Kontos (weapon)
Videos
The kontos or contus was a type of long pike with a pointed iron at the one end. Initially it was used for a variety of reasons, but most notably as a punt-pole by sailors who put it into the ground i
Sassanian silver plate showing lance combat
Aswaran
Videos
The Aswārān, also spelled Asbārān and Savaran, was a cavalry force that formed the backbone of the army of the Sasanian Empire. They were provided by the aristocracy, were heavily armored, and ranged
Kontos (weapon)
…used single-handed couched under the armpit, as was the contemporary knightly lance. The Sasanian lance, known as nēzak (Middle Persian), used by the aswaran cavalry, was derived from the Parthian kontos. The Parthian version was a 3.7 m (12 ft) lance featuring a sword-like iron-made blade 23.2 to 37.5 cm…
Modern reconstruction of a late Sassanian era "Spahbed" or Military Commander
Illustration of an asbaran cavalryman holding a banner showing a Homa, a mythical bird of Iranian legends and fables
Equestrian statue of Khosrow II (r. 590–628) wearing the same armor used by the asbaran