[PREVIEW] Sassanid & Arab Units - RELEASED!

[Ahiga]

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"Inside the audience hall there were said to be three thrones kept permanently ready for the other three great rulers of the world - the emperors of Rome, the emperor of China, and the Khagan of the Turks - ready, that is, for when they should come to submit to the Sassanian Emperor" - Robert Irwin, Islamic Art in Context: Art, Architecture and the Literary World

Of the enemies of Rome none would prove so enduring and so insurmountable as Sassanian Persia. The disaster of Carrhae was a modest, inconsequential skirmish compared to the litany of disasters and misfortunes known during the Romano-Sassanian wars: Armies annihilated, capitulations of wealth, territory and prestige, the death of Emperors in battle or outright capture. The heirs of the she-wolf paid in kind for each wound and shame, providing the Sassanian Persians with an equally relentless opponent. Indeed, only years prior had Galerius of Rome delivered a humiliating coup de grâce of the Shahenshah himself, capturing the royal family and baggage as part of the Sassanian's rout. Great as this achievement was, it would be some two centuries later with the days of Belisarius, Narses and Heraclius that Rome could claim a repeat of such success.

Sassanid Persia's pedigree is far more than that of a military foil to the Romans. Only the premiere legacy of the Babylonians and the religious credentials of the early Caliphate can challenge the Sassanian Empire in enduring posterity in Middle-Eastern history. The Sassanian's royal traditions, cherished (if embellished) memories of justice and order and vaunted pride hold a place in Near-Eastern culture much like the model, memory and (if embellished) ideals of Pax Romana does for Europe. Emperors of Constantinople, Caliphs of Baghdad and Turkic Sultans from a myriad of capitals would draw upon Sassanian courtly practices, while the chivalry of her equestrian aristocracy similarly guided Arab and Turkic horsemen well until the modern age.

Note: Everything featured is a work in progress and is subject to change.

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Sassanian Infantry

Almost as early as written history itself has the topos or literary trope of the Eastern hordes manifest itself. Popular understanding of the Sassanian infantry in particular is exemplified by Procopius' account of Belisarius' speech on the eve of the Battle of Dara (530): A mangy horde of pathetic cowards who exist only for manual labor and the slaughter. Yet this topos greatest strength stems less from the actual evidence and more dogmatic fidelity to Herodotus' narratives: The disciplined and few Greeks (and in the future Romans, Crusaders, Europeans) against the slavish oriental hordes. It's similar in enduring stamina to the equally misguided topos of the half-naked primitive Northern barbarian who knows nothing but plunder and violence. Yet as with stereotypes there are elements of truth to the fiction of absolutes: infantry were clearly a subordinate arm for an equestrian-minded people (which since the Late Achaemenids have been the dominant powers from indigenous Eastern states). Yet subordination does not relegate a soldiery to utter worthlessness: cavalry were the subordinate arm to Roman infantry until the 5th century, and despite numerous accounts of rather remarkable shortcomings (Strasbourg, Adrianople) they were not pointless or capable of nothing. Neither is the case for Sassanian infantry.

A Sassanian general cannot rely on his infantry to single-handedly win the fight but he would be a fool not to use them in a crucial capacity.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Paighān-î Ramān
[Infantry of the common people / Levy Spearmen]




"For their whole infantry is nothing more than a crowd of pitiable peasants who come into battle for no other purpose than to dig through walls and to despoil the slain and in general to serve the soldiers. For this reason they have no weapons at all with which they might trouble their opponents, and they only hold before themselves those enormous shields in order that they may not possibly be hit by the enemy." [Procopius, De Bell, 1.22 - 1.30]

Procopius' writing rings true for these hastily assembled levies drawn from the Sassanian's vast metropolitan source of manpower in Mesopotamia and Western Iran. These men are corvée'd from villages or cities with little but the shirts on their back, equipped with mass-produced spears and wicker shields by either the aristocratic vassals of the state or representatives of the Sassanian throne proper. One cannot expect much of anything from these men but to serve, fight, and die for their betters. The emphasis being on the latter, as a Sassanian lord is best served using these conscripts for dangerous work of attrition. Do not expect them to do anything other than hold a line [briefly] so that more valiant men might truly win the battle. For all their deficiencies these men are cheap and numerous, and serve the valuable role of allowing more valuable men to fight elsewhere than the charnel house of the frontline!

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Kamāndarān-î Ramān
[Archers of the Commoners / Levy Bowmen]



"Meantime, high mounds rose up with speedy growth; and the siege grew fiercer and sterner daily; many of our men being slain because, fighting as they were under the eye of the emperor, and eager for reward, they took off their helmets in order to be the more easily recognized, and so with bare heads, were an easy mark for the skillful archers of the enemy." [Ammianus Marcellinus, Rerum Gestarum, 20.11.12]

In the lands where the archer is king, even a commoner may consider himself an aristocrat if he wields the bow. True, these men are at best part-time militiamen of their village or neighborhood and at worst conscripted levies. Yet the skill demanded of archery leaves little room for laypersons and uninitiated practitioners. This alone suffices to raise these men above the common rabble of levied spearmen in utility and importance. Pride can only take these men so far, however - they are still at the status of part-time warriors and lack the superior panoply, training, and discipline afforded to higher grade archers of the army or royal court. Still, archery is the linchpin of Sassanian martial victory - it does not win the battle single handedly, but ravages the opposition enough for that mailed fist of Sassanian chivalry to carry the day. So long as the shield-wall holds or they remain at a distance these men can 'punch above their weight' a thousandfold.

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The title of 'levy' can be a bit misleading, as these archers are meant to be an essential and large part of your army. Think levy less in the sense of a paighan conscript with no training whatsoever and more levy as a Hastati or Hoplite might be - not a professional always in service, but more than just a complete neophyte.

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Mardān-î Kof
[Hillmen skirmishers]





"All regions of this country are fertile except the part towards the north, which is mountainous and rugged and cold, the abode of the mountaineers called Cadusii, Amardi, Tapyri, Cyrtii and other such peoples, who are migrants and predatory; for the Zagrus and Niphates fountains keep these tribes scattered; and the Cyrtii in Persis, and the Mardi (for the Amardi are also thus called), and those in Armenia who to this day are called by the same name, are of the same character. The Cadusii, however, are but little short of the Ariani in the number of their foot-soldiers; and their javelin-throwers are excellent; and in rugged places foot-soldiers instead of horsemen do the fighting." - [Strabo, Geography, 11.13.3 - 11.13.4]

Strabo's description of the inhabitants of North-West Iran can be applied to other highland peoples of the Iranian plateau - or for that matter the Isaurians of Anatolia, Aetolians of ancient Hellas, Iberians or Hispanola or any number of rugged mountain and hill dwelling peoples. One need not look far, for more often than not these highlanders dwell like so many weeds upon the garden edifice of Eranshahr. These inhabitants of a harsh world are encouraged to make war upon one another and raid the soft, weaker and richer lowlanders as a matter of necessity as much as custom. Skill with the javelin and fleet-footedness across highland crags facilitates their use as aggressive, nimble light infantry.

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Šubānān
[Shepherds / Sling-armed Shepherds]




"A law in A.D. 409 expressly forbade any curialis, plebius, or possessor from leaving his children with shepherds (C. TH. 9.31.1). Anyone who violated this law would be considered as confessing his 'assocation with brigands'. Shepherds, like horsemen generally, were highly mobile, and there was a broad identification of shepherds, with or without horses, as latrones (Bandits) in this period." - [F.E. Romer's chapter in "A Roman Villa and Late Roman Infant Cemetery", page 474.]

The above account attests to the nefarious association of shepherds in late Roman Italia, but it is a reputation shared across space and time. Egyptians of old looked upon shepherding Canaanites with hateful contempt as do most sedentary societies in their consideration of pastoral peoples. Yet despite these rugged assumptions, shepherds have long been associated with power and affinity for royalty far beyond their modest means: King David of the Hebrews, Romulus and Remus of the Romans, and Ardashir I of the Persians. Such romantic tales may be myth, yet the humble shepherd does indeed possess a strength unexpected of such rough and tumble migrants. A hearty life beyond the softness of civilization, with skill at the sling and other weapons honed against predators of man and beast alike imbues these men with the ferocity of wolves - the conscience of wolves too, according to the civilized lowlands. What troubles Italia faced with such men prowling the rural plains and hills were intensified a thousandfold amongs the empty steppes, harsh deserts and rugged mountains canvasing much of Eranshahr. It is a silver lining that such men beyond the pale of polite society may be tenuously controlled with the prospects of pay and plunder and turned against the enemy.

Skill with missile weaponry, on foot or horseback, is an area with no ambiguity in Roman accounts - the Sassanians were especially skilled at the bow, sling and javelin; short of the mailed cavalry's charge missile fire was the preeminent threat for the Romans. The sling does not carry as great a thematic presence as the bow in the historical accounts, yet descriptions of battles and sieges abound with the rain of bullets cast from slingers. Much like archers, slingers possessed a higher reputation and pay than the infantry of the line. Placed on the city's ramparts or from some rugged hilltop or forest and these men will make humble even the mighty cataphract.

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Bandagān-î Āzādān
[Servants/Retainers of the Nobles / Armed followers]




"...for the infantry are armed like the murmillones, and they obey orders like so many horse-boys." - [Ammianus Marcellinus, Rerum Gestarum, 23.83]

In sharp contrast to the untrained levies conscripted for service as spearmen are these 'horse-boys' who followed behind the array of aristocratic horsemen opposing Julian's invasion of Mesopotamia. We are left uncertain as to identities of these murmillo-esque soldiers. They most likely represent a varied background of mercenaries, enlisted highlanders from within the empire and its' peripheries (Such as Armenia or the Elburz), poorer Dehqans, richer militiamen, and the retainers of Iranian nobility. Accounts from Amminaus Marcellinus and others attest to a ready discipline and training possessed by these soldiers - enough that they could hold the line against the mighty Roman legions for a time, and could be trusted to the pivotal role of the battle formation's center.

Still, these men are not true equals to the legions, nor can they be counted to possess the rich martial spirit found undiluted among the Armenian, Median, Albanian or Elburz auxiliaries. Their fate is much the same as the lesser Paighân-î Gund and Paighān-î Ramān - to hold the line, batter and be battered by the enemy so that the chivalry of Eranshahr may seize the day. Superior armor and training to the pitiful Paighān-î Ramān assures more will survive to see the fruits of their sacrifice.

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Just what is implied by Marcellinus' reference to Murmillos can be answered by analysis of his other metaphor to these gladiators, along with an understanding of the Murmillos themselves. During a Roman-Alamanni engagement, Ammianus writes: "there our soldiers, closely packed and in fully-manned lines. stood their ground fast and firm, like towers, and renewed the battle with greater vigour; and being intent upon avoiding wounds, they protected themselves like murmillos, and with drawn swords pierced the enemy's sides, left bare by their frenzied rage. -[Ammianus Marcellinus, Rerum Gestarum, 14.49]

The murmillo gladiator ( http://www.kron.it/img/wips/AR3NA/Mirmillone_wip_41.jpg ) was in essence a stylized take on the legionary or any thureos/scutum bearing swordsman: a curved, oblong shield, a short sword, and the stylistic and utterly impractical equipment of the arena. Omitting the ostentatious equipment leaves a warrior remarkably similar to both the Dura Europos infantry ( http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...le-The_Ark.jpg ) and the Arch of Galerius ( http://i.imgur.com/LFapTjX.png ). Marcellinus' Roman passage suggests the Murmillo's fighting was cautious, strategic and emphasizing the use of the curved scutum. The remark about the Sassanian's infantry simply invokes the panoply of the Murmillo, with our safe assumption of the spear being added to the sword.

In the interest of gameplay so as to preserve the value of the armored Adurbadagan and Armenian Infantry (and reliance of the native, fully armored Sassanian spearmen) these retainers are more of a light-medium swordsmen unit with the variant mesh definition set up to be 60% unarmored 40% armored. It is somewhat similar to the Roman Auxilia in that regard of mixed armor.

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Paighân-î Gund
[Spearmen of the Army / Semi-Professional Spearmen]




"And day was now dawning, when mail-clad soldiers underspread the entire heaven, and the dense forces moved forward, not as before in disorder, but led by the [p. 505] slow notes of the trumpets and with no one running forward, protected too by pent-houses and holding before them wicker hurdles." - [Ammianus Marcellinus, Rerum Gestarum, 19.7.3]

Their ranks consist not of men of virtuous birth and rank but rather mercenaries from the highlands or frontiers, the hired guardsmen of the noble clans, wealthier commoners or poorer dehqans. Either their own affluence or that of their employers grants these men a more suitable panoply than cheaply produced wicker shields and spears. They know the use of simple but effective corselets and helmets, quality wickerwork shields and sturdy spears. Yet iron and wood does not a true blooded warrior make. These soldiers are not true professionals, and ultimately their fate is the same as the humble Paighān-î Ramān - to be the bulwark from which their brethren archers can rain death upon the enemy, and to be the anvil from which the hammer of Eranshahr strikes.

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Kamāndarān-î Sassani
[Sassanian Professional Archers]




"The walls [Pirisabora] were surrounded by a triple line of armed men, and from dawn until nightfall they fought with missiles. Then the defenders, who were strong and full of courage, spread over the ramparts everywhere loose strips of haircloth to check the force of the missiles, and themselves protected by shields firmly woven of osier and covered with thick layers of rawhide, resisted most resolutely. They looked as if they were entirely of iron; for the plates exactly fitted the various parts of their bodies and fully protecting them, covered them from head to foot." - [Ammianus Marcellinus, Rerum Gestarum, 24.2.9 - 24.2.10]

One can appreciate the vicious nature of Sassanian archery by the Roman's constant emphasis on closing the distance with their Eastern foes as quickly as possible. The mailed cavalryman may earn greater poetic veneration yet it was these warrior's deluges of firepower which promised a battered and worn battle line for the horsemen to sweep up. A stout shield-wall of spearmen and the looming threat of flanking cavalry can only protect archers so much - a sturdy panoply ensures not only greater survival in a close quarters brawl but also preserves these well trained archers from reciprocal enemy fire!

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Paighân-î Adurbadagan / Mardān-î Adurbadagan
[Medo-Albanian Spearmen]




"Pharasmanes was also powerful in infantry, for the Iberians and Albanians, inhabiting as they did a densely wooded country, were more inured to hardship and endurance." - [Tacitus, Annals, 6.34]

Very often the dismal view of Sassanian infantry leaves us to look to their peripheral vassals as the source of the Sassanian infantry who could put up a good fight against the Romans. That bias may be somewhat unfair to the Sassanids (One hardly ever sees a Gallo-Roman recruited legion being better in quality than a North African recruited roman legion, after all), but it is likely that regions like Atropatene, Albania or the Elburz could call upon far better and far more infantry recruits than areas dominated by the Sassano-Parthian equestrian aristocracy or nomadic peoples. These men may lack heavy panoply, but their oval shields allow for a solid performance as medium infantry.

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Arteshtârān-î Adurbadagan
[Medo-Albanian Swordsmen]





"They fight however on foot and on horseback, both in light and in heavy armour, like the Armenians." - [Strabo, Geographica, 11.4.4]

Very often the dismal view of Sassanian infantry leaves us to look to their peripheral vassals as the source of the Sassanian infantry who could put up a good fight against the Romans. That bias may be somewhat unfair to the Sassanids (One hardly ever sees a Gallo-Roman recruited legion being better in quality than a North African recruited roman legion, after all), but it is likely that regions like Atropatene, Albania or the Elburz could call upon far better and far more infantry recruits than areas dominated by the equestrian aristocracy or nomadic peoples. Though not up to the iron discipline of the legions, these are not half-trained hairy savages of the mountains - these Medes and Albanians fight as quality heavy infantry with javelin and sword.

However, even a King of Kings must recognize he is sovereign of all Iranshahr and those who bend their knee to the rightful shadow of God on earth. He is not the warlord of Albania and Atropatene, and cannot rely disproportionately on these vassals so as to field Sassanian legions in emulation of the Romans.

Sassanian Cavalry

Long has the Sun shone bright upon the fortunes of cavalry in the Near-East. She has been the vaunted part of the army since the emergence of chariotry, and ever was the prerogative of the aristocracy and pastoral nomadic lords. The humble footsoldier did prove indomitable, and save for nations that sought a disproportionate premium on cavalry infantry remained a sizable feature of Near Eastern warfare. Conquests of the mighty Rashidun caliphate would claim a brief renaissance of the footsoldier, yet just as quickly relinquish the throne back to the cavalry of Khorasan and the Turks. Only with the advent of gunpowder and advances therein that cavalry would ultimately rescind its supremacy to the footsoldier. This, however, was the era of the Legions bearing witness to the twilight of their preeminence and the coming reign of the warrior-aristocratic horse-lords.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Savârân-î Kurdān
[Nomadic Horse Archers]





"...they were accustomed to fight bravely at long range, but if they perceived that their forces were giving way, as they retreated they would shoot their arrows back like a shower of rain and keep the enemy from a bold pursuit." - [Ammianus Marcellinus, Rerum Gestarum, 25.18]

Judging from Ammianus' accounts and later authors, the Sassanians utilized ostensibly less light horse archers than their Parthian predecessors. One should not over-emphasize the idea of 'less' - when the Parthians might see a majority of the army to the point of perhaps 90% being light horse archers, even a large minority or shallow majority would be less! It is clear however the Sassanians did continue to use and value such warriors, drawn from such varied stock as the Saka of Sistan and the South-East, Kushans of Bactria, Chionites of Central Asia and others. Though the Sassanians did not always have to look so far - nomads had long inhabited the Iranian plateau since those Indo-Iranians first arrived. Indeed only in the 20th century would the central government of Iran finally and utterly conquer these elusive vagabonds.

A boon in their martial qualities and a bane in their taxless existence and predatorial ways, the comparative cheapness to their usefulness begs a Sassanian general to make extensive use of these auxiliaries. Do not expect them to perform much of anything in close combat - they will either flee quickly or die even more quickly.

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Kurd in Middle Pahlavi appears not to refer to a Kurdish ethnicity specifically, but rather to nomads and pastoral peoples in general. Ancestors of the Kurds likely were part of these pastoral Iranian-speaking peoples, of course.

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Nēzak-Zēnīg Savârân-î Kurdān
[Javelin-bearing nomadic cavalry]



"Julian, disregarding all care for his own safety, made signs by waving his hands, and shouted out that the enemy were fleeing in consternation; and cheering on his men to the pursuit, threw himself eagerly into the conflict. His guards called out to him from all sides to beware of the mass of fugitives who wore scattered in consternation, as he would beware of the fall of an ill-built roof, when suddenly a cavalry spear, grazing the skin of his arm, pierced his side, and fixed itself in the bottom of his liver." [Ammianus Marcellinus, Rerum Gestarum, 25.3.6]

Even the humble throwing spear may prove that a god-king can bleed, and a god-king may die. Historically speaking the sharp divisions of cavalry by panoply did not exist - a horseman might bear lance, bow, sword, and javelin or any number of mixed weapons. The javelin had diminished in primacy among Iranian cavalrymen since its' zenith during the later Achaemenid empire, yet remained a valued asset of any Iranian horseman. As late as the 18th century Persian warlord Nadir-Shah skill with the javelin in hunt or war was celebrated with pride. Though Julian's death came about in part from the absence of his cuirass, the javelin's superior capacity to pierce armor advocates its usage even in the era of the horse-archer. In part because of their greater proximity to the enemy, these nomadic Iranians are more adept at close-quarters fighting, wielding small leather shields with short spear or sword.

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Kurd in Middle Pahlavi appears not to refer to a Kurdish ethnicity specifically, but rather to nomads and pastoral peoples in general. Ancestors of the Kurds likely were part of these pastoral Iranian-speaking peoples, of course. I also hate how clumsy Nezak-zenig (javelin-bearing) sounds, so if someone has a more fitting Pahlavi term I'm more than happy to change it.

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Savârân-î Dehghān / Dehqān
[Minor Gentry / Medium horse archers]





"Hard by [the cataphracts], the archers (for that nation has especially trusted in this art from the very cradle) were bending their flexible bows with such wide-stretched arms that the strings touched their right breasts, while the arrow-points were close to their left hands; and by a highly skilful stroke of the fingers the arrows flew hissing forth and brought with them deadly wounds." - [Ammianus Marcellinus, Rerum Gestarum, 25.12 - 25.13]


Aristocracy is not a zero-sum affair, and the class-conscious fear of the upper class for the commoners is rivaled only by the competition between rival nobles. In the ever-shifting pecking order, the minor gentry that ruled modest fiefdoms of villages and hamlets sat at the very bottom of the top. The later Khusrow I established reforms which raised the martial status and role of the Dehqans vis-à-vis the upper class Azadans. Doing so provided him and future Sassanian monarchs a loyal counterweight to the independently-minded high nobles with their private armies. According to Encyclopedia Iranica: "He is reported to have admonished future kings that they should protect the dehqāns, just as they would protect kingship, because they were like brothers (Ṯaʿālebī, Ḡorar, p. 6)"

Yet such a renaissance is centuries in the making. Able to afford a horse and a modest panoply, these rank and file cavalrymen eschew the burdensome lance used by the Azadan and Grivpanvar for primary reliance on the bow. Like all non-nomadic Iranian horsemen these soldiers value a volume of fire over strength of shot. With sword or mace (and shield on foot) these men can make a better showing in melee combat than the lighter auxiliaries. Still, the lack of a lance and modest armor precludes using these men in any kind of shock capacity.

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If there is a more suitable name to perhaps imply "Retainer cavalry" as it's not clear if the Dehqans were a real military presence pre Khusrow the first, then I am happy to change this.

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Savârân-î Āzādān / Asâwira
[Nobles / Heavy Horse Archers]





"Moreover, all the companies were clad in iron, and all parts of their bodies were covered with thick plates, so fitted that the stiff joints conformed with those of their limbs" - [Ammianus Marcellinus, Rerum Gestarum, 25.12]

To Rome her pride is the legion. To Germania it is the tawny haired warrior. Among the Sassanians the champion of Iranshahr is the noble horseman of pure and free blood. He is not a horse archer - he can fight with lance and sword more viciously than the lion. He is not a lancer - he may cast arrows as if bolts of light from Ahura Mazda's hand. Their arrows are not the slow, strong lightning bolt's strike but a withering and unrelenting hail. From horseback or on foot, he is a Warrior worthy to bear the tiger pelt of Rostam himself.

Judging from the Roman's own narratives it is these warriors which they hold in the greatest esteem and fear. Excusing the inherent bias towards the noble warrior over the lowly soldier, the fighting of the mailed cavalry dominate scenes of field-battles and skirmishing between the Romans and Persians and even the later Arabs' battles with the Persians. Archery inherently is most frequently eluded to, yet there is a ready willingness to fight up close, even as the very vanguard of the battle-line.

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Savârân-î Grivpânvâr
[Cataphract Lancers]




"....and the forms of human faces were so skilfully fitted to their heads, that, since their entire bodies were plated with metal, arrows that fell upon them could lodge only where they could see a little through tiny openings fitted to the circle of the eye, or where through the tips of their noses they were able to get a little breath. Of these some, who were armed with pikes, stood so motionless that you would think them held fast by clamps of bronze." - [Ammianus Marcellinus, Rerum Gestarum, 25.12 - 25.13]

The cataphract holds a vaunted status in the annals of martial history - a precursor to the knight, lacking the bite of his couched lance yet making up for it with a ponderous set of armor fit to make them trotting fortresses. Fearful accounts abound of an irresistible charge, an invulnerability to any projectile and a lance quite literally named after a barge-pole able to lift two men pierced through like a skewer. For all its virtues, the Cataphract's predominant vice is a serious one - the sheer weight of these goliaths. It bids even a mighty Nisaean warhorse to move slowly and will quickly exhaust man and horse. Thus, far from a brutish hammer to be swung with a blacksmith's tempo the cataphract is a needle, a surgeon's scalpel, an assassin's knife.

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Pushtîghbân Grivpânvâr
[Royal Cataphracts]



"And when the first gleam of dawn appeared, everything so far as the eye could reach shone with glittering arms, and mail-clad cavalry filled hill and dale. The king himself, mounted upon a charger and overtopping the others, rode before the whole army, wearing in place of a diadem a golden image of a ram's head set with precious stones, distinguished too by a great retinue of men of the highest rank and of various nations." - [Ammianus Marcellinus, Rerum Gestarum, 19.1.2 - 19.1.3]

Among a society defined by its' warrior king and martial aristocracy, blue blood alone does not guarantee status at court: cold steel and a lion's heart are demanded in equal measure. The autumn of the Iranian martial spirit was of yet far off - no shame yet known of Iranian men being deemed 'men of the pen' as opposed to foreign wolves being the 'men of the sword'. No, here was the age of the Shahenshah, Kings who might make Emperors into a mounting block, Kings whose vengeful conquests would earn the title "Owner of shoulders" from the proud and freedom-loving Arabs. With such shadows of God Earth it is no surprise men might be inspired to fight with the courage of angels and the ferocity of demons. It is in these royal cohorts that one can see the flower of manhood - not only of Iranshahr but all that bend knee to the King of Kings.

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Bodyguard Only.

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Pîlbân
[War Elephants]

"Behind them the gleaming elephants, with their awful figures and savage, gaping mouths could scarcely be endured by the faint-hearted; and their trumpeting, their odour, and their strange aspect alarmed the horses still more." -[Ammianus Marcellinus, Rerum Gestarum, 25.14]

The Sassanians shared with the Aksumites and Blemmyes in the antiquiated practice of war elephants in Western warfare. For all the deficiencies of these capricious, intelligent beasts, their performance in Sassanian battles is not unworthy: only by the continued courage of the Herculiani and Ioviani (despite an initial shock) does the right wing of the Romans following Julian's death not shatter from a combined elephant and cavalry Sassanian attack.

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​The Arabs

Antiquity's eclipse is traditionally associated with two possible dates, both separated by almost a century and a half of time and a great distance of space. Whether 475 AD or the mid 7th century, either period share intrinsic features with one another. Mighty empires thought to be permanent fixtures on the world are shattered into a thousand pieces. A social and political order centuries, even millenia old are transformed by the arrival of new virile traditions. And perhaps above all, the agents of change come in both cases from lands antiquity long deemed barren hinterlands of the barbarian. Either the sword and spear of the German slew antiquity and birthed a new age, or it was the arms of the Arabs that brought forth a new order and a new world.

Such a time is, of course, centuries away. In the early 4th century, as in centuries prior and up to the very onset of the Caliphate, Arabia was a battleground of competing polities from within and without. Against the greater struggle of Rome and Persia a myriad of conflicts between competing tribes, confederacies and kingdoms played out. Far from being in a vacuum they often took on features of a proxy war - the East Romans backing Christian Aksum against the Sassanid allies in Yemen, the Lakhmids against first the Tanukhids and then famous Ghassanids, or the Lakhmids being licensed to bring Arabia to heel on behalf of the King of Kings.

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With Attila on the horizon and the likelihood that we will switch to a different era than that of Constantine I'm leery of working too extensively on the Arabs and Black Africa until Attila's release. In the future I'd like to distinguish between the Yemeni, Lakhmid-Omani, and Ghassanid-Hijazi Arabs in their respective military traditions and styles.

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Arabic Infantry

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Muramiyat al-Ramah
(Levy Javelinmen)




"He, indeed, who rejects the blunt end of the lance, which is presented as a token of peace, must yield to the sharpness of the point, with which every tall javelin is armed" - [Poem of Old Zuhair]

How extensive javelins were among the Arabs is somewhat uncertain. In light of the extensive association of the Abyssinians and the javelin (and to a lesser extent the Yemeni), it seems to have been far less of a Arabic speciality. With the cheapness of a sharpened light spear and the comfort of fighting from afar, however, there can always be found young men fit-if-untrained who can skirmish and harry the enemy from afar.

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Muqaliya
(Slingers)



"But he felt that his fate was nigh at hand, for the mace fell upon his shield more forcibly than the stone of a sling" - [Romance of Antar]

With the Arab tribes' practices of shepherding flocks of goats, sheep and other livestock it is only natural that slingers with as keen an eye and true a hand as young (and future King) David would abound. Yet use of this shepherd's tool in war is the mark of a poor man indeed, and are more likely to be found in the hands of young boys barely initiated into adulthood and old impoverished shepherds.

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Muramiya
(Levy Archers)



"Beware, strength consists in archery" - [Sahih Muslim Hadiths, On Government, 4711]

Archery abounds in Arabic graffiti as well as external accounts (whether textual or visual) of the Arabs of later antiquity. Yet the relative poverty of the bedouin in this period as well as archaeological evidence speaks to a continued use (Even in the majority of cases) of simple bows in the East African style rather than the composite archery of the Iranians. Nor does archery appear to have been quite an essential native fighting style for the Arabs as seen of Nubia or Iran, not withstanding the positive references to foot archery proscribed by the Prophet Muhammad.

Better archers can be readily found among neighboring Nubia, Iran or Syria. Likewise better equipped archers can be recruited among the wealthier townsmen of Arabia. Until such a time that the Arabs might call upon these auxiliaries these humble archers can ply their trade - not exceptionally, but not in a useless capacity either.

---

Jund al-Sayf
(Swordsmen)





"And when it came to the clash of swords, they were lions, protective of their cubs." - [Abid b. Al-Abras, 6th century]

Many nations of the past appear to have relegated the sword to an honored if subordinate position as a sidearm to the spear. Not so, it would seem, for the Arabs of late antiquity. Contemporary artwork both from outsiders as well as indigenous graffiti abounds with swordsmen, equal or greater in volume than that of men on foot bearing spears. Lightness of panoply should not leave one thinking of these warriors as 'light infantry' - medium is a more fitting classification. They are fleet footed enough to skirmish and ambush but sure enough of lion-like courage to stand and fight in the battle line. Not as long as men bearing cuirasses and helmets could hope to do, but long enough.

----------------------------------------
One can surprisingly find parrallels with contemporary Germanic warfare in the battlefield accounts of the Ummah and Rashidun Caliphate's battles: the clash of phalanxes of infantrymen bearing shields, spears and swords, duels of champions before the fighting and defensively minded warfare with a premium on impromptu fortifications. Until they acquired more horses and adopted Persian, Roman and Turkic practices the Arabs could be seen fighting more like Charles Martell's Franks than their Umayyad descendants at Tours!

---

Jund al-Ramah
(Spearmen)




"Some cautiously reaching out the foreshaft of a lance, some fearfully averting the spear-points with a shield" - [Unknown poem, Al-Buhturi, line 26]

Great praise is lauded among the Arabs to one's skill with the spear on horseback, yet such talents are not left wanting when it comes to fighting on foot. One can think of these men as those lacking the wealth to afford a sword or one of true quality, and so trusting in the sturdy if modest spear. Spearmanship does lend itself to a more collaborative fighting style, and so between these soldiers and those of the Sayf, the Jund al-Ramah can better hold the battle line in a defensive posture.

----------------------------------------
Realistically the sharp distinction of spearman and swordsman made in modern fantasy and wargaming is unfounded - as are most artificial segregation in the interest of gameplay mechanics or limitations. It is technically possible to have a single unit use spear and sword in Rome 2 but the results are flawed enough that we've chosen to keep that artificial distinction.

---

Jund Muramiya
(Archers)




"Many is the time that I have led [a warrior band] with cutting swords and bows reddened with use" - [Quasida Ta'iyya by al-Shanfara, line 15]

Composite bows are a complex and expensive asset - not every bowman among the Arabs is so able to afford it. Simple bows abound in both illustrations and textual accounts, yet equally the archery of the Arab infantry was noted for its frightening lethality. These men are not impoverished bedouin or vagrant townsfolk but men of meaningful wealth and status. Not only do they possess composite bows but also short swords - one cannot expect them to fight like lions, but they can give a better showing than a cowardly levy.

---

Jund Mudar'a
(Heavy Infantry)





"The rustling of the [chain] mail that they wore was like dry grain-fields rustling in the south wind." - [Mufaddaliyah 119 of 'Alqamah, line 28.]

Martial traditions of late antiquity's Arabs was not exclusively the domain of the Razzia (raid), the nimble skirmish and ambush of cavalry and light infantry. Remarkably one can draw strong comparisons between Homeric warfare in the Iliad or that of the contemporary Germans with the fighting captured in pre-Islamic poetry or the narratives of the early Umma's conquests. Specifically: Defensive impromptu fortifications, the predominance of infantry (Perhaps somewhat less so among the cavalry-strong Lakhmids and Ghassanids), individual duels among champions, and a preeminence of the spear and sword (following by the infantryman's bow). As champions in the North like mighty Beowulf would likely posses mail hauberks, so would the leading notables and valiant warriors among the Arabs. Mail particularly holds a strong respect in Arabic literature of the period, exemplified by the Quran attributing its' invention to King David by way of divine inspiration.

Such warriors are then best served fulfilling the role of champions en masse - challenging the most dangerous of foes so that the less armored majority of their brethren may hold their own.

Note: Kopis are included based on the Palmyra art and some Sabaean/Arab graffiti that show single edged angular-curved swords. There'll probably be a heavy spear variant.

---

Arabic Cavalry

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Khiyalah
(Arab Cavalry)






"The horsemen were covered with dust rising in ribbons in the air, some of it spreading upwards in spumes, some hanging in thick clouds. They exchanged sword-blows and pointed at each other the spear-tips that the smiths had forged and mounted." - [Remedy and Quest in the Qasidah, Sa'idah ibn Ju'ayyah, lines 56-57]

Preeminent of the mounted Arabian's panoply was the spear, often described by outside Iranian, Turkic, or Roman observers as longer than the average. Far from the clumsy pseudo-couching of the kontos, the accounts speak of the Arabs' skill in fencing with the spearhead. The vast majority of Arab cavalrymen well into the Rashidun conquests fought with no armor and more than likely no helmet as well. Curiously, when armor does begin to be accounted for in early Islamic accounts it is found foremost among the infantry, not the cavalry.

---

Farasan Bedawi / Rimahat al-Bedawi
(Bedouin Lancers)



(Reference: http://i.imgur.com/LUm8s61l.png from Sassanian Armies book by David Nicolle and Angus McBride)

Preeminent of the mounted Arabian's panoply was the spear, often described by outside Iranian, Turkic, or Roman observers as longer than the average. Far from the clumsy pseudo-couching of the kontos, the accounts speak of the Arabs' skill in fencing with the spearhead. Surprisingly, a number of indigenous Arab graffiti of the period depict the lance's use with two hands.

---------------------------------------

It's not clear if they will use the two handed charge animation (with subsequent swordplay in melee) or one handed spear use in melee and on the charge. I'm partial to the former as it offers a unique light lancer quality to this unit.

---

Farasan Muramiya
(Arab Horse Archers)




(Reference: http://i.imgur.com/uFnyTfHl.png from "Arms and Armour As Indicators of Cultural Transfer - Markus Mode, Jurgen Tubach)

Palmyrene and North Arabian art in the Roman period through to later antiquity depict a common panoply to almost total exclusion of any other: small round shield, spear, sword, with accompanying bowcase/quiver if the depiction is of a cavalryman. Coupled with the near predominance of the Parthian style coiffured hairstyle it speaks to a strong Iranian influence in the military fashion of Northern Arabia. We can't say that the Greco-Roman West had no influence - lamellar and scale cuirasses on a Greek tube-and-yoke style and muscled cuirasses are the only depictions of armor in North Arabian art of the same period. Yet these cavalrymen clearly draw chief inspiration from the horsemen of Iran.

Still, horse archery is not and never would be the Arabs' premium skill - poetic narrative lauds spearwork and swordplay as paramount with foot archery close behind. As such these cavalrymen could be thought of as "light spear-bearing horsemen with bows" more than "horse archers with spears". They will give a great showing as light cavalry but cannot be expected to best men raised by nature to be horse archers.

---

Farasan Muramiya Mudar'a
(Arab Horse Archer Nobles)



Pre-Islamic Arab poetry and accounts of the Muslim conquests feature a dearth of references to horse archery practiced by the Arabs. Instead, the spear or lance followed by the sword are the cavalryman's exclusive panoply. From accounts of Palmyra and artwork of Northern Arab states it's clear horse archery was practiced by some. The likelihood is that Sassanian influenced Arabs, such as Palmyra, Hatra, the Lakhmids and Oman would have drawn upon Iranian equestrian traditions while those of the West (such as the Ghassanids) and interior including the Hijaz fought in a more indigenous fashion.

These cavalrymen represent Arab notables fighting in the Sassanian practice of medium-heavy horse archers. Their native traditions of spearmanship and limited indigenous horse archery practices elude to these warriors being slightly more adept at melee than Sassanian peers but slightly less adept at horse archery.

When hired as foederati by the Romans or Persians it was typical for them to be supplied and equipped by respective military depots of their patrons - with the stipulation that the Arab allies were to return their equipment as soon as their military service completed. No reason to equip men who might end up finding independence more appealing than vassalage!

---

Farasan Mudar'a
(Heavy Cavalry)





"He, when he saw me down riding, making my point at him, showed me his white teeth in terror, nay, but not smilingly. All the day long did we joust it. Then were his finger tips stained as though dipped in the ithlem, dyed with the dragon's blood. Till with a spear-thrust I pierced him, once and again with it..."- [Ode of Antara]

Pre-Islamic Arab poetry and accounts of the Muslim conquests feature a dearth of references to horse archery practiced by the Arabs. Instead, the spear or lance followed by the sword are the cavalryman's exclusive panoply. From accounts of Palmyra and artwork of Northern Arab states it's clear horse archery was practiced by some. The likelihood is that Sassanian influenced Arabs, such as Palmyra, Hatra, the Lakhmids and Oman would have drawn upon Iranian equestrian traditions while those of the West and South, such as the Ghassanids, Hijazi Arabs and Yemeni, looked to indigenous practices.

These cavalrymen represent Arab notables fighting in their own native tradition. When hired as foederati by the Romans or Persians it was typical for them to be supplied and equipped by respective military depots of their patrons - with the stipulation that the Arab allies were to return their equipment as soon as their military service completed. No reason to equip men who might end up finding independence more appealing than vassalage!

---

Hajanah
(Camelry Archers)



"...camels which they call dromedaries. Seated on these were Arabian archers..." [Livy, 37.40]

The longstanding association of the Arabs and camels in war is a misunderstood concept. Unlike the Tuaregs, Berbers, or Blemmeyes/Beja the camel rarely served as a beast of war for the Arabs. Rather, the chief value came as a beast of burden in the transportation of men and supplies both on and off the battlefield. That is not to say it was never used in battle - there are accounts ranging from the Neo-Assyrian period through to the battle of Magnesia and beyond. Yet there is a clear emphasis away from the camel as a steed of war in the Arabs' own accounts, whether pre-Islamic poetry or narratives of their conquests under the Caliphate. These firsthand accounts describe the camel as a means of shuttling infantry to the battlefield or from place to place. More than likely the use of camels in battle occurred predominately in fluid, irregular skirmishes, raids and ambushes. [The fact that the closest primary source I could find of camels in warfare was Livy's account of the 2nd century Battle of Magnesia should attest to the scarcity of camels as a battle-mount for the Arabs!]

---

Credits:

Visual work is the cooperation of Ahiga and Avetis with contributions and permission given by great artists cited below.

CA - original models and in some cases textures.

Encyclopedia Iranica - various articles and references.

Razor - Helmets and gear from Fall of Rome: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=580632

Kuauik - a great number of helmets and textures.

Brivime - Arab research, nomenclature and unit concepts.

Invasio Barbarorum - Research and inspiration on unit nomenclature and designs.

Imperator of Rome - Roman Spears, spangenhelm, number of spathas.

Dejawolf - various spears and helmets.

East of Rome - various helmets.

Bullgod's Unit Cards and Carreto and Mlsergey's Unit Cards for DEI = Unit Cards and Unit Card Edits

Perseus.tufts.edu for access to translated works.

Narf - OSP mail texture, and I think OSP metal texture too.

If I've forgotten any please correct me and I will add the names.

---

Questions and Answers:

• Why the Rastafarian Arabs? Contemporary Coptic and Roman artwork associates long plaited/drealdocked/braided hair with the Arabs, and more specifically the Bedouin. An early Umayyad coin ( http://media.web.britannica.com/eb-m...4-777F1917.jpg ) depicts one of their first Caliphs in classical Arab dress and hairstyle. They also make use of Keffiyeh style turbans (attested on a Sassanian relief) and Qalansuwas with wrap-around turbans (attested in the Quran and Hadiths), and some have straight long hair instead.
  
• Will this port over to Attila? Constantine: Rise of Christianity will not - we will probably start up a new project instead. However, a great number of the work done in Constantine: ROC will port over, both in that new project and probably in a format resembling the CIU mods in theme/scope. What may not get ported over is stuff that will be redone on the new more suitable models - namely mail and scale cuirasses and the like.
  
• What's with the brightly painted oval and rectangular shields? Both are evidenced by the Galerius arch in shape, which also gives a vague approximation of designs on the oval shield. The brightly painted rectangular shields were an inspiration of the Roman Dura Europos shields and asking "What would a Sassanian version look like?". The oval were inspired by the later Daylami shields, which are likely inheritors of these oval scutums.
  
• What is the ETA? Uncertain.

[Ardionso]

Now i have seen all what i needed to see in my short life, goodbye

[Iulian Bashir]

Well done, Ahiga.

May gods bless you and your team.

[Dresden]

Great preview my friend, going to Sticky this.

[Kinjo]

Looks amazing, can't wait to see what you guys have planned for Attila!

[Jupiter93]

Most impressive work Ahiga +rep!
Will there be a German overhaul too in the next update? I believe that someone on your team talked about it.

[Gäiten]

Very nice done.
My compliments.

[AnthoniusII]

Wonderfull work!!!!!!!
edit:Will you add spesial units like:
Gyan-Avspar-Pesmerga?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

That were actually the summoning of Nobles from all arround the empire. Such "unit" was the political/war escord of the Shah.
Many months ago i uploaded a pack of pictures to help the designing of units. Do you wish me to re upload it?

[SeniorBatavianHorse]

Wonderful work - I look forward to deploying these units in the future. Well done to all involved!

[BalrogOfMorgoth]

That is awesome !

[Rostam_e_Iran]

Excellent work. Finally A proper Sassanid representation. Will there be additional units in the future to this roster?

[Brivime]

Helwe kthir! Nice work can't wait to play.

[The Wandering Storyteller]

An excellent preview, I found one of the images to be drastically similar to the Armenia Pic when CA posted it. I would like to add, that you look at mods such as BI, and look at the amount of cav units they have. The Sassanids should have heavily armoured Sodgian infantry, also add more face masks to the infantry units - the ones with the spears and shields. There should be more cataphract units in the army. Here is the list I would like to see added:

Dismounted Zayedan (Middle Persian name required) (dismounted cavalry with long sword, shield and bow)

Asavaran-i Payahdag (dismounted cavalry with long sword and shield)

Samsirdaran-i Zrehbaran (heavy infantry with long sword and oval shield)

Dismounted Dihqan Cavalry (Middle Persian name required) (Dismounted cavalry with long sword, shield and bow)

Sassanid Clibinarii


Sassanids Heavy Cataphracts#


#Zhayedan ( immortals in Pahlavi ) are super-heavy cavalry, with both men and horses armoured from head to toe, intended to wear down an enemy in close attacks.\n\nEastern peoples have long used heavily armoured - in this case completely armoured - horsemen in battle. Long before the Sassanid dynasty took control, the Parthians had perfected these 'iron warriors' as part of a supreme battle-winning force.\n\nClibinarii are not a perfect answer to every tactical situation. They are superb for grinding down enemy formations, but they cannot be used for more 'traditional' cavalry duties such as pursuit and screening. They are an iron fist inside an iron glove, ready to pummel enemies into submission.


Asavaran are super-heavy cavalry, with both man and horse armoured from head to toe. Few can withstand their ponderous lance charge!\n\nEastern peoples have long used heavily armoured - in this case completely armoured - horsemen in battle. Before the Sassanid dynasty took control, the Parthians had perfected these 'iron warriors' as their supreme battle-winning force.\n\nCataphracts are not the answer to every tactical problem. They are superb for breaking enemy formations, but they cannot be used for more 'traditional' cavalry duties such as pursuit and screening. They are an iron fist inside a spiked iron glove, ready to deliver their commander's punch to the enemies' collective throat!

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...it-Preview-WIP
http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showth...-flagellum-Dei

[Ahiga]

Excellent work. Finally A proper Sassanid representation. Will there be additional units in the future to this roster?

After this release it will probably be the last for Constantine: ROC given that we will be shifting over to a different project in Attila. When such a project comes about there'll be more viability to have different/additional units which the limited shelf-like here dissuaded doing work on. For instance I wanted to have Adurbadagani cavalry, Elburz/Daylami infantry, and so on. But it didn't feel worthwhile to worry about, say, doing Kushan units for CROC when we'd lose Kushan territory (or well, they'd disappear if the mod was 6th or 7th century) due to Attila's map. Shame because I really wanted to do the Kushans, but what can you do.

When it's come to units chosen, as the quotes reflect I tried to find primary resource accounts that justify them. So for instance we've got Marcellinus remarking about heavy shielded archers at Pirisabora, Shapur II having royal archers on foot (dismounted or true blue infantry, who knows) at another siege. Clearly justifies a heavy foot archer - and in any work I do in Attila I'll probably extrapolate it and other facts to justify 1-2 more shielded, cuirassed archers (one probably being average joes with light hauberks, one being those royal archers as a distinct unit). But with heavy infantry of the line I have a less direct context: the Murmillio reference by Marcellinus (accompanied by his using it to describe how a Roman unit fought against Alamanni) speaks to some kind of heavy swordsmen (and by extension spearmen). From battlefield accounts of Marcellinius they clearly can hold their own against the mighty legionary for a time - but are also clearly a subordinate arm to the cavalry and archery. Some interpret these stalwart heavy infantry as outlying auxiliaries (medes, Albanians, Daylami) because they buy the topos that "Good and proper Sassanian Persians" can never be sturdy infantry. I reject this false topos, but it is one of those tropes so ingrained (like the "Savage and undisciplined German", the "lightly armed Arab", the "Nomad almost literally affixed to his horse", the "hot blooded guerilla fighting Spaniard") that even when we know they are we can't help but continue to believe an echo of them.

And there's also a kind of unfair level of expectation levied at the Sassanids in this regard versus the Romans. Nobody thinks to conclude "Well Egyptians couldn't ride horses worth beans, so legionary cavalry should be crap in Egypt", or that "The best Roman recruits were Illyrians, Gauls, Germans and Thracians, so everywhere else should have an inferior grade of legionaries". Yet when it comes to the Sassanids one would have to have a firsthand account by an ancient author giving us a census of exactly where the Sassanian's heavy infantry were recruited from.

Now in Croc's case so as to elevate the worth of the Adurbadagani (although now I'm not sure they'll get an AOR given the trouble for limited payoff, and could simply be part of the general roster) these general Persian "Horse-Boy Gladiators" (What Marcellinius calls them, not what they literally were) are given mixed armor and no armor, helmets and no helmets. But in respect to the Sassanian infantry strategy of massed foot archery it made sense to give them no half-baked spearmen, but bonafied 'all armored, all helmeted' spearmen of the line. In a future Attila project the interpretations could change - though I personally like the gameplay choice of making the Sassanian's 'native' heavy infantry be spearmen or hybrid bowmen with swords and shields, and reserving the pure swordsmen to their peripheral Daylami, Median and Albanian auxiliaries.

I definitely looked to Invasio Barbarorum for inspiration but didn't want to copy them verbatim - they have their vision and interpretation of the Sassanids, I have mine.

Regarding guard units, part of the reason for a great number of units back in an RTW era mod like Invasio Barbarorum would have been the fact that a unit then could only have a single appearance. So there was a reason to have a separate Pahlavi, Sassanid, Mesopotamian, Sughdian, ect. clibinarii. However with the ability to have multiple appearances within a single unit that motivation disappears, and it becomes more a question of:

• Does Unit A fight in a different manner or style than Unit B - e.g. does one favor melee over archery, use Persian style "Volume fire" over Roman style "Power fire" or Nomadic style "power/skirmishing fire".
• Is there a marked difference in quality between two units - e.g. does one represent a higher grade of skill and experience and martial valour than another.
• Do we have references to this hypothetical unit being highly distinct as an organized corps.

I'm generally not a fan of a lot of units with almost the same states but differences in appearance unless there is a geographical segregation where one unit is only found here and an equivalent unit is only found there: a situation where legionaries in Italy are unit X, legionaries from France are unit Y. The one area it's semi-viable is with the Romans' infantry - Notita Dignitatum offers shield references that could allow you to have a legionary unit with X emblem in France, Y emblem in Italy, Z emblem in Greece. But even there I wouldn't be interested in going hog-wild with a bajillion different legionary units of the same quality, just a different shield. While with the Sassanids I have no references to distinguish how a Pahlavi clibinarii looked vis-a-vis a Sassanian clibinarii. At best there's the probability that those in the North-East had more central asian inspirations than those of Mesopotamia/Media/Persis. Equally, the more superfluous units you have the more difficulty in distinguishing them visually. I was already getting that issue here in making sure the Azadan, Grivpanar, and Bodyguard units had some degree of distinct appearances.

I could always embellish it and decide "Clibinarii from A use these armors, Clibinarii from B use these armors" - but then if all my military infastructure is in district A I have no reason to use district B's. Or if A is Media and B is Khorasan, by virtue of proximity I'll always be recruiting from A.

That's why I am partial to generalize units (Azadan represent -all- upper class nobles whether Median, Sassanian, Pahlavi, ect. Grivpanar represent all elite guards, Bodyguard represents all elite of elites). Instead of watering down the texture options between two Azadan units, I can concentrate it into a single one that has such visual diversity they almost seem 100% unique soldier to soldier. It'll probably change to an extent in the Attila project.



There is no need to have a separate dismounted unit as it is possible to dismount cavalry - and every cavalryman depicted (save right now for the camel archers, that could change) use shield and sidearm (sword/axe/whatever) on foot - even if they don't use a shield on horseback.

[Gäiten]

I definitely looked to Invasio Barbarorum for inspiration but didn't want to copy them verbatim - they have their vision and interpretation of the Sassanids, I have mine.

Believe me, you have done great a job.

Some comments you might get more differentation among the Sassanians:

Tribal levies - warriors from tribes living Eransahr or have foedus/contract to leviy warriors for the Army. These could be both foot and mounted, hardened warriors, but poorly equipped. Examples could be Tribal Horsearchers or Dailamite hillmen
Feudal retinues - Eransahr was a feudal society and the power of the kings was nothing if the grandees of the realms did stand against him. Most known of the Great Clans (called Vuzurgan) were the Suren. These warlords did have a multitude of warriors, from simple spearmen, footarchers, light and medium horsearchers to the elite, the Kontos-wielding superheavy clibinarii cavalry.
The Royal *Comitatus* - these are the warriors belonging to the Royal house of Sassan. Known are the Zhayyedan (The Immortals), the Gyan-Avspar Pesmerga (Who are ready to sacrifice their life) and the Pushtigban (the Royal bodyguards).

[Iulian Bashir]

Is there any solid evidence from both Roman and Persian record that indicates "Zhayedan" did exists as a unit of elite fighting unit?

[Iulian Bashir]

An excellent preview, I found one of the images to be drastically similar to the Armenia Pic when CA posted it. I would like to add, that you look at mods such as BI, and look at the amount of cav units they have. The Sassanids should have heavily armoured Sodgian infantry, also add more face masks to the infantry units - the ones with the spears and shields. There should be more cataphract units in the army. Here is the list I would like to see added:

Dismounted Zayedan (Middle Persian name required) (dismounted cavalry with long sword, shield and bow)

Asavaran-i Payahdag (dismounted cavalry with long sword and shield)

Samsirdaran-i Zrehbaran (heavy infantry with long sword and oval shield)

Dismounted Dihqan Cavalry (Middle Persian name required) (Dismounted cavalry with long sword, shield and bow)

Sassanid Clibinarii


Sassanids Heavy Cataphracts#


#Zhayedan ( immortals in Pahlavi ) are super-heavy cavalry, with both men and horses armoured from head to toe, intended to wear down an enemy in close attacks.\n\nEastern peoples have long used heavily armoured - in this case completely armoured - horsemen in battle. Long before the Sassanid dynasty took control, the Parthians had perfected these 'iron warriors' as part of a supreme battle-winning force.\n\nClibinarii are not a perfect answer to every tactical situation. They are superb for grinding down enemy formations, but they cannot be used for more 'traditional' cavalry duties such as pursuit and screening. They are an iron fist inside an iron glove, ready to pummel enemies into submission.


Asavaran are super-heavy cavalry, with both man and horse armoured from head to toe. Few can withstand their ponderous lance charge!\n\nEastern peoples have long used heavily armoured - in this case completely armoured - horsemen in battle. Before the Sassanid dynasty took control, the Parthians had perfected these 'iron warriors' as their supreme battle-winning force.\n\nCataphracts are not the answer to every tactical problem. They are superb for breaking enemy formations, but they cannot be used for more 'traditional' cavalry duties such as pursuit and screening. They are an iron fist inside a spiked iron glove, ready to deliver their commander's punch to the enemies' collective throat!

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...it-Preview-WIP
http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showth...-flagellum-Dei

IBFD 2? that's not the place you should look for ideas and inspiration.

[Iulian Bashir]

Believe me, you have done great a job.

Some comments you might get more differentation among the Sassanians:

Tribal levies - warriors from tribes living Eransahr or have foedus/contract to leviy warriors for the Army. These could be both foot and mounted, hardened warriors, but poorly equipped. Examples could be Tribal Horsearchers or Dailamite hillmen
Feudal retinues - Eransahr was a feudal society and the power of the kings was nothing if the grandees of the realms did stand against him. Most known of the Great Clans (called Vuzurgan) were the Suren. These warlords did have a multitude of warriors, from simple spearmen, footarchers, light and medium horsearchers to the elite, the Kontos-wielding superheavy clibinarii cavalry.
The Royal *Comitatus* - these are the warriors belonging to the Royal house of Sassan. Known are the Zhayyedan (The Immortals), the Gyan-Avspar Pesmerga (Who are ready to sacrifice their life) and the Pushtigban (the Royal bodyguards).

I think Ahiga have already cover most of these unit except they need to have more diverse selection than the preview unit roster.

By the way, any reliable source that indicates Gyan Avspar was Peshmerga?

[Iulian Bashir]

Ahiga, i admire the way you reject the Roman propaganda that portray Persian infantry as weak and unreliable and you have my thanks for spreading the truth to the world.

[Iulian Bashir]

Wonderfull work!!!!!!!
edit:Will you add spesial units like:
Gyan-Avspar-Pesmerga?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

That were actually the summoning of Nobles from all arround the empire. Such "unit" was the political/war escord of the Shah.
Many months ago i uploaded a pack of pictures to help the designing of units. Do you wish me to re upload it?

Is that unit historically accurate? IMHO it looks like a costume player than a warrior.