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Early Riders: The Beginnings of Mounted Warfare in Asia and Europe. By ROBERT DREWS. New York: ROUTLEDGE, 2004. Pp. xi + 218, illus. $90.
In this significant book Robert Drews sets out to review all the evidence for the use of the horse in warfare in Europe and Asia, from the earliest times till the Roman era, with some reference to later comparative materials from China and the North American plains. He sets the scene by describing the earliest of humankind's dealings with horses, namely, as food, and then discusses the following key aspects: speed, control of the horse, plunder, and conquest. Throughout, he is at pains to distinguish clearly between the use of "driven" horses pulling wagons or chariots and "ridden" horses carrying archers or armed warriors of various types, having found in his research that many sources do not maintain that distinction clearly.
In any book addressing these issues a range of input, insights, and expertise from various disciplines, including equestrian, military, and academic areas, is necessary in order to piece together the full picture of the role of the horse, whether social or military, across the Eurasian landmass over several millennia. Drews rightly notes that earlier, very valuable, studies have been flawed in places by lacking input from one or more of the necessary disciplines, and he works to reposition their evidence and discussions within this wider and fuller context of understanding. A further layer...