Steppe vs Sedentary Cultures
In the Early Iron Age, the nomadic peoples of the Great Steppe were in many ways far more technologically advanced than other nations. For example, all sedentary peoples were still living in the Bronze Age at this time, while the nomads already entered the Iron Age at the same time. If we compare the best military representatives (i.e. elite cavalry) of nomadic and sedentary civilizations, this difference is very clear. The armor, weapons, harness, and equipment of the Saka knight were much more advanced than that of the contemporary European (i.e. Macedonian) knight.
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Early Iron Age military technology comparison |
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Elite Saka knight |
Elite European cavalry |
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Bow and arrows, javelins |
None or javelins |
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Iron or protosteel |
Archaic bronze |
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Iron scale armor |
Archaic bronze plate armor |
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Iron scale helmets |
Archaic bronze helmets |
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Iron scale shields |
None |
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Iron scale armor |
None |
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Cavalry pants, shirts, coats |
Archaic tunica |
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Advanced Steppe-style hats |
Flat hats |
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Leather cavalry boots |
Leather sandals |
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