DEADLY WARRIORS
Added on: 22nd Mar 2016
THE BYZANTINE KATAPHRAKTOI
(CATAPHRACT)
The term cataphract was not exclusive to the Byzantines.
Derived from the Greek for fully enclosed, the adjective was
used to describe the heavily armoured cavalry of most armies
in Anatolia and the Near East. The main function of the cataphract
unit was not to battle against enemy cavalry units but to use their
heavy armour and sheer mass to smash into infantry formations.
Hence during battle the general would have the cataphracts wait
until the right moment to charge into enemy infantry formations.
Once deployed they would form in a blunt wedge formation
twelve ranks deep. The main weapon of the cataphract was the
kontarion or kontos lance. The lance was defined by a
longsword-like blade and a butt spike at the other end, with a
length varying from 2.9 metres to an impressive 4 metres.
THE MAORI WARRIORS
According to Seamus Fitzgerald, a Maori weapons historian, the
Maori people ate, slept, and drank killing and fighting. War was
common among tribes in New Zealand around 1300 AD, usually
over land conflicts or to gain or restore mana (spiritual power and prestige).
The Maori believed that mana could only be gained from ancestors
or through combat, which was the main reason why fighting
played such an important role in Maori culture.
THE AZTEC WARRIORS
The Aztec Empire was one that expanded rapidly. It is not a
surprise that Aztec warriors held an important place in the
culture and society of central Mexico. The life of an Aztec warrior
was really short by todays standards, around thirty-seven years,
during which he fought in numerous battles.
THE APACHE WARRIORS
There were no specific rules for an Apache when it came to fighting
except, of course, the fact that his enemy had to be killed no
matter what. These merciless warriors would train from a young age
to wait during battle until the last possible moment to attack.
Once they were within a few feet of the enemy, at the exact same
time in unison all the Apaches would let out their war scream
AAAAAAARRR!, causing terror and panic in their enemies.
THE ANCIENT HAWAIIAN WARRIORS
The ancient Hawaiian warriors were the battlefield fighters who
would go to war for their territory and livelihood in the Hawaiian Isles.
The elite Hawaiian warriors, commonly known as the Koa, were the
chiefs main weapons and were their most well-trained and skilled
warriors. In addition to the top skills of the Koa, the chiefs would
employ hundreds of infantrymen and skirmish fighters to
obtain their power, retain their rule, and ensure the future
success of their islands.
THE CELTIC WARRIORS
It is believed that the Celts dominated Western Europe for as long
as a thousand years and were a major widespread force. They were
described as aggressive, intimidating fighters who would disregard
body armour in battle. The basic history of the Celts traces them back
to Austria, before spreading widely across Europe. The Celts lived a
very simple life and did not create an advanced civilization like
ancient Greece and Rome but remain some of the most brutal
warriors mankind ever produced.
THE SCYTHIAN WARRIORS
The Scythians were an ancient Iranian group that consisted of
horse-riding nomadic pastoralists who, throughout antiquity,
dominated the Pontic-Caspian steppe, known at the time as Scythia.
It is believed the Scythians epitomized the rise of the semi-nomadic
peoples who excelled both in unorthodox warfare and horsemanship.
In fact, many historians believe the Scythians had a lasting influence
on their neighbours. So much so that after one thousand years of
their passing, the land that they once ruled (present-day northern
areas around the Black Sea) was known as Greater Scythia.
THE ASSYRIAN WARRIORS
During their prime around the tenth to seventh century BC, the
Assyrians dominated a vast territory that extended from the
borders of Egypt to the eastern highlands of Iran. Many historians
consider Assyria among the first superpowers of the ancient
world and its army, one of the best trained and most brutal
the world has ever witnessed.
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