Sassanian Army

[Dan D'Silva]

I know it's not exactly a scholarly source, but whoever writes copy for Europa Barbarorum said:

The Arabic term 'silsilah' is very likely a poetic device meant to imply soldiers organized into close order units. The same term is used to refer to both Sassanid Persian and Byzantine cavalry, neither of which could have conceivably been physically tied together in groups!

Is that the truth? I've always wanted to see a bibliography for all their claims...