Whistling arrows and elephants: Ancient soldiers used sound to frighten and confuse their enemies

+Print Archive

Off Duty

Whistling arrows and elephants: Ancient soldiers used sound to frighten and confuse their enemies

31 August 2022

The Conversation

Wednesday 31 August 2022, 01:00 AM

In the seventh century BC, horses were trained to dance to music, by the mounted soldiers of the Kardians of Thrace, though this skill was used against them by the Bisaltians [image: Helena Lopes on Unsplash]

Adrienne Mayor looks at the varied ways in which sound has been used as a weapon in ancient times, and how it is being employed in more modern settings

As if the tumultuous din of battle is not horrendous enough, over the ages, humans have discovered plenty of ways to exploit sound in warfare. I foun, elephant wild CR Zoe Reeve on Unsplash, The trumpeting of elephants was used in warfare to scare the enemy’s horses; however, the squealing of pigs and blaring of trumpets was later used as

Off Duty

Print Archive

How to Treat

+How to treat

COPD: Prevent, treat and comfort

Respiratory physician Lutz Beckert considers chronic obstructive pulmonary disease management, including the prevention of COPD, the importance of smoking cessation and pulmonary rehabilitation, and the lifesaving potential of addressing treatable traits. He also discusses the logic of inhaler therapy, moving from single therapy to dual and triple therapy when indicated, as well as other aspects of management

Wednesday 26 March 2025, 12:50 AM