Ancient Warfare Podcast · The History Network

Are there any sources for the chariot driver actually exiting the chariot before contact?

September 26, 2025·12 min·1 clip

Murray recounts when Olympic rider Mark Todd's horse bolted from unexpected crowd noise during an opera, linking it to whether ancient chariot horses were noise-trained.

Host Murray answers a listener's question about whether ancient sources describe chariot drivers exiting their chariots before combat contact. He analyzes multiple passages from Homer's Iliad, distinguishing between warriors and drivers, and identifies a key reference where the driver Aeolus leaps down before being struck. The episode includes personal anecdotes about horse behavior and discussions of ancient combat tactics like caltrops and shield-banging.

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Ancient Warfare Podcast