Book and Sword – felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas
A guide to the Achaemenid Persian empire for reenactors, focusing on the Graeco-Persian Wars period. A quick guide to Persian history, society, religion, military, clothing and culture, plus links to reenactment groups and commemorations of the 2,500th anniversary of the Graeco-Persian Wars.
Several years ago, Nadeem at Eran ud Turan shared this ceramic horse and rider from the Pergamon Museum, Berlin, and I've been wondering about it ever since. The rider bears a round shield with a boss — something I have never seen in any other Achaemenid context. I haven't even seen a domed Achaemenid boss outside of antique dealer websites, which I don't put any stock in prima facie since they are usually lacking evidence for how such objects are dated. I've sent a message to the museum asking them for
Well, Plataea 2022 ended on Saturday and although there's a lot to be said, I'm limiting myself to some observations to bear in mind about all the stuff I brought out there: - A four-inch-wide (internal), eight-foot-long PVC pipe with caps held on by duct tape makes a very protective package for spears, but it's so heavy and awkward (particularly when you already have two suitcases and a rifle case with your bows and arrows in it), and expensive to ship, that I wound up leaving both it and all my spears sp
Book and Sword – felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas