Pârnî Bodyguard Cavalry/Spâhbâdê Pahlavânig C.250 BC

Thimble Helmet: The Iranian steppes were known for their variety of helmets, even captured Greek types. Often captured helmets were even modified to better accomodate cavalry warfare. This indicates great local skills in smithcrafting and in this aspect the Pârnî were distinguished. This retainer bears a rather simple thimble-shaped helmet of bronze with some ornaments, and as it does not feature integrated neck protection akin to other thimble designs, he wears a collar attached beneath his lamellar cuirass.

Lamellar Cuirass: In the steppes there were two major armour types relatively simple in construction; The widely popular scale armour and the lamellar. Small, rectangualr plates of various dimensions stiched together upon a leather or felt base provided protection but retained flexibility, a highly popular combination. This man wears a coat with iron lamellae based on previous Scythian as well as Persian designs, very similar to the later ovenman coat of Sassanid cataphracts. It extends to his feet also providing protection for his legs and thanks to the clever design works somewhat as a flanchard fo his mount.

Kontos: The latest incarnation of the Achaemenid heavy cavalry found inspiration from two sources; The Macedonians and the Steppe peoples. Both fought with a lance but their physical characteristics and tactical use differed. While the Hellenes as well as the Hûvakâ of Darius III used the xyston, which could probably have been used in a couched manner, this man carries a kontos, literally a "barge pole" in Greek, a thicker and longer lance that was held with two hands by the moment of impact, with the foremost arm giving aim and the rear arm steadying the pole for the impact. Once kontos tactics were mastered, the "barge pole" had in adept hands a tremendous penetrating power.

Nisaean Mount: Being one of the King's retainers he is granted a finely bred horse, one of antiquity's finest breeds. It is strong enough to carry barding, however by this time the chamfrôn-peytrel combination was the most popular and this mount reflects this configuration but with some diversity. As opposed to the popular noseplate, this mount wears a chamfrôn covering the whole mane and the peytrel consists of large plates. The mount's size, and heavy-boned character along with some armour made it superb for a shock cavalry role. The Nisaean breed, now extinct was distinguished for its speed as well as muscle and is often claimed to be the largest horse of antiquity.

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