The below video is a documentary about Sassanian horse archers made by the Invicta venue. The contents of the video are well-researched and it is clear that the producers have followed the latest publications and research in the field of Sassanian militaria:
Educational video produced by the historians of the Invicta venue entitled “Sassanid Horse Archers DOCUMENTARY” (Source: Invicta in YouTube).
The study of Sassanian archery has become one of the primary domains of Sassanian military studies. The RAMA publication [Farrokh, K., Khorasani, M. M., & Dwyer, B. (2018). Depictions of archery in Sassanian silver plates and their relationship to warfare, RAMA (Revista de Artes Marciales Asiáticas). Volumen 13 (2), Julio-Diciembre, pp. 82-113.] has focused on a detailed analysis of Sassanian metalwork plates depicting archery:
As noted in page 86 of the RAMA article cited above, the skill of the ancient archers has been noted by Classical sources:
“Archery was a highly valued combat arm in the armies of ancient Iran with its seminal role praised in adeptness in the Tir-Yasht (Khordeh Avesta, 1936) and Menog e Xrad (1913). Ancient Iranian adeptness in archery skills has been cited by Classical sources such as Herodotus (1972, I, p. 136), Strabo (1960) and Procopius of Caesarea (1914, I, p. 18). As noted by Ammianus Marcellinus (1996, XV, I, p. 13), Iranian archery was an “… art that nation has always been most skillful from the cradle” “.
Recreation of the horse archers of the Elite Sassanian Cavalry-اسواران ساسانی- by Ardashir Radpour (Image copyright of Ardeshir Radpour & Holly Martin). For more see… “Introducing the Works of Ardeshir Radpour”
Readers further interested in Sassanian military history, may wish to consult the following sample of publications:
Articles
- Farrokh, K., Karamian, Gh. & Karamian, H. (2021). Military Architecture and the Four-Spāhbed System for Defense of the Sassanian Empire (224-651 CE). HISTORIA I ŚWIAT: ACTA MILITARIA IRANICA, 10, pp.117-151.
- Farrokh, K. (2021). La marea Sasánida [The Sassanian tide]. Desperta Ferro Antigua y Medieval, 66, pp.12-17.
- Dwyer, B., Farrokh, K., & Khorasani, M.M. (2021). Sassanid Armor: Background, Development and Technology. SHEDET [Fayoum University, Faculty of Archaeology], Issue No 7, pp.145-183.– See News release …
- Farrokh, K., Sánchez-Gracia, J., & Maksymiuk, K. (2019). Caucasian Albanian warriors in the armies of pre-Islamic Iran. HISTORIA I ŚWIAT, 8, pp.21-46.
- Farrokh, K., Khorasani, M. M., & Dwyer, B. (2018). Depictions of archery in Sassanian silver plates and their relationship to warfare, RAMA (Revista de Artes Marciales Asiáticas). Volumen 13 (2), Julio-Diciembre, pp. 82-113.
- Sánchez-Gracia, J., & Farrokh, K. (2017). Fuego en Oriente: La campaña Persa del 359 contra Roma [Fire in the East: the Persian campaign of 359 against Rome], Historia de la Guerra, 6, pp. 7 -13.
- Farrokh, K., Karamian, Gh., Kubic, A., & Oshterinani, M.T. (2017). An Examination of Parthian and Sasanian Military Helmets. In “Crowns, hats, turbans and helmets: Headgear in Iranian history volume I” (K. Maksymiuk & Gh. Karamian, Eds.), Siedlce University & Tehran Azad University, pp.121-163.
- Farrokh, K., Karamian, Gh. & Kubik, A. (2016). An Examination of Parthian and Sassanian Military Helmets (2nd century BCE – 7th century CE). The Third Colloquia Baltica Iranica Conference (24-27 November 2016), Siedlice University, Poland.
- .فرخ, کاوه & کرمیان, قلامرضا (۱۳۹۵). تدارکات و پشتیبانی ارتش ساسانیان در جنگ. فصلنامه پیام بهارستان, شماره ,۲۶ صفهه ۳۳۲-۳۳۹ Farrokh, K., & Karamian Gh. (2016). The logistics and support system of the Sassanian army at war. Faslnameye Payam Baharistan, Number 26, pp. 332-339.
- Farrokh, K., Karamian, Gh., Delfan, M., Astaraki, F. (2016). Preliminary reports of the late Parthian or early Sassanian relief at Panj-e Ali, the Parthian relief at Andika and examinations of late Parthian swords and daggers. HISTORIA I ŚWIAT, No.5, pp. 31-55.
- Farrokh, K. (2015). Julian the Apostate. Military Heritage, March, pp.8, 10-13.
- Farrokh, K., & Karamian, R. (2015). The logistics, support and medical services of the Sassanian Spah. Persian Heritage, 77, pp.25-26.
- Farrokh, K. (2014). Soldiers of the Sassanian Empire: Rome’s unbeaten rival in the East. Military History, November Issue 50, pp.62-66, 68.
- -فرخ, کاوه (۱۳۹۰) نبردهای شاپور اول شاهنشاه ساسانی با روم. امرداد نامه, شماره ۲۷, ۱۵-۲۰-Farrokh, K. (2011). The Wars of Sassanian king Shapur I with Rome. Amordad-Nameh, Number 27, pp.15-20.
- Farrokh, K. & Khorasani, M.M. (2010), Backbone of the Empire: Sassanian Savārān. Classic Arms and Militaria, Volume XVII Issue 1, pp. 36–41.
Textbooks
[RIGHT] Farrokh, K., Maksymiuk, K., & Sánchez-Gracia, J. (2018). The Siege of Amida (359 CE), Siedlce University: Publishing House of Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities. [CENTER] ] Farrokh, K., Karamian, Gh., & Maksymiuk, K. (2018). A Synopsis of Sassanian Military Organization and Combat Units. Teheran Azad University & Siedlce University: Publishing House of Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities. [LEFT] Farrokh, K. (2017). Armies of Persia: the Sassanians. Barnsley, England: Pen & Sword Publishing. See reviews of this book:
- Syvanne, I. (2019). Review of Kaveh Farrokh, Armies of Ancient Persia: the Sassanians. Persian Heritage, 93, p.15. See also News posting for this review …
- Gabriel, R. A. (2018). Review of Kaveh Farrokh, The Armies of Ancient Persia: The Sassanians, Military History Journal. See also News posting for this review …
Images of a dismounted Sassanian horse archer of the corps of the Elite Sassanian Cavalry-اسواران ساسانی- as recreated by Ardashir Radpour (Image copyright of Ardeshir Radpour & Holly Martin). For more see… “Introducing the Works of Ardeshir Radpour”
For more on Sassanian militaria, see also:
[LEFT] Katarzyna Maksymiuk’s 2015 textbook “Geography of Roman-Iranian Wars: Military Operations of Rome and Sasanian Iran” (Scientific Publishing House of Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities, Poland) [RIGHT] Translation of Maksymiuk’s textbook in 2019 by Parviz Hossein Talaee into Persian “جغرافیای جنگهای ایران و روم” by a major Persian-language academic publishing house, Amir Kabir Publishing (موسسه انتشارات امیرکبیر)
- Farrokh, K. (2007). Shadows in the Desert: Ancient Persia at War-Персы: Армия великих царей-سایههای صحرا-. Oxford, England: Osprey Publishing.
[A] Farrokh’s second text translated into Persian for the second time by Bahram Khozai and published in Iran by the -طاق بستان- Taghe-Bastan Publishers on January 21, 2012 (01 بهمن، 1390) [B] The first Persian translation by Qoqnoos Publishers with the English to Persian translation having been done by Shahrbanu Saremi [C] Russian translation of “Shadows in the Desert Ancient Persia at War” by Russian EXMO Publishers [D] Original publication of “Shadows in the Desert: Ancient Persia at War” in English by Osprey Publishing in 2007.
- Farrokh, K. (2005). Elite Sassanian Cavalry: 226-651 AD-اسواران ساسانی-. England: Osprey Elite Series 110, Osprey Publishing.
[A] Farrokh’s text (Sassanian Elite Cavalry, Osprey Publishing, 2005; [B] 2009 translation of the Farrokh text entitled-اسواران ساسانی-Sassanian Asvaran by -یوسف امیری-Yousif Amiri, published in 2009 in Mashad, Iran by -نشر گل افتاب- Gol Aftab Publishers; see sample pages (in pdf) [C] 2011 translation of the Farrokh text entitled -سواره نظام زبده ارتش ساسانی – Elite Cavalry of the Sassanian Army by -بهنام محمدپناه -Behnam Mohammad-Shah, published in early January 2011 in Tehran, Iran by -سبزان- Sabzan Publishers. [D] The most recent translation of Farrokh’s third text, Sassanian Elite Cavalry made in 2014 by Amir Kabir Publishers (انتشارات امیرکبیر).
Finally, readers further interested in Sassanian military studies may wish to also consult:
