transportation+and+weaponry

**__Weapons and Transportation__** __**transportation **__
 * Darius again is the one who truly revolutionized this area
 * he made roads and canals all over his empire (Olmstead, Albert, 302)
 * 1600-mile Royal Road from Susa to Sardis (Olmstead, Albert, 302)
 * there was also similar roads Syria to the Mediterranean and Egypt and another going east to India (Olmstead, Albert, 302)
 * establishment of a postal service (Olmstead, Albert, 302)
 * the messengers would travel across the road stopping at regular posts with fresh food, water and horses (Olmstead, Albert, 303)
 * this method enabled messengers to travel the entire distance of the Royal Road in ten days at a speed of a bout 200 miles a day
 * first man maid canals (Olmstead, Albert, 302)
 * networks in Babylonia (from Cyrus to Alexander, 632)
 * from the read sea to the Nile (Olmstead, Albert, 303)


 * weaponry **
 * spear, swords and bows (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_warfare#Persia)
 * massed infantry in light armor to pin forces while cavalry dealt the killing blow (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_warfare#Persia)
 * in early year chariots were used but they got surpassed by horses (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_warfare#Persia)
 * at the peak war elephants were also used (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_warfare#Persia)
 * the most elite of the infantry were a 10,000 strong unit of professional soldiers armed with a spear, bow and sword (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_warfare#Persia)
 * also archer composed a large portion of the army (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_warfare#Persia)
 * tactics were generally simple and were based on extremely large numbers to strike fear into to enemy and make them surrender (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_warfare#Persia)
 * if this didn't work then this massive army would rush in waves (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_warfare#Persia)
 * the first wave was massed troops backed up by large volleys of arrows (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_warfare#Persia)
 * the next wave was higher quality troops again backed up by volleys of arrows (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_warfare#Persia)
 * the third wave was of immortals (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_warfare#Persia)
 * this worked wonders on the middle east (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_warfare#Persia)

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