies through the eyes of the western authors, whose armies would have met the cavalry rather than any infantry; the infantry of the parthians could not have stood against the heavy infantry of the west. But the Chronicle of Arbela, as noted above, suggests that did the need arise the Parthians could call upon a vast reserve infantry (probably mostly archer/spearmen).

Foot

That's interesting but did actually Parthians have same army compositions in 136 AD and 272 BC?

[Foot]

That's interesting but did actually Parthians use the same i

I assume you got cut off there, but I'll answer as best I can.

If we presume that the majority of their infantry was used in engagements with nomadic tribes, then anti-arrow/anti-cav would be the name of the game. In other words spear, and large wicker shield. Not to mention a multitude of archers to rein death upon the enemy. Sounds like the basic infantry for the parthians to me. Nizag Gund, Eransahr Artshbara, and Thanvare Payahdag.

Foot