Parthian horse archers

[bachmat66]

Salve,
My question is why using term: Parthian archers when clearly the army that destroyed Roman legions at Carhae was composed of the Saka horsemen, the branch of the Saka tribal groups that settled from northern India (Indo-Saka) to Parthian empire, and not too long before the war with the Romans invaded the Parthian domain, killed their kings and made others (eg Orodes grandfather Sanatruces was made king by the Saka, in this coin he even wears a very Saka headdress with their mythic imagery of deer, tamgas etc http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coin_ ... arthia.jpg ) and were 'responsible' for the 'nomadic' twist in the Parthian culture. Their leader was their clan wariorchief Surena. Proper Parthian Army under the king Orodes was elsewhere in Armenia,
Clearly you may have to look into evidence from the wide swath of land, from Chinese Turkmenistan to Southern Russian, eastern Turkey and Iran. eg article on Scythian (saka) bows from China be Bede Dwyer - http://www.atarn.org/chinese/scythian_bows.htm or S. Shelby drawings of the Saka bows http://www.atarn.org/chinese/Yanghai/yanghai.htm
Simonenko published a book on the Sarmatians, there is a chapter on the bows and arrows, and there are other articles in Russian language publications on the archery... the same when regarding Ukok horsemen of the Altai by Polsmak.

Please note that on that coin you can see the bow as well, very similar to the one drawn by mr Shelby
more coins and Saka archers from their cousins, Indo-Saka
here we can see a separate quiver perhaps - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... gTunic.jpg
some coins tend to support the idea that mounted and armored spearmen or kontophoroi did not carry bows http://www.grifterrec.com/coins/indoscy ... 2216_2.jpg
http://www.grifterrec.com/coins/indoscy ... _s74-2.jpg
http://www.grifterrec.com/coins/indoscy ... _s89-2.jpg
and here armor, no spear but a whip and a bow visible in a traditional style, on the left side http://www.grifterrec.com/coins/indoscy ... 05-442.jpg
no spear, armor and a bow on a left side http://www.grifterrec.com/coins/indoscy ... ian_2.html
this king of 23 AD has clearly a quiver on the right side, hanging of the saddle, and his horse has a crenelated mane http://www.grifterrec.com/coins/indoscy ... 135_pl.jpg
Also Hatra and Palmyra can be of essence here, but their art is a bit later on, so it may show I century AD styles of quivers and their carriage