S6 



A HISTORY OF CAVALRY. 



[period I. 



Mardonius furnishing cavalry is strongly corroborative 

 of it, namely, tliat the Persian cavalry were so numerous 

 and so skilful that the small force of horsemen that it 

 would be possible for the ' I'eeks to raise could not 

 expect to withstand them ; while they would be obliged 

 to remain in the plains and in situations where the 

 Persian cavalry could get at them. By having no 

 cavalry whatever, and confining their efforts to organis- 

 ing a powerful infantry, they knew they would have an 

 army which, unencumbered with horsemen, could operate 

 on broken ground, and by keeping among the mountains, 

 neutralize that portion of the Persian army that gave to 

 it its great strength. The circumstances all favour this 

 theory. Mardonius moved out of Attica, because it was 

 not suitable for his cavalry, and marched to Thebes, 

 where the neighbourhood was adapted to the use of that 

 force.' This shows the reliance he placed upon his 

 horsemen. 



The Greeks marched from Eleusis to the foot of Mount 

 Cithaeron, and formed up there, avoiding the plain. 

 Mardonius sent his cavalry under Masistius to attack the 

 Megarians, who alone of the Greeks, to the number of 

 3,000, held an advanced post in the plain. ^ The Megarians 

 were soon reinforced by large bodies of Greek infantry. 

 Herodotus says that the Persians charged the Greeks in 

 squadrons and did them much mischief. Masistius was 

 killed in the struggle, and the fight swayed backwards 

 and forwards over his body ; the cavalry charging at 

 speed, and being firmly met and charged in turn by the 

 heavy armed infantry, who drove them off the field, and 

 retained the body of the dead general.^ Nothing could 

 show the admirable qualities of the Greek infantry- 

 better than the firm manner in which they met the finest 

 horsemen of their age.* 



The Persian cavalry seem to have been energetic and 

 enterprising, and to have performed the duties particularly 

 pertaining to cavalry in a very effective manner. The 

 Greeks were continually receiving large reinforcements 



' Herodotus, ix. 13. 

 * Herodotus, ix. 23. 



Ibid. 20, 21. 3 Plutarch, Aristides. 



