Posters

The Warfare exhibit presents insights into military technology and tactics during the Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sasanian periods. The texts are primarily excerpted from Greek, Roman, and Near Eastern writers who describe the armor, formations, and strategies of their Iranian opponents.

The table itself was built around two models: a replica of a Sasanian helmet, designed by local Iranian-American artist Sohail Shams and pictured left, and an atl-atl, an ancient device for launching spears and other projectiles, loaned by Professor Stephanie Selover, who also demonstrated its use.

Left: Sasanian helmet, by Sohail Shams. The crescent and star insignia, reproduced here, is attested on surviving Sasanian armor and coins.

All posters below are free to download and use

Cyrus the Great's rise to power began with an uprising against the Medes, an Iranian people in the western Zagros. Babylonian records preserve contemporary witness to Cyrus's overthrow of the Median king and the early stages of his conquests.

Martial prowess, especially horseriding and archery, was an essential aspect of Iranian kingship. The divinely-given ability of the king to triumph over both human and animal opponents demonstrated his legitimacy as a ruler.

The Achaemenid army incorporated soldiers from many regions of the Near East, each with their own distinctive weapons. This early 4th century BC description illustrates the range of troops and equipment that Achaemenid generals could muster, including war chariots fitted with scythes.

The Immortals were the guardians of Achaemenid royalty, selected for their skill as footsoldiers and relationship to Persian nobility. This force was maintained at 10,000 strong, never more and never less, symbolizing the empire's unchanging power.

Arsaces, founder of the Arsacid dynasty, drew upon Central Asian tactics of fast-moving cavalry and archery to rebel against the powerful Seleucid Empire. Here, a Greek historian charts the emergence of the Parthian (Arsacid) Empire whose power would rival Rome.

A Decisive Parthian Victory over Rome.jpg

In 53 BC, Parthian forces thwarted a Roman invasion led by Marcus Crassus. In the first major meeting of these rival empires, Parthian mounted archers outmaneuvered and devastated a much larger Roman army.

In the mid-4th century CE, Sasanian armies penetrated deep into Arabia's inhospitable desert. Early Islamic writers recall the brutal tactics of Iranian king Shapur II, which earned him a reputation for mercilessness.

Conflict between Rome and Iran fueled the development of Parthian and Sasanian military technology. Here, a 4th-century Roman eyewitness recalls the awesome sight of the mail-clad troops and war elephants of Shapur II's army.