War in Ancient India c7.s1.t2.6

c7.s1.t2.6

Megasthenes refers to the chariots as follows:— ‘The chariots are drawn on the march by oxen but the horses are led along by a halter, that their legs may not be galled and inflamed, nor their spirits damped by drawing chariots. In addition to the charioteer there are two fighting men who sit in the chariot beside him.'²⁹ It is of interest to note that chariots were drawn by oxen. It was realised that the special quality of the horse was not endurance, but speed, and that horses whose energies had been spent in marching would be useless in the field.