The Sassanians ruled the last great imperial Empire of Persia before the Arab conquests of the 7th century. Rome's only equal in the classical world, the Sassanian Empire had an enormous impact on the development of architecture, mythology, arts, music, military tactics and technology. Within the Sassanian military, the cavalry was the most influential element, and Sassanian cavalry tactics were adopted by the Romans, Arabs, and Turks. Their cavalry systems of weaponry, battle tactics, Tamgas, Medallions, court customs, and costumes influenced Romano-Byzantine and medieval European culture, and this book allows the reader to see how a little-studied eastern power affected the development of cavalry traditions in the western world.

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Dr Kaveh Farrokh was born in Greece and emigrated to Canada in 1983. Kaveh has been collecting data on Sassanian cavalry for 18 years, travelling to regions such as Naghshe-Rustam (Iran). He has given lectures and seminars in the University of British Columbia, where he acquired his PhD in Persian language acquisition, and on the Knowledge Network Television Program of British Columbia and has written articles for various journals. Kaveh is currently a learning and career specialist in Langara College in Vancouver, British Columbia.