Editing Scythians (section)

===Strategy and tactics===
[[File:Scythians shooting with bows Kertch antique Panticapeum Ukrainia 4th century BCE.jpg|thumb|Scythian archers using the [[Composite bow|Scythian bow]], [[Kerch]] (ancient [[Panticapeum]]), [[Crimea]], 4th century BC. The Scythians were skilled archers whose style of archery influenced that of the [[Achaemenid army|Persians]] and subsequently other nations, including the Greeks.{{sfn|Harmatta|1996|p=182}}{{sfn|Potts|1999|p=345}}]]
As [[Equestrianism|equestrian]] nomads, the Scythians excelled at horsemanship,<ref>{{Unbulleted list citebundle|{{harvnb|Grousset|1970|p=7}}|{{harvnb|Harmatta|1996|p=182}}|{{harvnb|Batty|2007|p=275}}|{{harvnb|British Museum|2007}}}}</ref> and their horses were the most high quality in Europe.{{sfn|Harmatta|1996|p=182}} [[Mounted archery]] was the main form of Scythian warfare.{{sfn|Loades|2019|p=224-225}} The [[saddle]] was invented by the Scythians in the 7th century BC.{{sfn|Cunliffe|2019|p=232}} Scythian saddles had four raised bolsters at each corner, which, before the invention of the stirrup, allowed the riders to raise themselves without being encumbered by their horses' bouncing, thus allowing Scythian mounted archers to operate at very high performance levels.{{sfn|Loades|2019|p=224-225}} Scythian saddles were dyed in various colours; they were also wholly decorated with wool, {{translit|fr|appliqué}} leather, felt, wooden carvings, and [[gold leaf]].{{sfn|Cunliffe|2019|p=232}}
The high king had the supreme authority over the armies; the local lords were in charge of the army of a nome; the heads of clans were in charge of war bands.{{sfn|Parzinger|2004|p=90}} The nomes of the Scythian kingdom were in charge of spreading information about the war.{{sfn|Parzinger|2004|p=91}} The Scythians fought in mass formations of mounted archers and were adept at using [[feigned retreat|feigned flight]] tactics.{{sfn|Harmatta|1996|p=182}} Serfs and slaves were subordinate to the warriors and accompanied them unarmed, and would be armed with spears only in extremely severe situations.{{sfn|Parzinger|2004|p=92-93}}

The Scythians had several war-related customs meant to transfer the power of defeated enemies to Scythian warriors. For example, every Scythian warrior would drink the blood of the first enemy they would kill. They [[Headhunting|collected the severed heads]] of their enemies and bring them to their king, where they were [[Scalping|scalped]]. The scalps themselves were tanned and used as decorative handkerchiefs or towels, or fashioned [[Skull cup|into leather-covered drinking bowls]]. Meanwhile, enemy corpses were flayed, and the skin was made into saddles,{{sfn|Rolle|1989|p=82}}{{sfn|Parzinger|2004|p=105}} or used to make [[Gorytos|{{translit|grc|gōrytoi}}]].