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Cavalry was a unit of soldiers that fought on horseback. These swift-striking, wide-ranging forces formed an important part of many armies from ancient times until the early 1900's. But by that time, cannons, machine guns, and other high-powered weapons had been developed that could easily destroy entire cavalry units.

Cavalry performed a number of other duties during warfare in addition to fighting on the battlefield. Mounted units carried messages between army camps, provided an armed escort for generals, and scouted enemy positions. They also aided their army's movements by carrying out certain screening maneuvers to confuse or hold back enemy forces.

The ancient Assyrians, Macedonians, Persians, and Scythians relied heavily on cavalry, as did the Roman Army of the late A.D. 300's. The mounted knights of the Middle Ages became famous for their gallantry, dash, valor, and honor. But the heavy armor that protected the horse and rider also limited speed and movement—and thus the effectiveness of a knight in battle.

Cavalry reached the height of its effectiveness during the 1700's and 1800's, with the development of the galloping cavalry charge. This military tactic was used skillfully by European armies of the period, particularly the Prussian Army under Frederick the Great and the French Army under Napoleon I. Through speed and shock, the cavalry charge often broke enemy lines and forced opposing soldiers to flee. In such charges, the cavalry's favorite weapon was the saber, a curved sword specially designed for use on horseback.

In the United States, cavalry first became a major factor in warfare during the American Civil War (1861-1865). In this conflict, such Union cavalry leaders as Philip H. Sheridan and George A. Custer clashed with Confederate cavalry led by such officers as Jeb Stuart and Nathan B. Forrest. During the second half of the 1800's, the U.S. cavalry was used extensively in battling Indians on the western frontier. Custer's famous "last stand" at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in Montana Territory in 1876 is probably the best known of the hundreds of battles fought between the U.S. cavalry and Indians.

The widespread use of cannons, machine guns, and similar weapons during World War I (1914-1918) made attacks by mounted troops useless and costly. In 1950, President Harry S. Truman signed a bill that officially abolished the horse cavalry of the U.S. Army. Today, armored and mechanized units often perform military tactics formerly accomplished on horseback. Such units are sometimes called cavalry.

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Taking over the Scythian lands also meant taking over the Scythian horse, and it was probably the acquisition of this horse that made the Parthians a force that even Rome could not overcome, try as it might to claim all of Alexander's empire.

What made the Parthians the excellent fighting force that they were? It was the fact that they had been the first to perfect the art of archery from horseback. Today in the United States one speaks of the "Parting Shot," which actually used to be the "Parthian Shot:" taking one last shot with an arrow while galloping away. Archery from horseback is difficult enough; but in order to be able to shoot behind oneself, one needs two very important innovations: the treed saddle, and the stirrup, both of which are believed to have been developed originally by the Scythians. One also needs a special horse, who is intelligent enough to be guided by the legs, once the treed saddle has freed them up for the rider's use.

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