Parthian shot
The Parthian shot is a light cavalry hit-and-run tactic used by horse archers. By making a real or feigned retreat at full gallop, the riders turn their bodies around to shoot the often slower, heavier armored pursuing enemies. First used by the Parthians, an ancient Iranian empire, it continued to be used by multiple civilizations especially those of Eurasian nomadic origins throughout the medieval period.
"Parthian shot" is also used metaphorically to describe a barbed insult delivered as the speaker departs.
Technique
The maneuver required significant equestrian and archery skill, since the rider's both hands held their composite bow and their body was turned around. As the stirrup had not been invented at the time of the Parthians, the rider relied solely on balance to stay mounted and guide the horse.History and usage
The Parthians used the tactic to great effect in their victory over the Roman general Crassus in the Battle of Carrhae. After them and their successors, the Sasanians, the Parthian shot was characteristic of most nomads of the Eurasian Steppe, such as the Scythians, Xiongnu, Huns, Turks, Magyars (Hungarians), Koreans, and Mongols, but was not limited to them, having also been used by the Urartians and the Comanche.A tactic similar to the Parthian shot was attributed to the Phoenicians from Sidon by Silius Italicus.
In the medieval period, the Parthian shot was used by the Hungarians in their victory in Battle of Lechfeld against the combined forces of East Francia and Swabia; by the Seljuk Turks under Alp Arslan at the Battle of Manzikert against the Byzantine Empire; by the Ghurid Empire under Muhammad of Ghor at the Second Battle of Tarain against war elephants, heavy cavalry, and infantry from the Rajput confederacy; by the Mongolian general Subutai at the Battle of Legnica against the Polish; and later by the Afsharid Empire at the Battle of Karnal against the Mughal Empire.