Cretan archers  From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Cretan archers were famed military soldiers in ancient and
medieval warfare.[1]   Though Cretans could be theoretically
outranged by Rhodian slingers,[2] they were widely recognized as
among the best archers in the world for a number of years, and
as such found employment as mercenaries in many armies,
including Alexander the Great's and many of the Diadochi. During
the Retreat of the Ten thousand following the Battle of Cunaxa
in 401 Xenophon's hoplites were able to hold off the Persian
troops pursuing them with the aid of the Cretan archers who
formed part of the Greek mercenary army. On this occasion the
Cretans, cut off from supplies, were able to gather and reuse
the spent Persian arrows while seizing bowstrings from local
peasantry.[3]  Following the conquest of Macedonia and of the
independent Greek city-states, Cretan archers served as
auxiliaries in the Roman army under the Republic an