THE PROCESSION OF XERXES 33 



ever erected to the memory of famous race horses 

 were those raised in this city during the period 

 of its splendour. 



We have it on good authority that, some 

 centuries before Christ, the Persian men of rank 

 deemed it derogatory to be seen on foot, and 

 that they habitually rode on horseback. Yet in 

 common with the people of many other races 

 they were addicted to immolating horses on 

 festival days, while the practices in which they 

 indulged upon these occasions are said to have 

 been barbarous in the extreme. 



In almost every age white horses in particular 

 would seem to have been used for sacrificial 

 purposes. The Persians sacrificed bulls as well 

 as horses, a bull and a horse being sometimes 

 bound together and then immolated. Arrian 

 mentions that one horse at least was sacrificed 

 to Cyrus every month, the ceremony being 

 usually performed at Pasargadea, close to the 

 famous tomb. Here again white horses were 

 used for the sacrifices, for among the Persians in 

 particular the white horse was for many centuries 

 deemed sacred and pronounced "beloved of the 

 gods." 



One of the descriptions that probably gives 

 a true account of a triumphal march in the third 



