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Hello,I had read in Plutarch that one of the things that Alexander had learned was to use a bow and arrow while riding his horse.This to me didn't seem to be a weapon that he would have used- I can't imagine him using it somehow. The scythians relied, I believe, heavily on this weapon along with their impressive riding skills, confusing patterns of attack and chain mails.Archery it seems has been around for centuries- the Goddess Artemis is depicted with bow and arrow and back to the times of the Troyan war, it was the bow and arrow that ended Achilleus's life, as it nearly did Alexander's in the Malian town a thousand years later.How important was this weapon in Alexander's army at the main battles? What part would they have played at Issos for example?
Was it not the Agrians(not sure if I have spelt it right) who were skillful in his army with the bow?Best regards,
Dean.

HiWith regard to archery in general, have a look at http://www.centenaryarchers.gil.com.au/ ... ards,chris

They did have archers but quite possibly they were some of the foreign troops. I don't see how Alexander would have used a bow for war but he certainly did for hunting. The Persians were also excellent archers.

Alexander had some Macedonian archers, but they were a small corps within the army. He also had around 500 Cretan archers when he crossed the Hellespont... and that was about it.I very much doubt that Alexander or any of his contemporaries would have used a bow from horseback, certainly not in battle (well, Alexander definitely didn't, and there's no record that any of his troops did). It is notoriously difficult and was not introduced into Europe until the barbarian invasions from the East in the Dark Ages.All the bestMarcus

The Cretans were notorious for their archery skills, same as the Rhodians were for their slingers.
If I remember correctly there were 500 of each in his army.

Hi Yiannis,I don't remember that he had any Rhodian slingers, but I'm sure he did - as you say, they were notoriously good, so it's unlikely he would have missed out on the opportunity to have them in his army.All the bestMarcus

There were two units of archers at Gaugamela one Cretan the other described as Macedonian but probably not (it is hard to see what social group would supply them). In Illyria he had deployed two thousand archers and clearly appreciated the benefits of being able to strike at a range of more than a sarissa length.As for mounted archers they were a common type in the East from Assyrian days and are depicted on numerous reliefs not only that Alexander raised a corps of them in Sogdiana and they feature at the Hydaspes, these are the hippotoxatoi.

I stand corrected - yes, he did employ some horse archers once he had subdued Bactria and Sogdia.But they were from the eastern satrapies, not Macedonian or Greek (or Thracian or Illyrian, for that matter), which was what I was really getting at. :-)All the bestMarcus

Marcus,I seem to recall the Athenians had a force of about 200 horse archers, in addition to their 1000 standard cavalry, during the classical period. So horse archery was not entirely unknown in the west at that time.regards,Kit.

Hi Kit,I'm prepared to be shot down (he he!) but I am convinced they would not have shot from horseback. They might have ridden close, dismounted and then shot, but they didn't shoot from the saddle.All the bestMarcus

I was always under the impression that the Ancient Greeks found the bow and arrow to be somewhat effeminate(sp?) and therefore eastern-leaning or persian leaning. They of course associated effeminacy(sp?) with cowardice, so they associated asians and persian in particular with cowardice. Interesting enough, Greek valor and strength us brought down by throug Achilles by the "cowardly Paris" , who instead of facing him face to face, aims from afar with bow and arrow. It was somehow deemed less honorable to fire from afar and never see your victims face probably.
That being said, Ancient Greek practice often fell short of their idealistic values. Cretans were notorious archers, and Greek armies

Hello,As mentioned, the advantages of range of the arrows are certainly noteworthy in comparison to the sarissas.And at Hydaspes- they must have been a great help in dealing with the elephants.Best regards,
Dean.