The horsemen of Parthia, Armenia and Sarmatia were some of the finest in the ancient world. Their complex formations and tactics were so effective that other armies, including the Romans, rushed to copy them. The 'Cantabrian Circle', a fast-moving cavalry formation, was adopted by the Roman army shortly after the Cantabrian Wars. Riders would form a loose circle, each horse following the next at full gallop and as the riders came round to face the enemy they would loose their arrows. This deadly formation presented a difficult target for enemy archers and provided a constant stream of deadly arrow fire.
