Histories

The Medes in the army were equipped like the Persians; indeed, that fashion of armor is Median, not Persian. Their commander was Tigranes, an Achaemenid. The Medes were formerly called by everyone Arians,[*](Modern philology gives the name “Aryan” of course a very much wider extension; which indeed was beginning even in the time of Strabo.) but when the Colchian woman Medea came from Athens [23.733,38] (inhabited place), Perifereia Protevousis, Greece, EuropeAthens to the Arians they changed their name, like the Persians. This is the Medes' own account of themselves.

The Cissians in the army were equipped like the Persians, but they wore turbans instead of caps. Their commander was Anaphes son of Otanes. The Hyrcanians [*](Not mentioned in the list of Darius subjects in Hdt. 3; they lived on the S.E. coast of the Caspian.) were armed like the Persians; their leader was Megapanus, who was afterwards the governor of Babylon [44.4,32.55] (deserted settlement), Babil, Iraq, AsiaBabylon.

The Assyrians in the army wore on their heads helmets of twisted bronze made in an outlandish fashion not easy to describe. They carried shields and spears and daggers of Egyptian fashion, and also wooden clubs studded with iron, and they wore linen breastplates. They are called by the Greeks Syrians, but the foreigners called them Assyrians. With them were the Chaldeans. Their commander was Otaspes son of Artachaees.