Achemanid / Old Persian (ca 500-300 BC), British Museum
note the exact depiction of the bows and the "parthian shot"
UliOld Persian Rollseals
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Uli
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Old Persian Rollseals
In a book I found those rollseal pics
Achemanid / Old Persian (ca 500-300 BC), British Museum
note the exact depiction of the bows and the "parthian shot"
Uli
Achemanid / Old Persian (ca 500-300 BC), British Museum
note the exact depiction of the bows and the "parthian shot"
Uli
Last edited by Uli on Sun Nov 28, 2010 3:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Bede
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I think these seals were either found or carved in Anatolia which formed several satrapies under the Achaemanid Empire. It is interesting that they accurately maintain a distinction between foot archers' bows and horsemen's bows. The latter in the first seal are very Scythian in style, while the infantry bows on the second seal show an exaggerated hooked tip. This if probably an artistic abbreviation for the bows on the Susa tiles or perhaps a view of a bow with a rolled over nock like late Assyrian bows done in schematic form.
The Assyrians wrote that the bows they adopted in their late phase were copied from imported Elamite bows. Elam was the country where Susa was and Elamite troops were prominent in the early Achaemanid armies. The head band worn by the Susan Immortals is a standard Elamite form of dress.
The Assyrians wrote that the bows they adopted in their late phase were copied from imported Elamite bows. Elam was the country where Susa was and Elamite troops were prominent in the early Achaemanid armies. The head band worn by the Susan Immortals is a standard Elamite form of dress.
Bede
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Stephen Selby
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Uli
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- Location: Saxony (home), Baltic (now)
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Bede
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Stephen,
In Persepolis, cavalry are always depicted in trousers, tunics and hats. Usually they were a gorytos and an akinakes short sword. The hat with wraparound throat flaps is normal in Greek depictions of Persian cavalry and is shown on coins of the Anatolian satraps like Pharnabazus. Undoubtedly the clothing is related to Scythian/Saka clothing, but it had become completely naturalised in the Achaemenid Empire by the time these seals were carved.
The long robe of the foot soldier is probably an Elamite fashion. When native Persians wore it, they probably wore fluted sided hats too. This is also visible in the Persepolis reliefs.
In Persepolis, cavalry are always depicted in trousers, tunics and hats. Usually they were a gorytos and an akinakes short sword. The hat with wraparound throat flaps is normal in Greek depictions of Persian cavalry and is shown on coins of the Anatolian satraps like Pharnabazus. Undoubtedly the clothing is related to Scythian/Saka clothing, but it had become completely naturalised in the Achaemenid Empire by the time these seals were carved.
The long robe of the foot soldier is probably an Elamite fashion. When native Persians wore it, they probably wore fluted sided hats too. This is also visible in the Persepolis reliefs.
Bede