In this episode, Murray tackles a thoughtful listener question: were heavy, armoured troops consistently more effective than missile-armed light troops? Our listener reflects that European armies rarely seem to have been decimated by light forces—Carrhae being a rare exception—and wonders whether this is an accurate memory. Why did Persians, for instance, favour missile troops, and why didn’t this overwhelm Macedonian forces despite showers of arrows, slings, and javelins?

 

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