12-10-2012, 05:13 PM
Quote:Hi Razvan,
First I split our discussion from the original topic (which was about the construction) since we veered widely off from that! :wink:
That the Dacian used cavalry as well as archery I have no doubt about. yet, the draco as an object is a windsock, and if you claim that the Dacians developed the draco, that would be strange. We see so many 'horse archer' peoples use a windsock, it would be illogical to suppose that it was the Dacians (afaik not exactly 'horse archers') who would for some reason be the developing party. Of course we have no straight proof who actually thought of this first, but logic commands that they horse archers (Scythians, Sarmnatians, others) rather than Dacians, who afaik were far more infantry rather than horse-archers.
Hi Robert
About the Dacians/Getae as horse archers or having a significant part of their troops as cavalry, we have Thucydides and his work Peloponnesian Wars, Book II, were he said that "[Getae] border on the Scythians and are armed in the same manner, being all mounted archers".
Dacia did had some stepes like areas too, but as on the Trajan Column many fights are done in mountains areas or involve as well some sieges the cavalry are not presented too much
The possible expansion of some Getae/Dacian groups toward east, at the end of bronze age and begining of iron age may be responsable for the spread of "draco" including as windsock. In the same time "dacian draco" may have more a religious means so not be necessary a windsock, and some stepes people developed one as such, independently or copying the Dacian one.
Razvan A.
