Editing Cavalry (section)

===Origins===
[[File:Assyriancavalry.JPG|thumb|left|[[Assyrian cavalry]]]]

Before the [[Iron Age]], the role of cavalry on the battlefield was largely performed by light [[chariot]]s. The chariot originated with the [[Sintashta-Petrovka]] culture in [[Central Asia]] and spread by [[nomad]]ic or semi-nomadic [[Indo-Iranians]].{{sfnp|Menon|1995|p=1}} The chariot was quickly adopted by settled peoples both as a military technology and an object of ceremonial status, especially by the [[pharaoh]]s of the [[New Kingdom of Egypt]] from 1550 BC as well as the [[Assyrian army]] and [[Babylonia]]n royalty.<ref>Terrence Wise, p. 18, ''Ancient Armies of the Middle East'', Osprey Publishing Ltd 1981 {{ISBN|0-85045-384-4}}</ref>

The power of mobility given by mounted units was recognized early on, but was offset by the difficulty of raising large forces and by the inability of [[horse]]s (then mostly small) to carry heavy [[armor]]. Nonetheless, there are indications that, from the 15th century BC onwards, horseback riding was practiced amongst the military elites of the great states of the ancient Near East, most notably those in [[Egypt]], [[Assyria]], the [[Hittite Empire]], and [[Mycenaean Greece]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.academia.edu/1532320 |title=Horseback riding and Cavalry in Mycenaean Greece|last1=Kelder|first1=Jorrit}}</ref>

Cavalry techniques, and the rise of true cavalry, were an innovation of [[equestrian nomad]]s of the [[Eurasian Steppe]] and [[pastoral farming|pastoralist]] [[tribe]]s such as the [[Persian people|Iranic]] [[Parthia]]ns and [[Sarmatians]]. Together with a core of armoured lancers,<ref>{{cite book|first=R.|last=Brzezinski|page=46|title=The Sarmatians 600 BC – AD 450|date= 2002 |publisher=Bloomsbury USA |isbn=978-1-84176-485-6}}</ref> these were predominantly [[horse archers]] using the [[Parthian shot]] tactic.<ref>{{cite book|first=R.|last=Brzezinski|page=16|title=The Sarmatians 600 BC – AD 450|date= 2002 |publisher=Bloomsbury USA |isbn=978-1-84176-485-6}}</ref> 
[[File:ParthianHorseman.jpg|thumb|upright|Parthian horseman, now on display at the [[Palazzo Madama, Turin]]]]

The photograph straight above shows Assyrian cavalry from reliefs of 865–860 BC. At this time, the men had no [[spur]]s, [[saddle]]s, [[saddle cloth]]s, or [[stirrup]]s. Fighting from the back of a horse was much more difficult than mere riding. The cavalry acted in pairs; the reins of the [[mounted archer]] were controlled by his neighbour's hand. Even at this early time, cavalry used swords, shields, spears, and bows. The sculpture implies two types of cavalry, but this might be a simplification by the artist. Later images of Assyrian cavalry show saddle cloths as primitive saddles, allowing each archer to control his own horse.<ref>Terrence Wise, plate H, ''Ancient Armies of the Middle East'', Osprey Publishing Ltd 1981 {{ISBN|0-85045-384-4}}{{page needed|date=August 2023}}</ref>

As early as 490 BC a [[Nisean horse|breed of large horses]] was bred in the [[Nisaean plain]] in Media to carry [[Cataphract|men with increasing amounts of armour]] (Herodotus 7,40 & 9,20), but large horses were still very exceptional at this time. By the fourth century BC the Chinese during the [[Warring States period]] (403&ndash;221 BC) began to use cavalry against rival states,{{sfnp|Ebrey|Walthall|Palais|2006|pp=29–30}} and by 331 BC when [[Alexander the Great]] defeated the Persians the use of chariots in battle was obsolete in most nations; despite a few ineffective attempts to revive [[scythed chariot]]s. The last recorded use of chariots as a shock force in continental Europe was during the [[Battle of Telamon]] in 225 BC.{{sfnp|Warry|1980|p=164}} However, chariots remained in use for ceremonial purposes such as carrying the victorious general in a [[Roman triumph]], or for racing.

Outside of mainland Europe, the southern [[Britons (historical)|Britons]] met [[Julius Caesar]] with chariots in [[Caesar's invasions of Britain|55 and 54 BC]], but by the time of the [[Roman conquest of Britain]] a century later chariots were obsolete, even in Britannia. The last mention of chariot use in Britain was by the [[Caledonia]]ns at the [[Battle of Mons Graupius|Mons Graupius]], in 84 AD.