On This Page:

The Scythians were among the first mounted archers, and they appear to have two different horses -- a packing and driving horse and a larger thoroughbred, nearly indistinguishable from the Turkoman and Yabou horses today. Read about how the Scythians lived with and used their horses.

The Parthians displaced most of the Scythians in the time of the Roman Empire. They ruled all of Persia and most of Central Asia, and a good deal of northern India. They took over the stewardship of the Turanian Horse from the Scythians -- but still had to contend with the remaining Scythians, now often working as mercenaries for Rome. Read about how the Turanian Horse helped this next empire of mounted archers become the force which kept Rome from achieving her dream of capturing all of Alexander's empire.

The Hsiung-nu empire, which ranged from eastern Siberia to present day Mongolia, arose at the height of the Roman Republic, and its displacement of Mongolian tribes while it fought with Han China caused a series of mass migrations that were to change the stewardship of the Turanian Horses once again. In his attempts to keep the Hsiung-nu at bay, Han Chinese emperor Wu-ti ordered the Great Wall extended and fortified -- and sent his colorful emissary Chang Ch'ien to Ferghana to obtain for him the fabled Heavenly Horses who sweated blood. Read how this emperor's ambition and Chang Ch'ien's diplomatic abilities led to the formation of the famous Silk Road.

The Greeks and the Romans knew the Turanian Horses well--they hired Scythians as mercenaries, sending them, in the case of Rome, as far away as Hadrian's Wall. The Greek empire extended well into Bactria (present-day Afghanistan). Read how the Greeks and Romans reacted to and used these horses, and their keepers.