Description
Camels have a number of advantages over horses: although notorious for their questionable temperament, they can be docile when handled correctly and are less nervous than horses. As desert creatures camels also have greater stamina and can endure long periods without water. This advantage offered a certain strategic flexibility to commanders, as long treks in arid conditions could then be undertaken. When faced by conventional cavalry, the size and odour of camels caused horses to rear-up and back away in a fight. The invention of the north Arabian saddle in the 4th century BC made effective control considerably easier; the steady, elevated position of the saddle enabled an archer to scan the battlefield and pick his targets off with some ease.
