I Dispute The Arrows Blocked out the Sun

[amyntoros]

Because I have little else to do on a Sunday afternoon . . . :-)http://www.xs4all.nl/~marcelo/archery/l ... er4_2.html
'From Herodotus's description of the army which Xerxes led against the Greeks we learn that a very large proportion of his troops were armed with bows. So numerous, indeed, were the archers that before Thermopylae Dieneces - said to have been the bravest of the Spartans - was told that when the Medes began to shoot they would obscure the sun by the multitude of their shafts. To which Dieneces gave his famous answer, 'so much the better for the Greeks, for they would then have to fight in the shade.' Various kinds of bows were to be found in the host of Xerxes. The Persians themselves, the Medes, the Hyrcanians, and many others, had long bows, and arrows made of cane. These were probably composite bows, but bigger than the short horn bow carried by the Scythians, which, when unstrung, was said to be similar in shape to the Black Sea. The Bactrians had bows made of cane peculiar to their country, and the Indians had bows of cane, and arrows of cane tipped with iron. At no time, probably, was the horn bow universally used throughout Asia, although it was the typical Asiatic weapon. Indeed, a highly finished composite bow would always be an expensive weapon, whereas bamboo bows, though less effective, would be easily come by. The Arians were furnished with Medie, that is, composite, bows, though in other respects they were accoutred like the Bactrians. The Arabians carried long bows which bent backwards while the Ethiopians carried ' long bows,' not less than four cubits in length, made from branches of the palm-tree, and on them they placed short arrows made of cane, instead of iron-tipped with a stone; which was made sharp, and of that sort on which they engrave seals -- some form of agate probably. The Lycians had bows made of cornel-wood, and cane arrows without feathers Neither the bows nor the arrows of these gentlemen could, therefore, have been very formidable weapons. It was usual, however, for both Greeks and Asiatics to feather their arrows, the eagle's feather being probably thought most highly of, as Hesiod ('Shield of Hercules,' 134) describes the arrows of Hercules as being 'at the butt covered with the feathers of a dusky eagle.' ATBAmyntoros

[typhoeus]

Facinating post this one - I actualy went and checked on my copy of the movie also - and I think its what they call a composite bow.

[typhoeus]

Facinating post this one - I actualy went and checked on my copy of the movie also - and I think its what they call a composite bow.

[typhoeus]

Actualy, it would be interesting to compare and see what sort of bows they use in the Burton movie - once I get a hold of a copy.

[typhoeus]

Actualy, it would be interesting to compare and see what sort of bows they use in the Burton movie - once I get a hold of a copy.

[kenny]

LordYou dont see any bows been used in the Burton Movie. We only see a bow when Clietus carries it into the royal tent.Good luck with this movie and listen to The Burton Speaches. For me the speaches were more awesome than the gaugamella Battle in the Stone movie and make Farrel look so weak.kenny

[kenny]

LordYou dont see any bows been used in the Burton Movie. We only see a bow when Clietus carries it into the royal tent.Good luck with this movie and listen to The Burton Speaches. For me the speaches were more awesome than the gaugamella Battle in the Stone movie and make Farrel look so weak.kenny

[Nicator]

Though I didn't write this into my book, (mostly because it seemed self-evident) I see the charge by Alexander coming so quickly that his cavalry literally ran beneath the volley of arrows, thus, totally eliminating them as a viable weapon. Probably done intentionally, maybe Alexander knew of this little trick from Philip, maybe he figured it out on his own. The latter seems more likely to me, in this case. Marcus brought up a point that the bows used weren't compound bows. I've read somewhere, can't remember where, that the compound bow was already in use by the time of the ancient Greeks. I'd like to see some real evidence for this, either from a reputable literary source or an actual bow (be it, the ancient version of the smoking gun). As a side note, Alexander himself, relied heavily on his archers. Whatever compunction the Greeks (or Spartans) had regarding the effiminate quality of the bow and arrow, Alexander seems to have ignored. They were damn useful, and saved lives by attacking from a distance. He repeatedly used them throughout his campaigns...even from the earliest northern excursions into Illyria he planted archers in the trees to harry and harrass the enemy. He used them as bait, he used them on horseback at Hydaspes to bait the Indian cavalry before his main cavalry wing came in. They frequently accompanied him with the Agrianes and Royal Guard. later Nicator

[Nicator]

Though I didn't write this into my book, (mostly because it seemed self-evident) I see the charge by Alexander coming so quickly that his cavalry literally ran beneath the volley of arrows, thus, totally eliminating them as a viable weapon. Probably done intentionally, maybe Alexander knew of this little trick from Philip, maybe he figured it out on his own. The latter seems more likely to me, in this case. Marcus brought up a point that the bows used weren't compound bows. I've read somewhere, can't remember where, that the compound bow was already in use by the time of the ancient Greeks. I'd like to see some real evidence for this, either from a reputable literary source or an actual bow (be it, the ancient version of the smoking gun). As a side note, Alexander himself, relied heavily on his archers. Whatever compunction the Greeks (or Spartans) had regarding the effiminate quality of the bow and arrow, Alexander seems to have ignored. They were damn useful, and saved lives by attacking from a distance. He repeatedly used them throughout his campaigns...even from the earliest northern excursions into Illyria he planted archers in the trees to harry and harrass the enemy. He used them as bait, he used them on horseback at Hydaspes to bait the Indian cavalry before his main cavalry wing came in. They frequently accompanied him with the Agrianes and Royal Guard. later Nicator