Stuff above Parthia's banner?

[jamreal18]

Why do ALL UNITS of Parthia have those stuff above their banners in the game?

http://iranpoliticsclub.net/photos/U...d%20Bearer.jpg
http://www.iranchamber.com/history/s...dardbearer.jpg

What did those stuff means?

[Agrez]

they are the kings balls (kidding i dont know i would really like to know too)

[.Mitch.]

This design was the standard used by Parthian (more accurately Sassanid) cavalry. The historical significance is not known.

George Rawlinson wrote a book called "The Seven Great Monarchies of the Ancient Eastern World".

In his book he talks of the main battle standard used by the kings of the Sassanian empire called the Derafsh Kaviani and goes on to describe the other common standards used, including the one you mention:

(Talking of the Derafsh Kaviani) "This precious palladium was, however, but rarely used, its place being supplied for the most part by standards of a more ordinary character. These appear by the monuments to have been of two kinds. Both consisted primarily of a pole and a cross-bar; but in the one kind the crossbar sustained a single ring with a bar athwart it, while below depended two woolly tassels; in the other, three striated balls rose from the cross-bar, while below the place of the tassels was taken by two similar balls. It is difficult to say what these emblems symbolized, or why they were varied. In both the representations where they appear the standards accompany cavalry, so that they cannot reasonably be assigned to different arms of the service."

[jamreal18]

They cannot reasonably be assigned to different arms of the service

Hope CA just remove those stuff...

[AngryTitusPullo]

Moved from General Discussions.

[Rijul.J.Ballal]

They are historical either way...

[.Mitch.]

Yeh its historically correct and this type of standard was the most commonly used, so it should stay... stupid to want it gone.

[jamreal18]

I think its a glitch... those stuff should appear on generals banner only....

Yeh its historically correct and this type of standard was the most commonly used, so it should stay... stupid to want it gone.

Its a type of standard. Standards must be carried by standard-bearers. Its not right making all units carry those stuff. Therefore, each roman units must also have eagles above their banners as well... If you have 25 units in an army, will you also have 25 eagles as well?

[Anna_Gein]

Were they used by the Parthians ? People only linked resources for the Sassanid but that's around 400 years after the game start and would be as disappointing as to give draco military standard to Roman troops.

[daelin4]

Were they used by the Parthians ? People only linked resources for the Sassanid but that's around 400 years after the game start and would be as disappointing as to give draco military standard to Roman troops.

The pictures linked by the OP refer to Sassanids, I do not know why the OP decided to assume they were used by the Parthians, unless of course they were seen in use in the game. In which case, without further evidence of these baners' use in Parthian times I can only assume that CA just threw it in there, just as how they threw in lorica segmentata and Praetorian Guards as an elite battle unit.

[daelin4]

The first picture linked is from an Osprey book called Rome's Enemies: Parthians and Sassanids. The description of the image is that these are "pomegranate shapes" but only infers about their unsuitability in holding while riding. Considering other standards in the book had comparatively more elaborate descriptions, I can safely assume that the significance besides identification is a mystery.