The Yuezhi

[Alexander Beats Hannibal]

Does anyone know anything about the military of these people, specifically around the time of Alexander the Great (do not turn this into a topic about Alexander, this is just a time reference)?

Did they fight like the Chinese, or more like the nomadic Scythians? How exactly did their military change as they moved West, and what kinds of weapons did they use when they formed the Kushan Empire? Did they have any of the technology of China, such as the crossbow?

[Mehmed II]

As far as I can remember, they were a group of people that had to move west after their defeat by the Xiong nu. They were a group of nomadic people and I don't think Chinese had that much influence on them.

[Alexander Beats Hannibal]

I know the history, I just don't their military. They were a Chinese tribe and people with a great deal of contact with the Chinese.

[mib]

Chinese is a blanket term, do you mean ethnically Chinese (still a blanket term), geographically Chinese, or culturally Chinese?

[deddem]

Well, that`s an obscure theme, but IMHO they were mix of Chinese, Kuman and Irano-scythian elements. Their language was indo-european, their art ressembles very much that of Pazyryk culture (siberian scythes), but has some chinese traditions too...

[Alexander Beats Hannibal]

I'm only interested in their military.

[RGB]

I've read this thimgummy by this russian guy...hm. He thinks they were horse archers/heavy horse archers. But you know what, they became the Kushans, didn't they? Suppose they would carry on some of the traditions?

[deddem]

According to archeological material and pictures, their forces consisted not only of cavalry (light archers and heavy lance-bearers), but also of light infantry archers and very interesting medium infantry: laminar cuirasses, bows, medium swords and large shields, that consisted from two flexible parts, so warrior could carry it on his back, and it didn`t constrain his movements, or fasten these two parts with cross-bar and use this shield as light pavois.
I`ve seen reconstruction paintings in one book, if i`ll find it - you`ll see `em

[RollingWave]

Their main contact with Chinese dynasties came after the time of Alexander, so they were probably more influenced by the Xioung Nu people they fought

[Alexander Beats Hannibal]

According to archeological material and pictures, their forces consisted not only of cavalry (light archers and heavy lance-bearers), but also of light infantry archers and very interesting medium infantry: laminar cuirasses, bows, medium swords and large shields, that consisted from two flexible parts, so warrior could carry it on his back, and it didn`t constrain his movements, or fasten these two parts with cross-bar and use this shield as light pavois.
I`ve seen reconstruction paintings in one book, if i`ll find it - you`ll see `em

So they fought like most of the nomadic steppe people?

How did all of this change as they moved towards the Hellenistic world, and eventually settled in India?