(Scythian noble horse-archers) : The scythian nobles were superb horsemen, with finely crafed bronze and even gold scale armors, and an equipment highly and somptuously decorated with golden animals. They wore in general, a greek-style scaled linothorax, a small shield, of crescent or rectangular shape and made with iron lamellar plates on a wood base, greaves made with such lamellar protection on leather, and even two more which protect the forelegs. The helmet was of various style, in 500 bc, the corinthian was used, but due to the redution of sight, with a prejudice for archery, chalcidian and local models were preferred. The most common was a mix with a superior part of corinthian or chalcidian style, and large leather scaled flaps covering the rear of the head and neck.\nThey had a tremendous arsenal, which mad them truly versatile on the battlefield, including the classic composite bow, one more in spare part and dozens of arrows in a large gorytos, a long sword of specific design, a battle axe or sagaris, both highly decorated, and perhaps some spears, roughly 6 feet long, used as heavy javelins, and a two parts kontos, assembled and use with both hands for the charge. That's why the shields were reduced and fixed to the upper arm. They used also the scythe, the widely used dagger, and had also a cup of gold attached to their stirrup. The wealthiest of them had their own retinue, which replace their damaged weapon, reloading them with arrows, in the pitch of battle, but this feature was rare, as the scythians were a mobile force, and their versatility was a true advantage. \nThe scythians crushed several attemps to invade their lands and submit them, one of the most famous beeing those of Darius in 512 bc. Despite the huge army of the persians, the scythian never attempted to attack them, but rather to lure and track them into the deepest of their lands, like the Volga. They constantly harrass them, with hit-and-run tactics and night and day quick raids, until the persians, tired, hungry, partially decimated, with their morale seriously lowered, were eventually driven off without any result.