Battle of Stirling Scotland's terms

Quite the Parthian shot that Mel Gibson ( William Wallace ) offers up . A great scene from the movie " braveheart ". The term "Parthian shot" is also used as a metaphor to describe a barbed insult, delivered as the speaker departs. Or , today know as a parting shot !

It is also used as a light horse military tactic made famous in the West by the Parthians, an ancient Iranian people. While in real or feigned retreat their horse archers would turn their bodies back in full gallop to shoot at the pursuing enemy. The maneuver required superb equestrian skills, since the rider's hands were occupied by his composite bow. As the stirrup had not been invented at the time of the Parthians, the rider relied solely on pressure from his legs to guide his horse. > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parthian_shot

Word of the Day : April 10, 2019

Parthian

adjective PAR-thee-un

Definition :

1 : of, relating to, or characteristic of ancient Parthia or its people.

2 : relating to, being, or having the effect of a shot fired while in real or feigned retreat.

Did You Know ?


The adjective Parthian, which often shows up in the phrase "Parthian shot," has its roots in the military strategies of the ancient Parthians. One of the fighting maneuvers of Parthian horsemen was to discharge arrows while in real or feigned retreat. The maneuver must have been memorable because "Parthian shot" continues to be used for a "parting shot," or a cutting remark made by a person who is leaving, many centuries after the dissolution of the Parthian empire.

Examples :

After being fired, the coach gave a Parthian shot to the general manager informing him that he was a churlish miser.

"Although the exact origins of polo are unknown, it earned its reputation as 'the sport of kings' in the Parthian Empire in Persia and the Byzantine Empire…" — Town & Country, May 2018.