Jeff Richard wrote:
...
> The Great Stirrup Controversy raises its head once again. It just
> depends on what kind of cavalry charges you want. Macedonian
> companion cavalry, Clibanarii and Cataphracts all are described in
> primary sources as making lance charges (although probably not couched
> lance charges) without stirrups.
...
Carmanians as cataphracti seems right. I find it hard to believe that a
people who knew of the stirrup would forget it. So by extension,
Imperial Age westerners might not have had stirrups.